LSU freshman linebacker DeMario Tolan entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal, leaving head football coach Brian Kelly with one less young star to build the Tigers' defense around, according to a Wednesday tweet from On3 Sports.

The former four-star linebacker from Orlando, Florida earned 10 total tackles, three solo, in six games played for the Tigers this season. The Dr. Phillips High School star was recruited by now-Missouri defensive coordinator and safeties coach Blake Baker, who played a key part in having the 6-foot-1-inch linebacker commit over Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson and Florida State, among others, according to 247Sports.

Brian Kelly originally raved about the freshman linebacker before the team faced the Arkansas Razorbacks, hinting at a potential future pairing of him and freshman linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.

“Don't forget that name,” Kelly said in a Nov. 10 edition of his radio show. “You're gonna have a combination of Tolan and (Harold) Perkins that I couldn't be more excited about.”

Tolan became the first player to transfer out of LSU since the Tigers demolished the Purdue Boilermakers in the Citrus Bowl on Monday. Though not losing as many prospects to the NCAA transfer portal as several other SEC competitors, the LSU head football coach still shared his thoughts on players entering and exiting the program through the portal.

“They have got to be the right fit first,” Kelly said. “They have to recognize the value of an education from LSU. They have to have the right traits. We are not just open for business. We’re not just putting a sign up saying, hey, we are going to take whoever. They have to be the right fit.

“I prefer that they are from the state of Louisiana if we can find them. And then we are going to address needs based upon how that freshman class marries into it by the particular needs by position class.”