Another LSU offensive lineman has announced plans to enter the NCAA Transfer portal as On3’s Hayes Fawcett announced DJ Chester intends to leave LSU in the coming weeks. Chester played three years at LSU, taking a redshirt year one before starting in 2024 and then coming in as a backup in 2025.

In 2025, Chester was seen as the first option off the bench for Brad Davis as he played both left tackle and center, totaling 291 snaps on the year. In 2024, Chester started every game at center and played 925 snaps, but struggled mightily throughout the year, especially in SEC competition.

In 2024, he had a 49.5 grade on Pro Football Focus and in 2025 it rose to 51.6, neither one inspiring confidence in his long term projection.

Out of high school, Chester was a four-star prospect as the No. 134 player in the 2023 class, out of Conyers, Georgia. Chester chose LSU over Auburn, Florida State, Ole Miss, among others.

Now, Chester is the latest expected transfer amidst the coaching change this offseason for LSU. The Tigers fired Brian Kelly at the end of October, and went on to hire Lane Kiffin by the end of November. That has led to obvious roster turnover, with double-digit players now having announced their intentions to transfer elsewhere once the portal window officially opens for the offseason next week.

Chester joins Carius Curne and Coen Echols as other offensive lineman to announce their intentions to enter the portal before LSU plays in the Texas Bowl on Saturday night. New offensive line coach Eric Wolford will have plenty of work to do when January comes as he looks to remake the unit.

Wolford is a veteran offensive line coach who has been at three SEC schools in the past eight seasons and now comes to LSU to play under Lane Kiffin. This is easily the best offensive mind Wolford has played under and he will have the ability to mold this unit to his liking over the next couple of years.

He’ll be in an offense that should make the game easier on the offensive line and therefore he’ll have every opportunity to be successful in Baton Rouge. At 54 years old, he’s both experienced and hungry enough to be a valuable piece of this staff, but he’ll certainly have to prove it early in his time here.

Stay tuned to the Bengal Tiger On3 for the latest LSU transfer portal news.