Jay Ward

Former safety at LSU. 2022: 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 54 tackles.

S · LSU · Sr. · #5

6′2″ · 188 lb · Moultrie, GA

CFB Index 55 · #204 of 493 safetiesMedium confidenceMinnesota — drafted 2023, Rd 4, Pick 32, #134 overall

Recruiting

3★

CB recruit

No. 517 nationally · Signed with Colquitt County

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former safety at LSU. 2022: 1 interception, 4 pass breakups, 54 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Colquitt County in 2019.
Drafted round 4 by the Minnesota in 2023.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Four seasons at LSU, 156 tackles — drafted at #134 overall by Minnesota.

His career

He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

20195 games

Recruited3-star out of Colquitt County

2023

Drafted by Minnesotaround 4, pick 134

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#517 national

CFB

College

LSU

2019–2022

NFL

NFL Draft

R4 · #134

Minnesota · 2023

Coaching lineage · 2019–2022

2 coaches

2019–2021

Ed Orgeron

LSU

2022

Brian Kelly

LSU

era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Ed Orgeron → Brian Kelly. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

MinnesotaEntering 4th NFL season

#134Rd 4 · Pick 32

MinnesotaEntering 4th NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2022 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2019LSU15-0HC: Ed Orgeron · Balanced

2020LSU5-5HC: Ed Orgeron · Balanced, fast tempo

2021LSU6-7HC: Ed Orgeron · Balanced

2022LSU10-4HC: Brian Kelly · Balanced

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

55Quality starter #204 of 493?

Medium confidence8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (91st percentile). Strength: passes defended (85th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (8)

Solo tackles#222 / 2755 · 91st pct

Passes defended#354 / 2755 · 85th pct

Tackles#466 / 2755 · 83rd pct

QB hurries#823 / 2755 · 59th pct

Tackles for loss#1175 / 2755 · 55th pct

2.5

Forced fumbles#58 / 737 · 46th pct

Interceptions#321 / 811 · 30th pct

Sacks#1454 / 2755 · 24th pct

0.0

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2022 season · 11 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home5g	4.2	0.3	0.0	0.4
Road6g	5.5	0.2	0.0	0.3

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-75g	5.8	0.3	0.0	0.6
Weeks 8+6g	4.2	0.2	0.0	0.2

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Lane Kiffin

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2022

Part-time starter

Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

55 · #204 of 493 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #204 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2022	LSU	54	39	2.5	4	1	--
2021	LSU	69	40	1.0	4	2	--
2020	LSU	29	21	0.0	6	3	--
2019	LSU	4	3	0.0	3	--	--
Career		156	103	3.5	17	6	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 10 · 2022

W 32–31

vs Alabama

2 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 QB HUR

Edged out Alabama at home in a shootout.

With J. Daniels — 182 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 85.4 · 95 rush yds (18 car) · 1 TD · J. Bramblett — 41 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 55 LONG

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2022 season · 11 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	L 23-24@ Florida State	8	7	0.0	—	1
Wk 3	W 31-16vs Mississippi State	11	5	1.5	1	1	Season-high 11 tackles
Wk 5	W 21-17@ Auburn	5	4	0.0	—	1
Wk 6	L 13-40vs Tennessee	1	0	0.0	—	0
Wk 7	W 45-35@ Florida	4	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 8	W 45-20vs Ole Miss	4	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 10	W 32-31vs Alabama	2	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 11	W 13-10@ Arkansas	4	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	W 41-10vs UAB	3	3	0.0	—	1
Wk 13	L 23-38@ Texas A&M	6	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 14	L 30-50@ Georgia	6	4	1.0	—	0
Total		54	39	2.5	1	4

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology