LSU Adds Nicholls State OL Ja'Mard Jones Jr. as Lane Kiffin Shifts Focus to the Trenches
BATON ROUGE - Lane Kiffin and his staff hit the ground running this offseason, attacking the skill positions with urgency in the transfer portal. But as the dust settles from that initial wave, the Tigers are now turning their attention to where games are truly won and lost - the lines of scrimmage.
On Thursday night, LSU added another key piece to its offensive line rebuild. Ja'Mard Jones Jr., a freshman transfer from Nicholls State, announced his commitment to the Tigers, marking the fourth offensive lineman Kiffin has pulled from the portal since it opened.
Jones, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound interior lineman, played in six games during his freshman season with the Colonels and didn’t allow a sack - a promising start, even at the FCS level. He arrives in Baton Rouge with three years of eligibility remaining, giving LSU both immediate depth and long-term development potential up front.
A Homegrown Talent Betting on Himself
For Jones, this move is about more than just football. It’s a return home.
The New Orleans native played his high school ball at Archbishop Rummel, and the chance to wear the purple and gold likely fulfills a childhood dream. But make no mistake - this isn’t just a feel-good story.
It’s a calculated leap of faith by a player who believes he can compete in the SEC trenches.
Jumping from the FCS to the SEC is no small step, but Jones is betting on his ability to make the transition. With his frame and early production, he brings the kind of upside LSU needs as it reshapes its offensive front.
Filling a Key Need on the Interior
LSU’s need at guard is no secret, and Jones fits that mold. Among the other three offensive linemen LSU has added - Ja'Quan Sprinkle (NC State), Darrin Strey (Kentucky), and William Satterwhite (Tennessee) - only Satterwhite has logged experience on the interior at the college level. That opens the door for Jones to step in and compete right away.
While he’ll have to adjust to the speed and power of SEC defensive fronts, Jones has a real opportunity to earn a role in 2026. His path to playing time is clear, and LSU is banking on his upside as a developmental piece who can contribute sooner rather than later.
LSU’s Transfer Portal Strategy Expands
Jones is the latest addition in what’s been an aggressive portal strategy under Kiffin. With the window now closed for new entries, the Tigers are still actively targeting players who entered before the Jan. 16 deadline. Among the names on their radar:
- Damon Wilson, EDGE (Missouri)
- Faheem Delane, S (Ohio State)
- T.J. Dottery, LB (Ole Miss)
- Aliou Bah, OL (Maryland)
- Theo Grace, LB (North Dakota)
- Kahlee Tafai, OL (Minnesota)
- Devin Harper, OL (Ole Miss)
- Sean Thompkins, OL (Baylor)
- Sterling Berkhalter, WR (Wake Forest)
- Micah DeBose, OL (Alabama)
- Terrell Anderson, WR (NC State)
- Andy Jean, WR (Arkansas)
- Carter Vargas, RB (UC Davis)
- Javon Davis, CB (McNeese State)
With the portal now closed to new entries, teams like LSU are racing to finalize additions from the remaining pool. And with Kiffin at the helm, the Tigers are clearly focused on building a roster that can compete in the trenches - not just for this season, but for the long haul.
Ja'Mard Jones Jr. might not be a household name yet, but in a league where offensive line depth is gold, his addition could prove to be one of the more quietly important moves of LSU’s offseason.