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LSU Suffers Unfortunate Transfer Portal News on Sunday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Jan 5, 2025 12:41 PM ET

The LSU Tigers remain one of the most prominent college football programs in the nation, but fell short of the 12-team College Football Playoff after a season full of ups and downs under head coach Brian Kelly.

LSU finished the season 9-4 overall, 5-3 in SEC play, and capped things off with a Texas Bowl win over Baylor. However, they’ve still faced significant departures through the transfer portal and losses from the 2025 recruiting class.

The biggest blow came when they lost the No. 1 recruit and quarterback in the Class of 2025, Bryce Underwood. Despite this, LSU will return Garrett Nussmeier, which should pave the way for another competitive season ahead.

Nonetheless, LSU was dealt more unfortunate news regarding departures as they lost veteran defensive lineman, Jalen Lee, who is set to enter the transfer portal.

Lee, a former four-star recruit, has played 36 games throughout his career, splitting time between the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers. His departure will certainly be another spot that will need to be filled.

LSU defensive lineman Jalen Lee plans to enter the transfer portal, he tells @On3sports.

The former four-star recruit and Florida transfer has played in 36 career games. https://t.co/QW9JK7ZwF9 pic.twitter.com/EdigcGmEA5
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) January 5, 2025

While, the Tigers have lost some names, they have also certainly leveraged the transfer portal to its advantage, bringing in 14 newcomers, some of whom are highly talented.

Yet, Lee is now their 19th player to enter the portal. While there’s always a chance he could return—something we've seen in this offseason—it seems unlikely given his minimal production and injury struggles.

Lee has been playing at the collegiate level since 2020, but his career has been marred by injuries and inconsistency. With 21 career tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble, his impact has been limited. He appeared in just four games for LSU in 2024 after battling through injuries.

Lee’s departure marks the fourth defensive lineman LSU has lost this offseason, which is particularly concerning for a program that understands how crucial it is to win battles in the trenches, especially in the competitive SEC.

The 2025 season looms large for head coach Brian Kelly, with enormous expectations on the horizon. Failing to make the 12-team College Football Playoff again would be a significant blow to a program with such high aspirations.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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