LSU Football Defensive Lineman Enters Transfer Portal After One Season
Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will search for reinforcements in the defensive line room this offseason via the NCAA Transfer Portal after multiple departures.
Kelly and Co. will lose the defensive end tandem of Sai'vion Jones and Bradyn Swinson to the 2025 NFL Draft after excercising all of their eligibility.
Now, the defensive line depth will take another hit after tackle Jay'viar Suggs has revealed his intentions to depart Baton Rouge after one season.
He transferred to LSU last offseason after aa handful of seasons at the Division II level with Grand Valley State.
Suggs took a redshirt year in his first season with the program with the following season in 2020 being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 6-foot-3, 282-pounder tallied 21 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble in 2022 with GVSU.
The following season in 2023, Suggs remained consistent after logging 21 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks with 4 pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Suggs had been a consistent contributor at the Division II level, but was clearly ready to take it up a notch at a Power Four school.
He committed to the Tigers last spring before limited playing time in his lone season with the program. Suggs tallied 10 total tackles, three tackles forr loss and a pair of sacks.
He's the 15th member of the 2024 roster to reveal his intentions to depart the program.
The Departures (15):
Rickie Collins: Quarterback
LSU quarterback Rickie Collins will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, a source confirms to LSU Tigers On SI. 247 Sports' Chris Hummer first reported the news.
The redshirt-freshman appeared in three games this season where he tallied 35 total yards on five passing attempts. He also logged 18 yards on four carries.
In 2023, Collins appeared in only one game during his true freshman campaign where he completed both of his passing attempts for 19 yards.
Collins utilized 2023 as a redshirt year during his first season with the LSU program.
The Louisiana native was a four-star prospect out of high school after lighting it up at Baton Rouge (La.) Woodlawn High. Collins was a Top 20 quarterback in America.
Landon Ibieta: Wide Receiver
LSU wide receiver Landon Ibieta will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after three seasons in Baton Rouge, he announced.
The Mandevilla (La.) native has battled injuries during his time with the Tigers after playing in only three games in as many years.
A three-star prospect out of high school, Ibieta ranked as a Top 100 wideout in America and Top 25 prospect in Louisiana.
The 5-foot-11 speedster had remained committed to the Miami Hurricanes for much of his prep career, but ultimately flipped to the hometown Tigers prior to Signing Day in the 2022 cycle.
CJ Daniels: Wide Receiver
LSU starting wide receiver CJ Daniels is expected to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season in Baton Rouge, On3 Sports reported on Tuesday.
Daniels, who transferred to LSU last offseason after a dominant career with the Liberty Flames, started in 10 of his 11 games played for LSU this season.
He totaled 42 receptions for 480 yards and zero touchdowns during his time with the Tigers.
Daniels joined the Tigers last spring after catching 106 passes for 1,954 yards and 21 touchdowns in four seasons at Liberty.
Da'Shawn Womack: EDGE
LSU defensive lineman Da'Shawn Womack will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, On3 Sports reported on Tuesday.
Womack, a former five-star prospect in the 2023 Recruiting Cycle, chose LSU over Georgia, Maryland and Ole Miss, among others, during his process just two years ago.
Now, the former blue-chipper has revealed he will test the Transfer Portal market where he is set to garner tremendous interest.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder totaled 23 tackles, 2.5 sacks and four pass deflections in his two seasons with the purple and gold.
Jordan Allen: Safety
LSU safety Jordan Allen will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after three seasons in Baton Rouge, On3 Sports reported on Tuesday.
Allen, a former coveted prospect out of Louisiana, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his next destination.
The redshirt-sophomore started in LSU's first two games of the season, but a nagging toe injury sidelined the veteran piece for much of the 2024 season.
The 6-foot, 195-pounder tallied 32 tackles with a pair of pass breakups during his three seasons in the purple and gold.
Shelton Sampson: Wide Receiver
LSU wide receiver Shelton Sampson is set to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, he revealed via social media on Thursday.
Sampson, a former Top 100 prospect in the 2023 Recruiting Class, played in 11 games for the LSU Tigers across two seasons, but did not reel in a reception.
