2021 NFL Draft And The LSU Players

[LSUDad]

April 29-May 1st are the dates of the NFL Draft. 
 

 

[LSUDad]

Varying Opinions on Where LSU Football's Terrace Marshall Could Land in 2021 NFL Draft

Marshall could fall in first or second round during April's draft as analysts are split on where he could land

GLEN WEST

20 MINUTES AGO

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Terrace Marshall was one of the most efficient receivers for the Tigers over the last two years. Despite missing six games over his final two seasons in Baton Rouge, Marshall became as dominant a red zone threat as any other over that stretch, recording 23 touchdowns in 19 appearances. 

Those 23 scores fell just three short of the LSU record, still held by Dwayne Bowe but even more impressive, he brought in 94 receptions over his final two years. That means that just about every fourth catch of Marshall's collegiate career was going for a touchdown. 

He was among the most dominant receivers over the first six weeks of the 2020 season but elected to opt out of the Tigers final three games to focus on preparing for the 2021 draft. Now analysts are split on just where Marshall could land, particularly because the NFL combine will not conduct in-person workouts ahead of the draft. 

ESPN's Todd McShay is very high on Marshall's talent as he has the Tigers' receiver landing No. 31 overall to the Green Bay Packers.

"Marshall (who opted out halfway through the 2020 season) can come down with balls in traffic and tack on big yards after the catch," McShay wrote.

The Draft Network recently had Marshall landing with the Detroit Lions at No. 21 overall. But there are some skeptics out there who don't beleive Marshall is in that upper echelon of receivers in the class. 

For example, Pro Football Focus just dropped its top five receivers of the 2021 draft class and while teammate Ja'Marr Chase was No. 1 on the list, Marshall was nowhere to be found. That's not to say that more than five receivers can't be selected in the first round but there are very clearly some draft analysts who percieve Marshall as a second round draft choice. 

The Athletic's Dane Brugler also just released his top 100 prospects in the 2021 class and Marshall came in at No. 44 overall, comparing him to Denver's Courtland Sutton. 

Marshall has the build-up acceleration to eat cushion without breaking stride, and he looks like a basketball big man at the catch point, using body position and catch radius to reel in off-target throws. Similar in ways to Courtland Sutton as a prospect, he tends to rely on his size/speed and needs to hone his urgency and route mechanics for the next level.

It appears evident that Chase is well in the top 10 conversation but there is less certainty about Marshall, who could very well be a first round pick but being a second round pick doesn't appear to be out of the question either. 

[houtiger]

I hope he goes first round, but second round money is good also.   He can live in style, and that second contract in four more years will tell the tale.

[LSUDad]

LSU's Ja'Marr Chase Ranked as No. 2 Prospect By NFL Draft National Analyst

Chase a top 10 pick on most mock drafts as he continues to shoot up boards prior to April's first round

GLEN WEST

1 HOUR AGO

The draft hype surrounding LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase has only risen as analysts who cover the draft exclusively re-familiarize themselves with his impressive 2019 season. 

Chase has been mocked to go in the top 10 of April's draft, anywhere in the 3-10 range mostly. During LSU's historic season, Chase became the best receiver in the country, hauling in 20 touchdowns and 1,780 yards. 

As part of his top 50 prospects ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, NFL. com national analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked the star former Tiger receiver No. 2 in his rankings, just behind Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Chase is a dominant player on tape. He lined up both outside and in the slot at LSU. He defeats press coverage with a combination of foot quickness and upper-body strength. He creates separation off the line of scrimmage and he can also find another gear when the ball is in the air. He is a clean route runner. He won't gear down in traffic and has very strong hands to pluck and play through contact. He attacks 50/50 balls and consistently wins. Chase is at his best after the catch. He routinely breaks tackles and can make defenders miss, too. He did have a couple drops when the ball was on his back hip but I have no concerns about his hands. Overall, I love Chase's attacking style of play and see him as a faster version of three-time Pro Bowl selectee Anquan Boldin.

Jeremiah isn't the only analyst to be extremely high on Chase's potential at the professional level. We recently caught up with the team over at NFL Draft Bible, who have Chase as a firm top 15 pick:

Every team could use a player like Chase. The biggest conversation surrounding the dynamic boundary receiver is how much opting out of the 2020 season will hurt him and the opt outs in general. In a vacuum, Chase is a physically gifted pass catcher who is very worthy of a top ten selections. 

