How did Texas Tech transfer Jonathan Giles land LSU’s coveted No. 7 jersey? Ed Orgeron reveals the answer
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LSU’s offense lost the vast majority of its receivers this offseason to the NFL but one player does “return” in 2018 that appears poised to become the next great Tiger receiver — former Texas Tech standout Jonathan Giles.
After sitting out the 2017 season due to NCAA transfer rules and participating only on LSU’s scout team, Giles has made such an impression that Ed Orgeron has given his new receiver one of the top honors an LSU player can have by giving him the No. 7 jersey.
How did that come about? Orgeron explained during a Thursday appearance on ESPN Baton Rouge 104.5 FM radio program Off the Bench:
“First of all, he caught over 60 balls at Texas Tech. He’s a veteran, good route runner, has sure hands, great young man, hard worker,” Orgeron said on the air. “He played on the scout team last year and we couldn’t cover him.
“He came to me and said, ‘Coach, I want #7’ and I said you got it.”
Not only did Giles catch 69 passes in 2016, he also caught 13 touchdowns and had 1,158 yards receiving for Texas Tech. Those numbers may be hard to top in his first season in Baton Rouge, but considering the gap in veteran experience the Tigers have at receiver entering 2018, it’s not out of the question Giles surpasses them those stats.
After all, he will be wearing the No. 7 jersey for LSU.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
