LSU Football: Tigers not the favorite for elite in-state WR
By Zach Ragan
LSU football has some ground to make up if they want to land one of the top players in the state of Louisiana.
It’s not often that LSU football isn’t the team to beat for an elite in-state recruit, but that’s the case with 2021 four-star wide receiver Desytn Pazon.
Rivals recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman recently ranked the contenders for Pazon and he has LSU as the No. 3 most likely team to land the talented wide receiver, behind Florida State and Alabama.
Pazon, 6-foot/170 lbs from New Orleans, LA (Edna Karr), is rated in 247Sports’ composite rankings as the No. 5 player in the state of Louisiana and the No. 19 wide receiver in the nation.
The Louisiana native is described by 247Sports director of recruiting Barton Simmons as a player who “has ability to beat press coverage with quick feet and effectively stacks defensive backs”. Simmons also noted that Pazon is “likely a productive Power Five starter who has mid to late-round NFL Draft potential”.
Why isn’t LSU football in the lead?
Ed Orgeron loves recruiting in-state and Pazon is certainly the type of player that could benefit the Tigers’ offense?
So why is Florida State and Alabama out in front?
It’s all about familiarity.
Pazon had a previous relationship with Florida State assistant coach, and New Orleans native, David Johnson (he offered Pazon when he was an assistant at Tennessee).
The four-star wide receiver also had a previous relationship with Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell (from his time at Memphis). Because of those relationships, Pazon basically knows what the offense will look like at Florida State.
According to Rivals, Pazon wants to get a look at LSU’s offense without Joe Brady.
Essentially, if Pazon sees that the Tigers’ offense will continue to be elite without Brady, then it’s quite possible that LSU will jump to the top for the talented wideout.
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When it’s all said and done, I think that’s exactly what will happen. I don’t expect the Tigers’ offense to miss a beat without Brady this season. And I think that will entice Pazon to stay close to home and play for LSU.