Sep 13, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers defensive end Patrick Payton (6) looks over the Florida Gators offense during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Florida State Seminoles Transfer, LSU Football EDGE Has Brian Kelly's Attention

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 11:40 AM ET

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers signed one of the top NCAA Transfer Portal hauls during the offseason after bringing in 18 newcomers across the winter and spring windows.

Florida State edge rusher Patrick Payton immediately became the headliner once he put pen to paper with the Bayou Bengals after a stint with the Seminoles in Tallahassee.

Payton, the 2022 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, provides a different element to LSU's defense after shining for the Seminoles during his time in Tallahassee (Fla.).

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder logged 109 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, 12 pass breakups and three forced fumbles across three seasons with Florida State.

Now, he's quickly making his presence felt in Baton Rouge as a critical component to the defensive line.

On Monday, head coach Brian Kelly praised his first-year Tiger and the impact he's made on the defense.

"We were just talking about his unselfishness. He's not out there looking for sacks. He's out there playing the defense, and that's gonna serve him well down the line when NFL teams start to really look at his effectiveness," Kelly said.

"He's been really effective as being one eleventh of that defense. We've been really good because those guys, not just him, but Jack [Pyburn] and certainly Jamari [Butler], who had a really good game Saturday, they have done their jobs and not gone outside the lines to try to get individual statistics. I'm really proud of all of them.

"I think you recruit somebody, and you see him on film and you see the things that you really like about him. I'm not surprised, after getting the chance to know him since he's been here, that he's a guy that's gonna do the things for your team first.

"And you don't know that until you get a chance to know him. But I thought we did a really good job of vetting the players that we brought in."

Payton's numbers haven't necessarily jumped off of the page, but his impact has gone far beyond the stat sheet.

No. 4 LSU will return to action in Week 5 with a matchup against the Ole Miss Rebels on the road as the heart of SEC play arrives for the Tigers.

This article first appeared on LSU Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: