LSU had another departure from what had been a deep running back room as fifth-year senior Noah Cain declared Monday for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Cain, a Baton Rouge native, started his career at Penn State. He then transferred to LSU in 2022 and rushed for 590 yards and 13 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
"My parents taught me never to quit, no matter what I may be faced with along the path," Cain wrote in a social media post announcing his decision. "I am resilient, I possess an impeccable work ethic, and I am a team player. The best is yet to come."
Cain may have been eligible to return as a sixth-year senior. He suffered a season-ending injury on Penn State's first drive in 2020, giving him a redshirt year, and that season did not count toward eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LSU carried eight running backs last fall. Five have since moved on from the program.
Fifth-year senior John Emery exhausted his eligibility after tearing his ACL. Junior Logan Diggs, junior Armoni Goodwin and redshirt sophomore Tre Bradford entered the transfer portal. And Cain entered the NFL draft.
The Tigers are set to bring back sixth-year senior Josh Williams — who said he would "most likely" return — sophomore Kaleb Jackson and redshirt sophomore Trey Holly. They also signed four-star running back Caden Durham.
As LSU tries to strengthen the position moving forward, running backs coach Frank Wilson landed a commitment last week from Harlem Berry, a five-star recruit and the No. 1 running back in the 2025 class.
After transferring from Penn State, Cain became a complementary piece in LSU's backfield who was used the most in short-yardage situations at the goal line. Known for his power, Cain rushed for 409 yards and 10 touchdowns, the second-most TDs on the team behind quarterback Jayden Daniels.
But Cain's usage decreased last season as Diggs became the lead running back. Cain rushed 37 times for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Coach Brian Kelly complimented him near the end of the regular season for maintaining a positive attitude even though he wasn't playing as much.