Arden Key arrived at LSU with the size, speed and natural ability to become a special pass rusher. It did not take long for him to prove that he belonged in the Southeastern Conference.
The Atlanta native became an immediate contributor as a freshman, developed into one of the most dangerous defensive players in college football and set LSU’s single season sack record during a dominant sophomore campaign.
Key played only three seasons in Baton Rouge, but his ability to pressure quarterbacks placed him among the most productive pass rushers in school history. He finished his LSU career with 21 sacks, including a school record 12 during the 2016 season.
That record setting performance and his overall impact on the LSU defense place Arden Key at No. 87 among the greatest Tigers of all time.
A Top Prospect From Georgia
Key was born May 3, 1996, in Atlanta. He attended Hapeville Charter Academy, where his combination of height, length and athletic ability made him one of the nation’s leading defensive prospects.
He recorded 12 sacks as a sophomore, more than 100 tackles and eight sacks as a junior, and 15.5 sacks during his senior season. He earned first team Class 2A All State honors and was selected to participate in the Under Armour All America Game.
Rivals, ESPN, Scout and 247Sports all rated Key as a four star prospect. ESPN ranked him as the No. 24 overall player in the country, while 247Sports placed him third nationally among weak side defensive ends. He was also rated as one of the top four prospects in Georgia.
At 6 feet 6 inches, Key had the frame of a defensive end but moved with the quickness of a much smaller player. His first step, long reach and ability to bend around offensive tackles made him an ideal fit for the LSU defense.
Immediate Impact as a Freshman
Key played in all 12 games during his freshman season in 2015 and started the final nine. He finished the year with 41 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, nine quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.
He recorded LSU’s first sack of the season in the Tigers’ opener at Mississippi State. He also pressured the quarterback on the play that resulted in Deion Jones returning an interception 26 yards for a touchdown against Eastern Michigan.
Key continued to improve as the season progressed. He recorded a sack and recovered a fumble at Alabama, added another sack against Arkansas and produced one of his strongest performances in the regular season finale against Texas A&M.
Against the Aggies, Key recorded eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries as LSU closed the regular season with a 19–7 victory.
Key’s performance earned him a place on the SEC All Freshman Team. ESPN and 247Sports also named him a Freshman All American.
His first season provided only a preview of what was coming.
A Record Setting Sophomore Season
Key became one of the best pass rushers in college football during the 2016 season.
Working in defensive coordinator Dave Aranda’s system, Key lined up as an outside linebacker and defensive end. His length and speed created serious problems for offensive tackles, while his versatility allowed LSU to move him around the formation.
Key recorded 56 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 11 games. He registered at least one sack in nine of his 11 appearances.
He opened the season with six tackles and two sacks against Wisconsin. Two weeks later, he recorded two more sacks against Mississippi State.
The second sack against Mississippi State came on one of the biggest defensive plays of LSU’s season. With LSU leading 23–20 and 1:41 remaining, Key sacked quarterback Damian Williams on fourth down and forced a fumble that Davon Godchaux recovered. The play secured the LSU victory.
Key added 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries at Auburn. He also recorded sacks against Jacksonville State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Florida while becoming the leading pass rushing threat on an LSU defense filled with future NFL players.
His final performance of the season secured his place in the LSU record book.
Dominating the Heisman Trophy Winner
LSU faced Louisville and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Lamar Jackson in the Citrus Bowl on December 31, 2016.
Jackson had produced one of the most explosive individual seasons in college football history, but LSU’s defense overwhelmed Louisville. The Tigers recorded eight sacks and limited the Cardinals to 220 total yards in a 29–9 victory.
Key finished with six tackles and two sacks for losses totaling 16 yards. One of those sacks produced a safety, LSU’s first since 2012 and its first in a bowl game since the 1974 Orange Bowl against Penn State.
Key’s first sack against Louisville tied Gabe Northern’s LSU record of 11 sacks in a season. His second gave him 12 and established a new school record.
LSU’s official postgame notes also corrected an error in an earlier media guide that had credited Oliver Lawrence with 12 sacks. Northern’s 11 in 1994 was the verified record Key surpassed.
Key established the new mark in only 11 games and finished his season by recording two sacks against the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
The Associated Press selected Key as a first team All SEC performer. The SEC coaches placed him on the second team.
His 2016 season remains one of the finest performances by a pass rusher in LSU history. His record of 12 sacks was still the LSU single season standard entering the 2026 season.
Battling Through a Difficult Final Season
Expectations surrounding Key were enormous entering 2017. He was considered a potential first round NFL Draft selection and one of the leading defensive players in college football.
His final LSU season did not unfold as planned.
Key stepped away from the football program in February for personal reasons. LSU and head coach Ed Orgeron supported his decision and asked the public to respect the family’s privacy. Key remained enrolled at LSU and returned to the program in June.
