LSU offers highly-recruited transfer DL CJ West
LSU extended an offer to Kent State transfer defensive lineman CJ West, one of the nation’s top transfer defensive tackles. LSU defensive line coach Bo Davis joined programs like Arkansas, Miami, Texas A&M and others in offering.
West has spent the past four years as a member of the Golden Flashes. In that time, West posted 110 tackles, including 19.5 for loss, and seven sacks during 36 games. The seven sacks allowed him to lead or tie for the lead on the team in two of his four seasons. He also deflected one pass, forced a fumble, and recovered another for their defense. As a senior last fall, West totaled 40 tackles, seven being for loss, and a pair of sacks.
LSU’s focus in this NCAA Transfer Portal window is on the defensive tackle position. The Tigers moved players to defense this spring to add depth, but the group needs an influx of talent.
“Certainly we have a better sense of the areas we need to get better in,” Kelly said before LSU’s Spring Game last week. “I think we walk away with clearly a better feel for our football team and the areas we have to really strengthen going into the offseason.
For spring practices, LSU leaned heavily on veteran Jacobian Guillory, then rotated a number of other players in at defensive tackle. That included the only other returning scholarship defensive tackle in Jalen Lee, a converted offensive lineman in Kimo Makaneole, a former walk-on transfer from Oklahoma State in Preston Hickey, a junior college addition in Shone Washington and others.
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The Tigers welcome a 5-star defensive tackle signee to campus this summer in Louisiana’s Dominick McKinnley. Fellow 2024 signee De’Myrion Johnson enrolled this spring as well.
LSU has already landed one graduate transfer at defensive tackle in Wisconsin’s Gio Paez, a veteran who appeared in 13 games with six starts at Wisconsin this past season. He ended the year with 23 total tackles and a pair of quarterback hurries. At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, Paez has played in 32 games and logged 36 tackles for Wisconsin across the past three seasons.
LSU also hosted Indiana transfer Philip Blidi, who also spent time at Texas Tech and is now back in the portal as a graduate transfer.
