Look out, Will Campbell, an old friend is coming for your spot at LSU.

Campbell, a freshman All-American at offensive left tackle for the Tigers this season, was playing at Neville High School in Monroe last year.

His teammate back then, Zalance Heard, was one of biggest catches among the 25 high school players head coach Brian Kelly added to the Class of 2023 on Wednesday.

Heard, as was Campbell, is a 5-star prospect at offensive tackle.

When talking up this year’s class Wednesday, Kelly said that Heard informed him that he planned to start at left tackle next season.

Kelly reminded him that Campbell had the spot pretty well spoken for.

“Oh, I’ve seen Will Campbell play, I played with Will Campbell,” Kelly quoted Heard as saying. “I’m playing left tackle.”

“It wasn’t cocky,” Kelly said, “It was confidence.”

That will sort itself out.

But if Kelly learned nothing else in his first season at LSU, it was that it’s not foolhardy to expect freshmen to contribute immediately.

“You know what? We can play freshmen,” Kelly said,” Kelly said Wednesday.

He started five true freshmen in the SEC championship game, including both offensive tackles.

“This is a class when we recruited them it was to immediately impact LSU football. Be ready to compete immediately.”

His first full recruiting class — he took the job just before National Signing Day last year — was ranked No. 6 in the nation and third among SEC schools behind No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia.

“I don’t get into all of that,” Kelly said of the various rankings and stars. “I think it’s a pretty good balance of offense and defense.”

It’s only part of the newcomers story as LSU is actively working the transfer portal.

“I don’t feel confident in the portal,” Kelly said. “I do feel confident in what we’re going to use the portal for, and that is strictly to bolster a position group that is a need.”

But “this program will be built by freshmen and development will happen within these walls.”

This year, at least, he will still use the portal, especially, he said, along the defensive line and in the secondary.

LSU has not released any, but the Tigers are known to have transfer commitments from edge rusher Bradyn Swinson (Oregon) and defensive tackles Paris Shand (Arizona) and Jalen Lee (Florida) and wide receiver Aaron Anderson (Alabama).

Kelly has said LSU might take a dozen or more this year from the transfer portal.

The Tigers are also still in the running for high school 5-star cornerback Desmond Ricks from Chesapeake, Va., who is supposed to make his decision Thursday.

Heard was one of two 5-star recruits the Tigers landed, along with 17 who were 4-star players. The other 5-star was at a position of need was edge rusher Dashawn Womack, the top-rated player in the state of Maryland from St. Francis Prep in Baltimore.

Of the high school players, 15 will enroll early for the spring semester and could technically work with the team during preparations for the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 2.

But Kelly said that wouldn’t happen as he feared it would be a distraction during preparations for the game against Purdue.

LSU Class of 2023

High School signees

(All ratings from On3 Composite)

Player Pos Hgt/Wgt Hometown (HS)

Tyree Adams OL 6-5/285 New Orleans (St. Aug)

4 stars … No. 7 ranked nationally at position … State’s No. 11 overall prospect.

Christian Brathwaite LB 6-1/225 Cypress, Texas (Cy Ranch)

3 stars … No. 10 at position … Sr. year 12 TFLs, 9 sacks, blocked kick, 2 forced fumbles, int.

Javen Brown WR 6-1/160 Miami (Gulliver)

4 stars … No. 11 WR by ESPN … Career caught 111 for 2,339 yrds, 22 TDs.

Dylan Carpenter DE 6-3/240 St. Amant (HS)

3 stars … 17 TFLs, 7 sacks … Nationally No. 44 at position.

DJ Chester OL 6-5/315 Conyers, Ga. (Eagles Landing)

4 stars … No. 9 ranked nationally at position, No 9 overall in Ga.

Rickie Collins QB 6-2/190 Baton Rouge (Woodlawn)

4 stars … Dual threat was 127 of 209 for 1512, 17 TDs, ran for 598.

Michael Daugherty S 6-1/180 Longanville, Ga (Grayson)

3 stars … Missed most of Sr. year with injury … 15 TFLs, 4 sacks as Jr.

Zalance Heard OT 6-5/305 Monroe (Neville)

5 stars … State’s No. 2-ranked player … No. 4 OL in nation … Played both ways.

Trey Holly RB 5-8/190 Farmerville (Union Parish)

4 stars … State’s all-time leading rusher — 10,523 yards, 160 TDs, 38 last season.

Jaxon Howard DE 6-4/245 Minneapolis (Cooper)

4 stars … No. 1 prospect from Minn., No. 9 nationally at DE … 103 tackles as Sr.

Jeremiah Hughes CB 6-1/175 Las Vegas (Gorman)

3 stars … Moved from WR to CB this year and finished with 21 tackles, 7 interceptions and 3 pass breakups.

Kaleb Jackson RB 5-10/200 Baton Rouge (Liberty)

4 stars … State’s top-rated RB … Limited by injury as Sr. … Jr. year 2,031 yrds, 29 TDs.

Kylin Jackson S 6-2/200 Zachary (HS)

4 stars … No. 9 nationally at position … State’s No. 9 overall prospect.

Mac Markway TE 6-4/250 St. Louis (DeSmet)

4 stars … Missed Sr. year with injury … No. 3 TE nationally by ESPN.

Jackson McGohan TE 6-4/235 Miamisburg, Ohio (HS)

3 stars … No. 25 TE nationally … Sr. year 52 catches, 941 yrds, 11 TDs.

Paul Mubenga OT 6-4/280 Buford, Ga. (HS)

3 stars … Late bloomer after moving to Ga. from Congo … Grew up on soccer.

Kyle Parker WR 5-10/175 Lucas, Texas (Lovejoy)

4 stars … Had 341 yards receiving in one game … … Also promising kick returner.

Ka’Morreun Pimpton TE 6-6/220 Fort Worth (N. Crowley)

4 stars … Flipped from Vandy on signing day … 85 catches, 951 rec. yards, 16 TDs as Sr.

Khai Prean ATH 6-0/190 St. James (HS)

4 stars … As Sr. averaged 18 ypc with 14 TDs on 61 receptions.

Shelton Sampson WR 6-3/190 Baton Rouge (Catholic)

4 stars … No. 6 WR nationally, No. 36 overall player … 1.152 yards, 18 TDs as Sr.

Ashton Stamps CB 6-0/170 Metairie (Rummel)

3 stars … Created 3 TOs and blocked a FG as Sr. and broke up 10 passes.

Javian Toviano S 6-0/185 Arlington, Tex. (Martin)

4 stars … No. 5 nationaly ranked S and No. overall in Texas … 2 pick sixes last year.

Whit Weeks LB 6-2/205 Watkinsville, Ga. (Oconee)

4 stars … Also played RB in HS … 19 TFLs, 3 ints as Sr. … No. 11 rated LB nationally

Dashawn Womack DE 6-5/245 Baltimore (St. Francis)

5 stars … No. 1 player in Maryland … No. 4 DE nationally … 26 TFLs, 15 sacks as Sr.

Ryan Yaites S 6-1/190 Denton, Texas (Guyer)

4 stars … Can also play CB … No. 16 DB in nation … 63 tackles, 2 ints as Sr.