He isn’t your classic instant separator but Chase dominates at the catch point, playing with an alpha mentality to win through contact and in the air. There are some parallels to DeAndre Hopkins and how he wins. What Chase was able to accomplish in 2019 at the age of 19 in the SEC speaks volumes to how special he is as a prospect.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of strides Chase has made between his junior season and his year away from football to prepare for the draft. He is expected to be at LSU's pro day which is currently scheduled for March 31 and will feature Chase, Terrace Marshall, Jabril Cox and Tyler Shelvin.

[houtiger]

I saw an analyst compare Chase with Devonta Smith.  He favored Chase, but not by much.  Smith runs his route a little better, has a great work ethic and mental discipline.  But Chase is a little bigger and stronger, and when the ball is in the air he thought Chase adjusted better and could make the catch.  Both will probably have very good pro careers.

[LSUDad]

44 minutes ago, houtiger said:

I saw an analyst compare Chase with Devonta Smith.  He favored Chase, but not by much.  Smith runs his route a little better, has a great work ethic and mental discipline.  But Chase is a little bigger and stronger, and when the ball is in the air he thought Chase adjusted better and could make the catch.  Both will probably have very good pro careers.

I too rate Chase high, not by a bunch, enough to where if both are on the board, Chase is my pick. 
 

I want to see a little Pro Day at LSU.

[LSUDad]

Reports: Cincinnati Bengals Targeting Ja’Marr Chase with 5th Overall Pick 

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A Burrow-Chase reunion seems likely

By Zach Junda@ZacharyJunda  Mar 30, 2021, 9:00am CDT

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Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

While the 2021 NFL Draft is still 31 days away there’s already murmurings of where Ja’Marr Chase’s professional future lies and it appears a reunion with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati is likely. 

The speculation that Chase would go fifth overall hit new levels when the San Francisco 49ers moved up to the No. 3 spot in the draft in a trade with the Miami Dolphins last week. With the top three of the draft now slated as the Jacksonville Jaguars picking first, New York Jets picking second, and 49ers it’s very likely the first three picks are quarterbacks. The Atlanta Falcons, picking fourth, could also be looking for their quarterback of the future or perhaps on draft night a QB-needy team makes a deal to jump into that fourth spot.

Which brings us to Cincinnati who definitely has its quarterback of the future in Joe Burrow. Burrow has reportedly been urging the Bengals to take Chase with the fifth pick per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

And with the Eagles believing there is a pretty good chance the Bengals will take LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase at five (we mentioned in our mock this week that Joe Burrow has given Cincinnati’s brass a glowing recommendation) 

Burrow and Chase’s chemistry played a massive role in LSU’s dominant 2019 season. Burrow of course won the Heisman while Chase took home the Bilentikoff. Chase caught 84 passes from Burrow for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns, both of which are single-season school records. 

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The question for the Bengals is taking a receiver—even one as great as Chase—the right move considering Cincinnati’s awful offensive line. Burrow was sacked an alarming 32 times in only 10 games before tearing his ACL against Washington. The Bengals did go out and sign veteran offensive tackle Riley Reiff in free agency but the interior of the line is still a question mark. Might it be more prudent for the Bengals to take someone like Oregon’s Penei Sewell, who most outlets agree is a generational talent at tackle, or Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater who could play and excel at any of the five offensive linemen positions? While it would be fun to see Burrow dropping dimes to Chase again, what good would it do if Burrow has to pick himself off the turf every other play? 

The flip side is teams can never have enough playmakers and Chase is maybe the best wide receiver to come out since Julio Jones. The Bengals have good but not great talent surrounding Burrow and Chase could absolutely be Cincinnati’s No. 1 wide receiver. 

Chase and his other fellow draft hopeful teammates will work out for scouts at LSU’s pro day tomorrow. The NFL Draft, which will be held in Cleveland, begins April 29 and concludes May 1.

[LSUDad]

Former NFL Coach Thinks LSU Football Prospects Dramatically Improved 2021 Draft Stock at Pro Day

Chase, Marshall, Stevens among the players who solidified, improved draft standing

GLEN WEST

APR 3, 2021

 

Ja'Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall and JaCoby Stevens were three of the highly anticipated prospects to follow at LSU's pro day. While all were given different draft day stocks heading into Wednesday's event, the trio dramatically improved their 2021 draft stock. 