Key also underwent shoulder surgery during the offseason. His rehabilitation caused him to miss LSU’s first two games against BYU and Chattanooga.
He returned against Mississippi State but needed time to regain his conditioning and explosiveness. When he became healthier, he showed flashes of the player who had dominated the SEC the previous year.
Key recorded six tackles and a sack in LSU’s 27–23 comeback victory over Auburn. He followed that performance with six tackles and two sacks in a 40–24 victory at Ole Miss. Against Alabama, he produced a season high eight tackles and half a sack.
Injuries limited Key to eight games, all starts. He finished the season with 33 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, eight quarterback hurries and one forced fumble.
Despite the missed time, the Associated Press selected Key as a first team All SEC linebacker for the second consecutive season.
His final LSU appearance came in a 33–10 victory over Arkansas on November 11, 2017. An injury kept him out of the final two regular season games and LSU’s Citrus Bowl matchup against Notre Dame.
An LSU Career Filled With Production
Key played 31 games and made 28 starts during his three seasons at LSU. He finished with 130 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks and 28 quarterback hurries.
His 21 career sacks tied Gabe Northern for third place in LSU history. The only players ahead of Key were Rydell Melancon with 25 and Ron Sancho with 23.
Key’s LSU accomplishments included:
- A school record 12 sacks in 2016
- Two Associated Press first team All SEC selections
- One coaches’ second team All SEC selection
- Freshman All America recognition
- SEC All Freshman honors
- 21 career sacks
- 26.5 career tackles for loss
- Sacks in nine of 11 games during the 2016 season
His career numbers become even more impressive when considering that he played only three seasons and missed several games during his junior year.
NFL Career
Key gave up his senior season and entered the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Oakland Raiders selected him in the third round with the 87th overall pick. That created the unusual coincidence of Key being ranked No. 87 on this list and entering the NFL as the 87th player selected in his draft.
Key appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and made 10 starts. His first three professional seasons came with the Raiders, first in Oakland and then in Las Vegas.
After the Raiders waived him in April 2021, Key signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He produced 6.5 sacks in 17 games during the 2021 season, establishing himself as a valuable rotational pass rusher.
Key recorded 4.5 sacks for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022 before signing with the Tennessee Titans. He collected six sacks in 2023, 6.5 in 2024 and four in 12 games during the 2025 season.
Through the end of the 2025 regular season, Key had appeared in 116 NFL games with 46 starts. He had recorded 192 combined tackles, 30.5 sacks, 39 tackles for loss, 96 quarterback hits, eight passes defended, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Key as an unrestricted free agent on March 11, 2026. NFL reporting described the agreement as a two year contract worth as much as $20 million, with $11 million guaranteed.
Indianapolis listed Key as a 6 foot 5, 240 pound defensive end wearing No. 98. The Colts included him on their initial 53 player roster for the 2026 season, officially confirming his current status with the team.
Key’s professional career demonstrates his persistence. After an uneven start with the Raiders, he developed into a dependable NFL pass rusher and earned a significant contract entering his ninth professional season.
Why Arden Key Ranks No. 87
Arden Key’s LSU career was relatively short, and injuries kept his final season from matching the greatness of his sophomore campaign. His place on this list is based on how disruptive he was when healthy and what he accomplished during one of the greatest pass rushing seasons in school history.
LSU has produced many outstanding defensive linemen and outside linebackers. Few could threaten an offense from the edge as naturally as Key.
At his best, Key had the length to keep offensive tackles away from his body, the speed to beat them around the corner and the flexibility to reach quarterbacks from difficult angles. Opposing offenses had to identify his position before every snap and frequently provide additional blocking help.
His 2016 season is the foundation of his ranking. Key recorded 12 sacks in only 11 games, delivered the deciding defensive play against Mississippi State and broke LSU’s record by sacking the reigning Heisman Trophy winner twice in the Citrus Bowl.
Key left LSU as a two time Associated Press first team All SEC selection, a school record holder and one of the most productive pass rushers ever to wear purple and gold.
That is enough to earn Arden Key the No. 87 position among the 100 greatest LSU Tigers of all time.
Sources
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https://lsusports.net/sports/fb/roster/season/2017/player/arden-key/
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https://static.lsusports.net/pdf9/5165009.pdf
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https://lsusports.net/news/2017/02/15/211477696
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https://lsusports.net/news/2017/06/04/211617100/
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https://www.secsports.com/news/2016/12/sec-announces-coaches-all-sec-teams
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https://www.colts.com/team/players-roster/arden-key/
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https://www.colts.com/news/colts-announce-initial-53-man-roster-for-2026-nfl-season
NFL. “Arden Key Career Statistics.” Accessed September 4, 2026.
https://www.nfl.com/players/arden-key/stats/career
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https://www.nfl.com/news/raiders-end-draft-wait-for-lsu-s-arden-key-0ap3000000928051
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LSU Football Report 