LSUDad Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 All-Decade: Ranking LSU's Top 25 players of the 2010s Les East | 5 hours ago LSU was best known for its defensive standouts for much of the past decade. This year’s team is known for its offensive standouts. 00:13 04:39 Along the way there were a lot of really good players on the Tigers teams of the past decade. Some were 1-year wonders, some were more than that, but still had short careers because they left early for the NFL. Some played until they ran out of eligibility and had a cumulative impact without ever being a star. Players who make an impact do so in different ways over different periods of times. Here are the 25 best LSU players from the past decade: 25. S Eric Reid Smart, tough leader on some of the Tigers’ top defenses. 24. G Trai Turner Only played 2 seasons, but started 20 games and played so well he was drafted in the 3rd round. 23. DL Arden Key Had 1 great season in which he set the school record for sacks (12) before being injured. 22. CB Donte Jackson Track star was a very good cover corner for multiple seasons. 21. CB/RS Tre’Davious White Solid cornerback who also had 3 punt returns for touchdowns. 20. DL Sam Montgomery Provided a strong pass rusher for 2 seasons on really good defenses. 19. LB Kwon Alexander Overcame injuries early in his career to have two really good seasons. 18. WR/RS Odell Beckham Jr. Wasn’t as productive as he became at the start of his NFL career, but he was still good for 3 seasons. Had 1,152 receiving yards as a junior but only caught 12 TDs in his career. 17. LB Kendell Beckwith No. 2 tackler on the team for 3 consecutive seasons. 16. T La’El Collins Played multiple positions over 4 seasons and was named the SEC’s top lineman as a senior. 15. DL Michael Brockers Perhaps the most under-appreciated player on the elite defensive line in 2011. NFL teams knew. That’s why he was a 1st-round pick in 2012. 14. G Ethan Pocic Played guard, center and tackle over 4 years and was named All-SEC his last 2 seasons. 13. WR Jarvis Landry His career coincided with Beckham’s and he was more physical and produced more touchdowns (15) than Beckham. 12. LB Kevin Minter He bided his time then broke out with a 130-tackle season in 2012. He left early was drafted in the 2nd round. 11. WR Ja’Marr Chase Was a bit of a disappointment as a freshman last season, but his sophomore season has been a doozy. He has tied the SEC single-season for TD catches (18) and with 1,559 yards, he is in range of Josh Reed’s single-season record (1,740). 10. CB/RS Tyrann Mathieu It didn’t end as planned, but Mathieu was 1 of the most dynamic players ever to play any position at LSU. 9. WR Justin Jefferson Was already one of the best receivers in the SEC before the passing game’s breakout season this year. He also has 18 TD receptions, tying the SEC single-season record. 8. CB Morris Claiborne One of the very best defensive players LSU had during this decade. He was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. 7. S Jamal Adams His exceptional play demonstrated that DBU turned out top-flight, tough safeties and not just flashy cornerbacks. Adams was the No. 6 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. 6. CB/RS Patrick Peterson He only played 1 season in the 2010s. But he was one of the best defensive players in Tigers history. He raised the standard and was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. 5. RB Derrius Guice He played well when he was thrust into the lineup because of injuries, then had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons as the focal point of the offense. Broke Leonard Fournette’s LSU’s single-game rushing record with 285 yards vs. Texas A&M. 4. S Grant Delpit He was a unanimous All-American and one of the best players in college football as a sophomore in 2018. Is still one of the best defenders in the country despite being slowed by injury this season. 3. LB Devin White The only LSU player to win the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker. That was the climax to a career in which he was one of the most productive tacklers in school history. He was the 5th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. 2. RB Leonard Fournette He didn’t always live up to the hype of being one of the most sought-after recruits in LSU history, but he was outstanding for 3 seasons despite injuries. He set the program record for rushing yards in a season (1,953). He was the 4th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. 1. QB Joe Burrow He changed everything by having the most productive passing season in SEC history and becoming the Tigers’ second Heisman Trophy winner in historic fashion. He is 2nd QB in FBS history to throw 55 TDs and 5,000+ yards in the same season. With the championship game against Clemson to go, Burrow could become the 1st to throw 60 TD passes in a season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Very good list. I think Guice is a little to high, I'd drop him below Peterson and Adams. I thought PP7 and Jamal Adams were truly outstanding at their positions, while Guice was very good, but not outstanding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 so are these rankings? if so, this dude needs to be throat punched. there is no way in the deepest darkest pits of hell should Honey Badger be any lower than #2. Period. End of Discussion. and i would argue has a very, very strong case for being number 1. to have him sitting outside the top 10. Behind 4 other DBs is simply atrocious. seriously. Mathieu changed the flow and outcome of more games in one year by himself than #2-#10 did in all of their career games COMBINED. and he did that from a position that should never have that big of an impact. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 i mean no offense to Mo Claiborne, but does anyone honestly think Mathieu wasn’t even the best on that 2011 team? seriously?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 That's what stuck out to me too. I literally lol'd when I saw him outside the top 10! