Jay’Viar Suggs continues unconventional NFL path

By Ross Jackson

From Grand Valley State to LSU and Wisconsin, now to the NFL, New Orleans Saints undrafted free agent defensive tackle Jay’Viar Suggs took a more circuitous path to the league than most. Though, with the Transfer Portal era, it’s becoming a more common one.

Suggs was a standout on the Grand Valley State defensive line, charting 14.5 tackles for a loss and nine sacks during his two years with the program. After transferring to LSU, the lineman saw his snaps decrease, but his effectiveness remained attention-grabbing. 

During his lone season with the Tigers, Suggs logged a modest three tackles for a loss and one sack while playing just 133 total defensive snaps in rotation with a stock-piled line in Baton Rouge. 

While LSU would be a destination for most, the 6-foot-2, 305-pound defender didn’t stop there. In search of more snaps and opportunities, he transferred again, this time to Wisconsin to close out his collegiate playing career. 

With the Badgers, Suggs served a leadership role while becoming a greater focus in the team’s defensive line rotation. He turned those opportunities into 16 pressures, 1.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.

As he arrives in New Orleans, Suggs will again be a part of a deep rotation and talent pool at his position. His impressive athleticism and movement ability, especially at his size, are sure to have a positive impact on his prospects at the next level.

Jayviar Suggs is a DT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 8.80 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 249 out of 2059 DT from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/018pwlg6f0 pic.twitter.com/Cfp8moLjpJ

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 12, 2026

It’s most likely that Suggs’ path in the league will first take him through the practice squad. But much like undrafted defensive tackles before him such as Tyeler Davison, Shy Tuttle and Malcom Roach, there’s always a chance that he makes an impact for the Saints’ as an undrafted player on the defensive interior.