By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU redshirt sophomore transfer offensive lineman Ja’Quan Sprinkle has faced his fair share of ups and downs throughout his football journey.
Sprinkle went largely unnoticed as a high school prospect from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 2023 when his only offers were from South Carolina State and Wofford, other than North Carolina Central.
“I always knew I was a guy that could play,” Sprinkle told Tiger Rag in a recent interview. “I just didn’t have the resources and the facilities like everybody else in high school. So, I took a visit to North Carolina Central and felt great there, so that’s where I went.”
But Sprinkle’s start in Durham, North Carolina, was delayed.
“Something happened with my transcript, so I ended up being ineligible over the summer (of 2023),” Sprinkle said. “I got there during fall camp and you know, I was getting barely any reps.”
Despite the setback, Sprinkle worked his way up the depth chart by doing whatever was asked of him by the coaching staff. Sprinkle (6-foot-3, 295 pounds) was recruited to play tackle for North Carolina Central, but he started at guard in four games as a true freshman before being red-shirted. He later earned a starting job at both guard and tackle over three seasons.
In 2025, Sprinkle played all season at tackle before entering the transfer portal on Dec. 1.
“I like showing people that it’s possible,” Sprinkle said. “Coming out of high school, people were kind of saying, ‘Oh he’s not going to play. The only reason he played is because he was the biggest person on the field.’ That doesn’t bother me. And I already proved them wrong. I can do that at any level. Now it’s time to show them again, because I know they’re probably saying the same thing.”
There was immediate interest in Sprinkle when the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2. In addition to LSU, South Carolina, Oklahoma State, Western Kentucky, New Mexico State, South Alabama and Marshall all reached out.
Sprinkle visited LSU on Jan. 7-8. Heading into his visit, Sprinkle was already familiar with new LSU defensive line coach Sterling Lucas, whom LSU hired from South Carolina, and new assistant offensive line coach Na’Shan Goddard, whom LSU hired from Mercer after he was at West Georgia last season. Lucas is from Orangeburg, and Goddard coached Sprinkle’s brother Ricardo at South Carolina State in 2023.
“I had great connections with the coaches that I was meeting, and I felt great being around them just from that small period of time,” Sprinkle said. “They were very welcoming. I felt a family bond when I stepped in the building.”
The LSU coaching staff took Sprinkle to Tiger Stadium following a dinner at Stab’s Prime Steak and Seafood.
“I was speechless at first,” Sprinkle said about walking into Tiger Stadium. “Coming from an HBCU (Historically Black College Or University), it’s definitely something different. I was getting chills through there with an empty stadium with the videos and lights. So, I can’t imagine it when the stadium’s packed out.”
Sprinkle, who is rated as the No. 58 interior offensive lineman in the country and No. 835 overall portal prospect by 247sports.com, committed to the Tigers the next day. He is one of seven offensive linemen new LSU coach Lane Kiffin has signed in the portal as part of his plans to completely overhaul the weak spot of the team for years.
“I don’t care where I play at,” Sprinkle said. “Whatever will get me on the field to play and I’m best at or what will be best for the whole team, I’m comfortable with.”
Sprinkle prides himself on his athleticism and believes Kiffin’s offense will allow him to showcase his strengths.
“I love the run game. That’s one thing I like about guard,” he said. “It’s a lot of pulling. I feel like that’s where I get to show my athletic abilities and how physical I am at the point of contact. “What helps me in the pass game too, is that I have longer arms. I might not have the same height as you, but I’m more athletic than you and I got the same arm length.”
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