BATON ROUGE, La. -- With three weeks to go until LSU opens spring practice on March 7, we'll use some of the down time to preview the upcoming series of team workouts.

We've discussed the tight ends, defensive tackles, safeties and linebackers in the first four installments of this week's series on positions that can stand to improve this fall. Today's final position group is the defensive ends, who last fall struggled to replace the 2012 stars who left early to enter the NFL draft.

1. Defensive end

Battling for No. 1: LSU went from having defensive ends who intimidated 2012 opponents in Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo to a 2013 group who struggled to generate the same pass-rushing production after Montgomery and Mingo left early for the NFL. Rising senior Jermauria Rasco (56 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high four sacks) and junior Danielle Hunter (57 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks) combined to make 23 of 26 possible starts at end last season, with rising senior Jordan Allen (16 tackles, two TFLs, two sacks) accounting for the other three. That veteran trio seems likely to remain in leading roles, although it would help if some younger players help beef up the Tigers' pass rush. LSU's 27 sacks last season were their fewest since notching just 21 in 2009.

Strength in numbers: The versatile Kendell Beckwith can contribute at end in certain situations, and perhaps he will be able to bolster LSU's edge rush after playing in a limited capacity as a freshman. Lewis Neal played a supporting role last season as a freshman, and perhaps he might earn additional playing time this fall. He appeared in 10 games and recorded seven tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss. Same for Tashawn Bower, an ESPN 300 prospect last year who made three tackles in six games. Otherwise, Justin Maclin is the only returning end who played last season, although the oft-injured rising senior finished with just two tackles in five games.

New on the scene: ESPN 300 honoree Deondre Clark completed LSU's 23-man signing class this week when he officially joined the Tigers at a signing ceremony at his high school. He and fellow signee Sione Teuhema look capable of bringing some playmaking ability to the end position in time. The Tigers also have M.J. Patterson -- a three-star end signee in 2013 -- and ESPN 300 recruit Frank Herron coming off redshirt seasons. Herron was listed as an end last year, but he also has the frame and skillset to become an interior lineman.