Big-bodied Southern edge rusher with freshman upside
In the 2026 season, Justin Lagarde is listed as a freshman defensive end at Southern University at 6'3", 250 pounds, with a classic build for an edge defender and hometown toughness from New Orleans. He looks like a developmental piece with power-first traits, the kind of player who can grow into a disruptive run-stopper if his hand usage and first-step quickness keep climbing. The biggest selling point is projection: Southern has him on the roster, but there isn’t public stat production yet, so the intrigue is all about frame, upside, and whether his motor turns into real Sundays-caliber juice.