The redshirt-freshman out of Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic High was a pivotal piece to the Tigers' haul in 2023, but it was an underwhelming stint with Sampson unable to crack the rotation.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder showed flashes during Fall Camp early, but was ultimately unable to earn meaningful playing time in 2024 behind wideouts Kyren Lacy, CJ Daniels, Aaron Anderson and Zavion Thomas.
Kylin Jackson: Defensive Back
LSU safety Kylin Jackson will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after two seasons in Baton Rouge, On3 Sports revealed on Thursday.
Jackson, a Louisiana native and former four-star prospect, will be a hot commodity in the portal market with immense potential.
In two seasons with the program, Jackson played in 17 games with the Tigers - primarily on special teams - while recording five total tackles.
He redshirted in his first season with the Tigers in 2023 while battling the injury bug, but will be a player programs are willing to take a "gamble" on.
Jackson signed with the LSU Tigers over Texas A&M and a myriad of other top programs out of high school.
Xavier Atkins: Linebacker
LSU true freshman linebacker Xavier Atkins will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season in Baton Rouge, 247 Sports' Matt Zenitz reported on Friday afternoon.
Atkins, a four-star linebacker and Louisiana native, will be a key name to watch once officially in the portal with several suitors set to line up for his services.
With LSU linebacker Harold Perkins going down with a torn ACL earlier in the season along with veteran West Weeks battling a lower-body injury, Brian Kelly turned to Atkins to take key snaps down the stretch.
It was true freshmen Atkins and Davhon Keys to take on bigger snaps than expected.
He played in seven games in 2024 where he logged three total tackles in his lone season with the Bayou Bengals.
Jyaire Brown: Cornerback
LSU cornerback Jyaire Brown will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season in Baton Rouge.
Brown, who began his playing career at Ohio State, just wrapped up his lone season with the LSU Tigers in 2024. He had previously spent two seasons with the Buckeyes prior to his time in Baton Rouge.
The 5-foot-11, 177-pounder out of Louisiana played in three games for the Tigers this season where he tallied three tackles.
Bernard Causey: Cornerback
LSU cornerback Bernard Causey will enter the NCAA Transfer Portal after one season with the Tigers.
The New Orleans (La.) native played in zero games during his lone season with the Bayou Bengals. He will have four seasons of eligibility remaining at his next destination.
Nathan Dibert: Kicker
The list of players entering the NCAA Transfer Portal from LSU's 2024 roster grew to 11 on Monday after placekicker Nathan Dibert revealed his intentions to leave the program.
Dibert was a two-year starter for the Tigers, but after suffering an injury at the end of the 2023 season, LSU saw true freshman Aeron Burrell earn the starting job in 2024 after an impressive Fall Camp showing.
From there, Burrell kept the starting job after an impressive first season in Baton Rouge despite Dibert back and healthy.
De'Myrion Johnson: Defensive Tackle
The Bayou State native played in zero games this season after signing with the program in December of 2023. He was an early-enrollee and took part in spring camp with LSU earlier this year.
Now, after 11 months in Baton Rouge, Johnson will depart the program and enter the NCAA Transfer Portal in search of a new home.
JK Johnson: Cornerback
Johnson, who transferred to LSU from Ohio State in 2023, is the latest departure after a source confirmed his intentions. Matt Zenitz of 247Sports first reported the news.
The prized defensive back out of high school struggled to carve out a role during his time with the Buckeyes prior to his time in Baton Rouge.
Once in Louisiana for the 2023 season, he was sidelined with a lower-leg injury that caused him to miss the entire year.
Fast forward to 2024 and Johnson played in 10 games where he totaled three tackles on the season.
Ka'Morreun Pimpton: Tight End
Pimpton will depart Baton Rouge after two seasons with the program. He was rated as a Top-5 tight end in America in the 2023 Recruiting Cycle.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder was set to take on an expanded role with star junior Mason Taylor departing for the 2025 NFL Draft, but with both gone, it leaves LSU with one scholarship tight end in Trey'Dez Green.
In two seasons with the Tigers, Pimpton tallied seven receptions for 80 yards and zero touchdowns.
Now, despite a lack of production with LSU, he'll be a hot commodity on the portal scene with impressive traits to work with at his next destination.
The NCAA Transfer Portal will officially open for business on Dec. 9 where programs can begin contacting transfers officially listed in. The period to enter will run through Dec. 28.
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