BREAKING: LSU Important Star Leaves After His First Season

Jaxon Howard, Minnesota’s top high school football player in the class of 2022, recently announced his departure from LSU after just one season in the SEC. His father, Willie Howard, revealed on Monday night that Jaxon is entering the NCAA transfer portal in search of a new college football program.

Willie shared on social media, “Tomorrow a new journey begins for this young man as he officially will be in the transfer portal looking for a new home. Excited to see what God has in store for him and what doors God will open for him. While it was not an easy decision, it was the right one.”

In July 2022, Jaxon committed to LSU over Minnesota, Michigan, and Miami. The 6-4, 245-pound edge rusher appeared in five games during his freshman season, registering two tackles and one quarterback hit.

With the spring transfer portal window now open, it’s likely that P.J. Fleck and the Minnesota Gophers will express interest in recruiting Howard. The Gophers’ returning defensive line includes Danny Striggow, Jalen Logan-Redding, Jah Joyner, Deven Eastern, and Anthony Smith.

Given the current climate in college football, where athletes can transfer without penalty and seek better opportunities, it’s understandable for players like Howard to explore other options. While the Gophers managed to retain most of their key skill position players after the 2023 season, they did lose 11 scholarship players to the transfer portal. The roster dynamics may continue to shift as players decide whether to stay or leave during the remaining weeks of spring practice.