Michigan makes top six for Grand Valley State DT transfer Jay'viar Suggs
Grand Valley State (Division II) defensive tackle transfer Jay’viar Suggs released his top six schools list after taking a slew of visits following his NCAA transfer portal entrance, and Michigan Wolverines football made the cut.
The Wolverines joined USC, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Florida State and Kentucky as teams on his list. Suggs visited all six programs, finishing up with a trip to Michigan May 6-7.
Suggs is the No. 26 available interior defensive lineman in the transfer portal, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Michigan was one of nearly 40 schools to offer Suggs, who entered the portal April 22.
The Flint, Mich., native is a graduate transfer and has two years of eligibility remaining after spending five seasons at Grand Valley State, which is located on the west side of Michigan in Allendale.
Michigan also hosted Kent State defensive tackle transfer CJ West on a visit, but he’s projected by the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) to land at Indiana. Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito made it clear this spring that the Maize and Blue will add talent that fits.
“You’re always looking to upgrade the roster, in recruiting at any level, whether it’s a high school kid or a transfer kid,” Esposito said. “If you feel that he’s going to help you win, and there’s room for them, you want to upgrade your roster as much as you can.”
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A 6-foot-3, 282-pounder, Suggs has been disruptive the last two seasons, after redshirting in 2019, having his 2020 season canceled and not playing due to injury in 2021.
In 2023, Suggs tallied 21 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 5 sacks to go along with 4 pass breakups and a forced fumble. He had at least a half-tackle for loss in eight of 11 appearances.
Suggs helped the Lakers finish the season 11-2 overall and 6-0 in GLIAC play. They won two games in the NCAA D-II playoffs (over Ferris State and Pittsburg State) before falling to Harding in a quarterfinal showdown.
The Michigan transfer target posted 21 stops, 7 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble in 2022.
Suggs was an unranked recruit out of Clarkston (Mich.) High in the 2019 class. The Wolverines have one player on the current roster from Clarkston in junior walk-on wide receiver Logan Forbes.