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, Fishhead said: That's what stuck out to me too. I literally lol'd when I saw him outside the top 10! i would even semi-understand having him behind Fournette. I would disagree, but could at least listen to the argument there. I mean the dude was point blank the best FOOTBALL PLAYER i have ever seen play. at any position. at any level of football. to say he’s not even top 2 amongst his own teammates in his own position group is absolutely laughable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Who knows what the criteria was, but the knock on Mathieu would be that he just had one phenomenal year, his soph. year. Depending on the criteria, that would probably have knocked him down the list. He didn't even play 3 years for LSU like everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1 hour ago, houtiger said: Who knows what the criteria was, but the knock on Mathieu would be that he just had one phenomenal year, his soph. year. Depending on the criteria, that would probably have knocked him down the list. He didn't even play 3 years for LSU like everyone else. his freshman year was pretty freaking good too. and i’d put his one year above anyone else’s entire career here except for MAYBE a couple people ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 2 hours ago, houtiger said: Who knows what the criteria was, but the knock on Mathieu would be that he just had one phenomenal year, his soph. year. Depending on the criteria, that would probably have knocked him down the list. He didn't even play 3 years for LSU like everyone else. Did you notice who's #1 on the list? 2 years total, 1 mediocre and one other worldly. Honey Badger, 2 years total. 1 above average and one other worldly. Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Fishhead said: Did you notice who's #1 on the list? 2 years total, 1 mediocre and one other worldly. Honey Badger, 2 years total. 1 above average and one other worldly. Just saying. That is true, and a good observation. Difference is, Mathieu had a choice, he started at LSU and he could have easily played 3 years here, but he screwed up. Burrow signed at OSU and dutifully spent three years there. When he lost the starters job to Haskins after the spring in 2018, he faced a decision to transfer in order to play, or ride the pine behind Haskins for another year. Burrow did not screw up, he made a decision to transfer in order to get playing time. I don't think anyone can hold that against Burrow, he did not have the opportunity to play 3 years or more for LSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Oh I have Burrow #1 without question. But it's laughable and quite frankly foolish to have Mathieu outside the top 10. He was as much a game changer as Burrow, loses points for the reasons you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 10 hours ago, houtiger said: That is true, and a good observation. Difference is, Mathieu had a choice, he started at LSU and he could have easily played 3 years here, but he screwed up. Burrow signed at OSU and dutifully spent three years there. When he lost the starters job to Haskins after the spring in 2018, he faced a decision to transfer in order to play, or ride the pine behind Haskins for another year. Burrow did not screw up, he made a decision to transfer in order to get playing time. I don't think anyone can hold that against Burrow, he did not have the opportunity to play 3 years or more for LSU. where does it say he has to play 3 years? Trai Turner was only here 2. Chase has only been 2 (so far). Arden Key got fat and quit on his team mid season. He’s still on the list. you want to knock him for what you mentioned above, fine he plummets all the way to #2. no way in hell does he deserve to be any lower than that. he damn sure doesn’t deserve to be the FIFTH ranked DB on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houtiger Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 12 minutes ago, Nutriaitch said: where does it say he has to play 3 years? Trai Turner was only here 2. Chase has only been 2 (so far). Arden Key got fat and quit on his team mid season. He’s still on the list. you want to knock him for what you mentioned above, fine he plummets all the way to #2. no way in hell does he deserve to be any lower than that. he damn sure doesn’t deserve to be the FIFTH ranked DB on the list. Trai Turner was AT LSU 3 years, they redshirted him his first year. Chase will play 3 years for the Tigers, and he has already won the Biletnikoff once. All three are rated below Mathieu today, although Chase may pass him up after next season. It's not my list, and their criteria is not stated. But generally I like the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 6 minutes ago, houtiger said: Trai Turner was AT LSU 3 years, they redshirted him his first year. Chase will play 3 years for the Tigers, and he has already won the Biletnikoff once. All three are rated below Mathieu today, although Chase may pass him up after next season. It's not my list, and their criteria is not stated. But generally I like the list. i hear ya, and i know it’s not your list. just saying in my list Badger is at absolute worst #2. dude seriously changed the outcome of more games by himself than everyone else #2-#25 combined. And that’s not an exaggerating either. Also, Jeremy Hill belongs on this list somewhere too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Brockers and Lael Collins behind Pocic is interesting too. Jeremy Hill should be ahead of Key and Sam Montgomery, and you only need look at my profile pic to know I love me some Sonic Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 We could all make our top list, most if not all would have Joe, TM7, Fournette and White, 1-4. After that, you would see a little jockeying for positions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 17 minutes ago, LSUDad said: We could all make our top list, most if not all would have Joe, TM7, Fournette and White, 1-4. After that, you would see a little jockeying for positions. off top of my head, that’s probably my 1-3. Definitely my 1& 2 (and i could talk myself into changing their order). not sure on 4-25 though. I’d have to really sit and think about that. We’ve had some VERY good players come through in the last decade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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