Brian Kelly has held off on awarding the No. 18 jersey, a legacy at LSU, so far this fall, which is Kelly’s first in Baton Rouge.

But, on Saturday, that changed, as the first-year coach of the Tigers gave the jersey to a star defender, who could end up being a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As you can see below, Kelly presented the number to edge rusher BJ Ojulari after Saturday’s practice session:

Ojulari has emerged as a team leader this year, coming off a 2021 campaign that saw him record 54 tackles (12 for a loss) and a team-high 7 sacks.

Can he have another big year and help the Tigers improve from last season’s disappointing record? We’ll find out in a few short weeks!