News: Defensive End Soni Fonua Enters Transfer Portal

Fonua saw immediate production a season ago when the Tigers defensive line was banged up

LSU fifth-year defensive end Soni Fonua entered the NCAA transfer portal Thursday afternoon. The senior put together a solid stretch of games towards the end of the 2021-22 season, starting the Tigers final five games of the year.

Fonua came to LSU as a transfer from Mesa (Ariz.) Community College in 2019, appearing in 20 games for the Tigers over a three-year span.

The LSU defensive line saw a number of players go down to injury last season and Fonua certainly picked up the slack when they needed him most. Recording 27 tackles and 6.5 tackles for a loss, Fonua really stood out against Texas A&M last season.

Soni Fonua prepares for a snap during the Tigers 2020 College Football Playoff run. 

Though coming into spring camp with a new staff, Fonua didn’t get the opportunities he was hoping for. With the Tigers returning Ali Gaye, Maason Smith, BJ Ojulari and Jaquelin Roy, snaps were looking limited for Fonua entering the season.

Not to mention true-freshman Quency Wiggins has made a statement since coming to campus this spring along with Missouri transfer Mekhi Wingo. The depth LSU has at the defensive line position rivals many in the SEC.

A number of lineups the Tigers can roll with, it was certainly going to be difficult for Fonua to crack the rotation. After not participating in spring camp, it was a given he’d ultimately put his name in the portal and close out his collegiate career elsewhere.