Tiger after all: Louisiana native Shone Washington chooses LSU after defensive tackle began career at Georgia

Shone Washington took the scenic route back home.

The New Orleans native and one-time LSU commitment signed with Georgia out of Warren Easton High School in 2022. After one year in Athens, the 6-foot-4, 315-pounder transferred to national junior college power East Mississippi.

Washington’s now headed back to his native Louisiana to play for LSU after the nation’s fifth-ranked junior college defensive tackle committed to the Tigers on Monday.

“Really the environment,” Washington told 247Sports.com. “I love the environment out there. You can’t get away from it.”

Washington, who received a scholarship offer from LSU on Sept. 24, made an unofficial visit to Saturday’s LSU-Texas A&M game. He chose the Tigers over Arkansas, Mississippi State and SMU.

LSU’s second-year coach Brian Kelly recently said that he and his staff planned to make a concerted effort to beef up the team’s defensive line. Running backs coach Frank Wilson, a native of New Orleans, has served as Washington’s main recruiter.

Washington is LSU’s 26^th overall commitment in the Class of 2024 and second from a defensive lineman, joining De’Myrion Johnson of Westgate in New Iberia.

The Tigers’ class ranks No. 12 by On3 Sports and No. 14 by 247Sports.

Washington began his high school career at John Ehret before transferring to Warren Easton. Despite committing to LSU, he signed with Georgia where he was redshirted and then transferred to East Mississippi in Scooba, Mississippi which was first featured in the 2015 documentary, Last Chance U.

East Mississippi (9-2) has won its last seven games this season, including the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) state championship. The Lions upset No. 4 Copiah-Lincoln Community College, 27-20, to advance to the NJCAA playoffs on Dec. 2 at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College at 2:00 p.m.

Washington has 26 tackles and a sack for a defense that allows 19.7 points and 318.2 yards per game.

“Me watching them these past two years developing and getting better, that’s really one thing excites me,” Washington said. “I’ve seen the things he’s (Kelly) done over the years being at Notre Dame and at LSU. I know he’s the type of coach that will be able to lead a team to championships and build us up as people.”