Since receiving his release Friday, Clemson graduate transfer defensive tackle Scott Pagano (Honolulu, Hi./Moanalua) has communicated with 37 programs. That group includes LSU, Washington, Arizona State, Kentucky, Charlotte, North Carolina, Cal, Temple, Oklahoma State, FIU, FAU, East Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Nebraska, Maryland, Ole Miss, Utah State, Arkansas, Louisiana Tech, Texas A&M, Oregon, USC, Louisville, Oklahoma, Memphis, Ohio State, Baylor, Notre Dame, SMU, Boise State, Illinois, Nevada, Pittsburgh, UCF, Purdue and Hawaii. Over the weekend, Pagano fielded calls and did his research. He's already trimmed that lengthy list of options down to seven programs: Oklahoma, Cal, Oregon, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Texas and Arkansas. Pagano will now begin setting up official visits for the coming weekends before enrolling in May. Pagano graduated in December with a degree in Sociology. He’s immediately eligible and has one year of eligibility remaining. Pagano racked up 93 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback pressures, and one pass breakup in 705 career snaps. Pagano (6-4, 295) bench presses 470 pounds and reps 225 pounds 38 times. He was a key cog in Clemson’s defensive line last fall en route to a national title win, logging 299 snaps in 12 games, including four starts. CBSSports.com currently ranks Pagano as one of the top 10 defensive tackles in the 2018 NFL Draft Class. He has the size and versatility to play several spots along the defensive line both in odd and even front schemes. The former four-star recruit was ranked as the nation’s No. 24 defensive tackle in the 2013 class by 247SportsComposite. He signed with Clemson choosing the Tigers over 49 other verbal offers.
I predict Cal. He wants to start grad school and indicated to Dabo he wants West Coast. Cal fits that bill and hard to beat a Berkeley grad degree.
