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Former LSU football defensive star signs as undrafted free agent
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- Former LSU football defensive star signs as undrafted free agent
Former LSU football defensive lineman Bernard Gooden found a home in the NFL. He signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent on Sunday after one season with the Tigers.
Gooden played in 12 games with 11 starts in 2025. He made 24 tackles, including four for loss and two sacks, as a fixture in the trenches for defensive coordinator Blake Baker 's unit. Gooden was one of several defensive transfers that helped the unit make strides last year.
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As part of the 2022 signing class, Gooden started his collegiate career at Wake Forest. He played in 12 games with three starts as a true freshman for the Deamon Decons before transferring to South Florida .
As a junior in 2024, Gooden played in every game with 11 starts for the Bulls. He tallied 35 tackles, including 10 for loss and 1.5 sacks. It was the best season of his collegiate career, which led him to enter the transfer portal.
Gooden was one of college football's top interior pass rushers. NFL teams had questions about his size and inconsistency vs the run, but his pass rush bag and athleticism will make him a sneaky candidate to earn a spot on the roster or practice squad.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Former LSU football defensive star signs as undrafted free agent
