LSU Football: Tigers Dish Out Transfer Portal Offer To Coveted Defensive Lineman

Brian Kelly and Co. offer Kent State defensive lineman CJ West, first spring window offer.

Kent State wins 60-10 on their home opener against Virginia Military Institute. CJ West takes on / Lisa Scalfaro via Imagn Content

Brian Kelly and Co. extended an offer to Kent State transfer defensive lineman CJ West on Tuesday, one of America's top prospects in the spring portal.

For LSU, the scholarship sent out to West became the first one this program has dished out as the Bayou Bengals continue their search for depth on the defensive line.

West reeled in offers from programs across the nation including Arkansas, Miami and Texas A&M, among others with Bo Davis and the Tigers getting in on the action early.

In four seasons at Kent State, West tallied 110 tackles, including 19.5 for loss, and seven sacks in 36 games for the Golden Flashes.

The seven sacks accounted for had West atop the team rankings in total sacks in two of his four seasons with the program. Along with getting in the backfield, West also deflected one pass, forced a fumble, and recovered another during his stint with Kent State.

In his senior campaign during the 2023 season, West totaled 40 tackles, seven being for loss, and a pair of sacks.

Brian Kelly has been vocal about the Tigers dipping into the NCAA Transfer Portal during the spring window in order to add depth up front, but detailed how LSU's versatility can help them this fall:

“We can move (defensive ends) Bradyn Swinson inside and Paris Shand inside, then Da’Shawn Womack on the edge and (linebacker) Harold Perkins on the edge. You have a different configuration. I think we can be really dynamic with some of the defensive linemen and moving the pieces around. On first and second down, we really have to work hard at getting after the quarterback. But in terms of stopping the run, Jacobian Guillory has been outstanding. In terms of what Bo Davis is looking for, he’s been outstanding and been a stalwart. We have to find that other guy. That’s what we are looking for. We are trying to develop that second guy and have some depth pieces behind them.”

So far, LSU has lost one defensive lineman via the NCAA Transfer Portal during ths spring window with redshirt freshman EDGE Jaxon Howard electing to depart Baton Rouge.

Howard has been a hot commodity ever since his name officially entered the portal market with offers coming in from Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana, among several other Power Four programs.

Other LSU News:

LSU Football: Prized Freshman Wide Receiver Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Transfer Portal Primer: Where Does LSU Football Stand During The Second Window?

The Wide Receiver Big Board: Who is LSU Football Pushing to Land Commitments From?

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