Patrick Payton Season 2024
Elite edge rusher who joined the Tigers in December of 2024 after a dominant career at Florida State … Comes to LSU with 31.5 career tackles for loss and 16 sacks … Appeared in 40 games with 26 starts in 4 years at Florida State … Helped Florida State to a 13-1 overall mark, the ACC Championship and an Orange Bowl berth in 2023 … Played in both of Florida State’s games against LSU in 2022 and 2023 … Started the 2023 contest against LSU, recording 4 tackles and a pass breakup.
JUNIOR SEASON (2024 at Florida State)
Started all 12 games at edge rusher for Florida … Recorded 35 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks … Added 4 quarterback hurries … Had career-highs of 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in win over California … Other sack came against Memphis for an 8-yard loss … Had at least 1 tackle for loss in 7 games, including 2 against both Clemson and Charleston Southern … Season-high 5 tackles against California and Charleston Southern … Blocked a third quarter field goal against Clemson … 4 tackles and a tackle for loss against Notre Dame … Had 4 tackles against Clemson and Duke.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2023 at Florida State)
Started all 14 games, recording 44 tackles, including 14.5 for loss with 7.0 sacks, 10 pass breakups, 7 quarterback hurries and 2 forced fumbles … Honorable mention All-ACC … Pass breakups total was highest by ACC defensive lineman since 2016 and tied for fourth in ACC in 2023 … Tackles for loss total led team and tied for 6th in ACC … Tied career-high with 7 tackles, 2.0 for loss with 1.0 sack, 2 quarterback hurries and 1 pass breakup in ACC Championship Game victory vs. No. 14 Louisville … Also made 7 tackles, 2.0 for loss, with 2 pass breakups and a quarterback hurry in 58-13 win vs. North Alabama … Tied career-high with 2.0 sacks as part of 5-tackle game in 24-15 victory at Florida … Recorded 4 solo tackles, including career-best 3.0 for loss with career-high 2.0 sacks, in 41-16 win at Wake Forest … Registered 3 solo tackles, including 1.0 sack, and 2 pass breakups in 31-24 victory at Clemson … Final pass breakup deflected fourth-down pass in overtime to clinch win at Clemson … Made 4 tackles and 1 pass breakup in season-opening 45-24 victory vs. No. 5 LSU … Had 2.0 tackles for loss in 31-29 win at Boston College … Made then-career-high six tackles, 1.5 for loss, and 1 forced fumble in 39-17 win vs. Virginia Tech … Posted career-best 3 quarterback hurries and 1 solo tackle in 38-20 win vs. No. 16 Duke … Had 1 quarterback hurry and 1 pass breakup in 24-7 win at Pitt… Made 2 tackles and 1 pass breakup in 27-20 victory vs. Miami … Recorded 2 tackles, 1.0 sack, and a forced fumble in Orange Bowl vs. No. 6 Georgia.
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON (2022 at Florida State)
Played in all 13 games with no starts … Tallied 31 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks … Added 3 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry … ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year… FSU’s first ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year since 2012 and third in program history… Devaughn Darling Defensive Freshman of the Year… Freshman All-American Honorable Mention by College Football News… Led ACC freshmen with 5.0 sacks, including 4.0 in ACC play… Ranked sixth in conference with 38 sack yards lost in ACC games …15 tackles against ranked opponents was tied for fourth-highest total among ACC’s freshmen and led all ACC freshman defensive linemen … Recorded career-high 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup at No. 14 NC State … Had 5 tackles, including 1.0 sack, vs. No. 22 Wake Forest… Made 4 tackles vs. No. 4 Clemson… Recorded 3 solo tackles, including 1.0 sack, first collegiate forced fumble and a pass breakup in 45-3 victory at Miami … Made 2 solo stops, 1.0 sack, in 38-3 win at Syracuse …Had 1.0 tackle for loss in 41-16 win vs. Georgia Tech… Registered 2 solo tackles, 1.0 sack, in 35-32 Cheez-It Bowl victory vs. Oklahoma … Had 3 tackles and a sack in 44-14 win vs. Boston College… Made 2 tackles in season-opening 47-7 win vs. Duquesne… Had 1 solo stop in 35-31 win at Louisville… Recorded 1 tackle, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in 49-17 win vs. Louisiana-Lafayette … Made 1 tackle in 45-38 victory vs. Florida.
TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON (2021 at Florida State)
Made his collegiate debut in win over UMass … Redshirted after appearing in 1 game.
HIGH SCHOOL
Rated with 4 stars, No. 7 at his position nationally and No. 18 overall in Florida by 247Sports… Helped lead Miami Northwestern to region quarterfinal round of 5A state playoffs in shortened senior season … Earned first-team All-Dade 8A-5A recognition after helping lead Bulls to 5A state championship in his junior season … Collected 17.5 sacks that year, including 5.0 vs. eventual 8A state champion Miami Columbus, to pace defense that allowed only 12.4 points per game.
PATRICK PAYTON’S CAREER HIGHS at Florida State
Tackles: 7, 2x (First: vs. North Alabama, 2023; Last: vs. Louisville, 2023)
Tackles for loss: 3.5 vs. California, 2024
Sacks: 3 vs. California, 2024
QB Hurries: 3 vs. Duke, 2023