LSU has at last bolstered its defensive line by acquiring a player through the transfer portal. With spring practices in full swing, the Tigers have acknowledged their pressing issue of thin depth along the defensive line and have started to address it.
Gio Paez, a graduate transfer from Wisconsin, revealed his decision to utilize his last season of eligibility at LSU in Baton Rouge. Originally from Los Angeles but having completed high school in North Carolina, Paez was rated as a three-star recruit.
Let’s Geaux ✍🏼 pic.twitter.com/IruoKs84UC
— Gio Paez (@Gio_paez7117) March 26, 2024
Paez has participated in 34 games throughout his career with the Badgers, making 11 starts. The previous season marked a standout performance for Paez, where he started six games and achieved a career-high of 23 tackles. Over his career, he has accumulated 36 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Although Paez operated as a defensive end at Wisconsin, LSU envisions him in an interior role, given his robust build of 6’3” and 310 pounds.
While the addition of Paez may not create seismic waves in the college football landscape, it was a necessary move for LSU. With Jordan Jefferson exhausting his eligibility and the departure of Mekhi Wingo and Maason Smith, along with three defensive tackles transferring out, the coaching staff had to make adjustments, even shifting reserve offensive linemen to the defensive line to address the shortage.
LSU’s current roster boasts seven scholarship defensive tackles, with plans to acquire at least one more through the transfer portal. Watch out for the potential addition of former Indiana defensive tackle Philip Blidi, who received an offer from LSU and is scheduled for an official visit to campus following positive feedback from him about the program.
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