2021 Receiver Destyn Pazon’s Elite Speed, LSU Football Ties Makes Him Intriguing Prospect for the Tigers
Growing up in New Orleans, getting out to see LSU has never been a task that requires much planning for 2021 receiver Destyn Pazon. The four-star recruit out of Edna Karr High School has been on LSU's radar since his early days playing for the Cougars.
The 6-foot-0, 170-pound rising senior is coming off an impressive 2019 season where he eclipsed 1,000 yards and hauled in 14 touchdowns en route to the Cougars their fourth consecutive state championship. Just think about that, in his three-year high school career, Pazon has won three state championships and will look to make it 4-for-4 as a senior in 2020.
Not only has Karr produced top notch college football players over the years but a handful have chosen the Tigers in their next stop, most recently Andre Anthony and Racey McMath.
"I like keeping in touch with those guys about the prospects of going to LSU," Pazon said. "They let me know what's up and I've got a good relationship with both of those guys."
At Karr, the No. 2 and No. 7 jerseys signify the best offensive and defensive players on the team. McMath and Pazon have both sported the No. 2 while Anthony was No. 7 during his time with the Cougars.
Pazon is on the phone with somebody from LSU, whether it's receivers coach Mickey Joseph, passing game coordinator Scott Linehan or coach Ed Orgeron himself, at least once a week.
"We get on zoom calls, we focus on plays and concepts and everything has really been good. I'm learning a lot from all of the coaches I talk to," Pazon said. "I've been talking with coach Mickey since my 10th grade year so we've always been close and have a great relationship."
LSU is just one of the many in the mix for Pazon's services as Florida State, Florida, Alabama and Oklahoma are all heavily recruiting him. The Tigers have received commitments from Deion Smith and JoJo Earle, the No. 7 and No. 10 receivers in the country according to 247Sports.
With the overwhelming likelihood the program loses Ja'Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall after this season, LSU will want to bring in as many stout receivers as possible to compete next year. The offense was elite in 2019 but if there is one thing that Pazon hopes to learn about this year, it’s how the 2020 LSU offense fares without one important piece to the puzzle.
"I want to see how the offense looks without Joe Brady," Pazon said.
Pazon isn't the only Karr product Orgeron and the Tigers are chasing in 2021 and beyond. Teammate Tygee Hill, one of the top defensive tackles in the 2022 class, is also being courted by LSU.
The two have played together since they were six years old, on the same travel ball team, and have remained close throughout the years.
"We don't ever talk about recruiting, we've just been working on our games trying to help our program capture another state title," Pazon said.
The electric receiver was invited to the "Under Armor Elite Underclassmen Camp" in Vicksburg over the weekend. Going into the afternoon, Pazon was hoping to receive an invite to the Under Armor All-America game and that's exactly what he accomplished after a successful camp.
"That's always been a childhood dream of mine and I've put in a lot of work," Pazon said. "I want everything to look extra smooth and easy this season because I've been putting in a lot of work."
Mostly Pazon has been working this offseason on trying to add muscle while also keeping his electrifying speed, an attribute of Pazon's he considers to be his main strength. He's been working on maintaining that speed and was timed in the 4.3 range on the 40-yard dash in the days leading up to the Under Armor event.
"I've been running that almost every time I run the 40," Pazon said. "This week, I ran 4.3 in the gym, 4.3 on the field and I've been doing it pretty consistently. It's a big part of my game but it's not the only part of my game. I like to focus on every facet of my game."
"My speed plays a big part and so does my size. I really feel like I have great body control and run great routes," Pazon said. "Technique wise I've been focusing on top of my routes, getting out faster on my breaks and leverage on my defenders."
The allure of staying at home and playing for the home state team is not lost on Pazon, who is still not close to making an ultimate commitment at this time.
"It would feel comfortable playing at LSU but throughout this whole process, I haven't focused on how comfortable I'm going to be but mostly about which school is the best fit and how far I can go from wherever I pick," Pazon said.