Jim Mora has been to his fair share of pro days throughout his NFL career. As a longtime coach of the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, Mora has evaluated hundreds, if not thousands of players over the years. Because there is no NFL combine prior to the draft which officially starts April 29, colleges are hosting individual pro days that carry much more weight than they typically would. 

"Pro day's are interesting and they're different this year because there's no combine. They become very focused and it's a pressure environment for the players," Mora said. "We've seen what they can do on tape and now you want to confirm some of the things that we've seen on tape. It's a chance to see their body type, their frame and what they look like in size potential."

While Marshall and Stevens proved to many why they should be considered as first and third round picks respectively, Chase was a sure fire top 10 pick regardless. If there was one thing that Chase accomplished above all else with his 4.38 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical in Mora's eyes, it was solidifying his position as the No. 1 receiver in the class.

"There are some guys where the opinion is not gonna change and one of those guys is Ja'Marr Chase. He's so special," Mora said. "When you take his measureables and the traits he has as a wide receiver, the only way he could hurt himself on pro day is if he exhibited attitude of arrogance. He's not gonna do that.

"I think people just stood there in awe and said look at that physique. Look at this guy run, look at the athleticism, look at how he conducts himself and how focused he is. I think what he did honestly, is I think he clearly pushed himself ahead of Devonta [Smith] because of the physicalness."

Marshall was always on that fringe of the first round but with his 6-foot-4 frame and equally impressive 4.38 40-yard dash times, Mora sees Marshall going anywhere in the 20s, a ringing endorsement for a player who could fall to a number of teams looking for receivers that could compete for a championship. 

Imagine Marshall on a team like the Baltimore Ravens or Green Bay Packers. 

"Marshall and the athleticism that he shows at that size, that burst and the acceleration, he solidified himself as a first round guy. I see him somewhere in the mid 20s. To me, he confirmed all of the things we already knew about him."

But the true shock of the afternoon was Stevens, who ran an impressive 4.50 40-yard dash and jumped an incredible42-inch vertical. The talent and playmaking ability was always there with Stevens but NFL talent evaluators, all had questions about his athleticism.

Seen as a tweener, likely a hybrid safety and linebacker at the next level, Mora said that a team needs to have a good plan in place to truly unlock Stevens' talent. 

 

 

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"I thought JaCoby Stevens jumped off the board and this is what I like about him. Versatility is an asset right now and today's NFL is so pass happy that an athlete like JaCoby and he's a playmaker who played in a great environment. You find a place for this guy. If he's not a starting safety, he's your starting nickel or in your dime package which you're playing 50-60% of the time anyway."

[LSUDad]

Ja'Marr Chase invited to NFL draft

 

By TigerBait Staff

April 8, 2021

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BATON ROUGE – LSU All-America wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is one of a handful of players that has been extended an invitation to attend the NFL Draft when the event takes place in Cleveland later this month.

Widely considered a Top 5 overall draft pick and the No. 1 wide receiver in this year’s draft, Chase capped his LSU career in 2019 as the winner of the Biletnikoff Award and a unanimous All-America. Chase did not play in 2020.

Chase will become the 48th first round NFL Draft pick in LSU history when he’s selected later this month. Last year, LSU set the school record with first round draft picks including the No. 1 overall pick in quarterback Joe Burrow. LSU tied the overall national mark with Miami for the most NFL Draft picks in a single draft with 14 last year. 

This year’s NFL Draft will take place April 29-May 1 in locations throughout Cleveland including FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Cleveland Browns), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.

Set against the backdrop of Lake Erie, the NFL Draft Main Stage will serve as the central hub for draft activities and will be the location where NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will make pick announcements.

Currently, 10 players have been invited to the NFL Draft, six of which are from the SEC. The NFL is expected to announce more draft invitations in the coming weeks.

The 2021 NFL Draft begins on April 29 with the first round taking place at 7 p.m. CT. Rounds two and three will be held on Friday, April 30 starting at 6 p.m. with the final four rounds starting at noon on Saturday, May 1.

The NFL Draft will be televised in its entirety on ESPN and NFL Network. LSUsports.net will also provide complete coverage of each LSU player selected in the NFL Draft.

[Herb]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2021-nfl-drafts-unlikeliest-prospect-zach-von-rosenberg-30-and-already-a-millionaire-draws-buzz-as-punter/

 

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2021 NFL Draft's unlikeliest prospect: Zach Von Rosenberg, 30 and already a millionaire, draws buzz as punter

Once a top Pirates pitching prospect, