LSU has seen a mass exodus of players following its 2019 national championship season, and one of its former hotshot recruits now has clarity on his immediate football future. Sophomore linebacker Marcel Brooks, a former five-star prospect in the Class of 2019, announced on Twitter on Friday that he has received immediate eligibility to play for TCU this fall. He originally announced his transfer to the Horned Frogs in mid-July.
Brooks appeared in 11 of LSU's 15 games last season, notching eight tackles and 1.5 sacks as a freshman. His best game came against Ole Miss on Nov. 16 when he had three stops in a 58-37 win. He was a prime candidate to see more playing time in 2020 after the departure of linebackers Jacob Phillips, Patrick Queen, K'Lavon Chaisson and Michael Divinity, Jr.
Brooks was the second-ranked outside linebacker and ranked No. 39 overall in the 2019 recruiting class. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, originally from Flower Mound, Texas, was the third highest-ranked player in LSU's 2019 class behind defensive back Derek Stingley, Jr., and running back John Emery, Jr.
Gabe Brooks, midland region recruiting analyst for 247Sports, provided this scouting report on Marcel Brooks when he came out of high school.
"Tall, long, rangy athlete with outstanding frame," Gabe Brooks wrote. "Good height and a huge wingspan. Bulking potential is very high given his frame. Dynamic athlete who shows outstanding playmaking ability on both sides of the ball. Dominant at times against strong competition in Texas' largest classification. Has shown impact playmaking ability at outside linebacker, receiver, and even DB. Projects to outside linebacker with a very high ceiling as a pass-rusher. Outstanding top-end speed relative to projected position. Explodes off the edge and closes fast. Dangerous in backside pursuit. Powerful striker. Scheme-versatile. Plays with a mean streak. While the frame potential is outstanding, considerable bulk addition must occur to play in the box at the high-major level, possibly leading to an adjustment to playing heavier. Raw from a technical standpoint relative to his projected position. A bit narrow and will need to build size and strength to combat college linemen, particularly in the running game. Will need to acclimate physically and technically to every-down grind at the line of scrimmage if asked to play from the edge."
TCU will open its season at home on Saturday, Sept. 26 against No. 23 Iowa State. Its schedule opener vs. SMU on Sept. 11 was postponed after multiple members of the TCU team and staff tested positive for COVID-19.
