Tigers Expand Offer to Valuable Transfer Portal Defensive Endman

Grand Valley State’s Jay’Viar Suggs is being offered by the purple and gold, who are still searching for defensive line depth.

Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff remain on the hunt for defensive tackle depth this offseason with a new target emerging for the program.

On Wednesday, the Tigers dished out an offer to Grand Valley State’s Jay’Viar Suggs with defensive line coach Bo Davis and Co. making the call.

Suggs has received significant interest since he entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last month. The coveted defensive tackle has taken several visits, including trips to Michigan, Florida State and USC recently.

This week, Suggs released his Top 6 schools consisting of: USC, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida State, Arkansas and Kentucky.

Now, LSU has entered the mix. It’s clear the purple and gold are in late on the action, but there are a few ties here between Suggs and LSU head coach Brian Kelly.

What’s the connection between Suggs and the LSU Tigers?

 

Kelly spent several years at Grand Valley State as a head coach; propelling the program to a pair of Division II National Championships. Another interesting tidbit is that Kelly’s youngest son, Kenzel, is on the Grand Valley State coaching staff where he spent the 2023 season alongside Suggs.

There are ties between both parties, and LSU will certainly continue pushing to get the coveted defensive tackle on campus before a decision is made, but the Tigers will have significant ground to make up after Suggs released his Top 6 schools on Tuesday.

The Michigan native will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at his next destination after spending five years 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 his program.

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 has been a consistent contributor at the Division II level, but now he’s ready to take it up a notch at a Power Four school. The interest is there from several blue-chip programs and LSU is the latest to jump in.

Along with LSU pushing for Suggs’ services, the Tigers have entered the mix for another prized defensive tackle: Adin Huntington.

The Bayou Bengals are actively recruiting UL-Monroe defensive tackle Adin Huntington as he searches for a new home after entering the NCAA Transfer Portal last month, sources confirm to LSU Country. On3 Sports first put out a report on LSU’s interest in Huntington.

Huntington, an All-Sun Belt selection during his lone year in Monroe, has become one of the top available defensive linemen remaining in the free agent market with several programs pursuing his services.

Now, LSU is also in the mix as they evaluate transfer targets while recreating their Big Board.

It’s clear that the Tigers are in need of defensive tackle depth and Kelly’s staff hasn’t shied away from that after bringing in a trio of top players in the portal.

LSU hosted Damonic Williams, Simeon Barrow and Philip Blidi just weeks ago before all three revealed their decisions to take their talents elsewhere.

For LSU, Huntington will certainly be a top priority over the next few weeks as he locks in on making a decision. He’s been mum on social media about the programs in his ear, but with the defensive tackle market scorching hot, schools have been pursuing.

He totaled 63 tackles, 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles to go with 28 solo tackles during the 2023 season with the Warhawks.

Prior to his time with UL-Monroe, Huntington spent three seasons at Kent State before making the move to Louisiana.

Now, the Tigers will continue their pushing both Suggs and Huntington as they ramp up the portal process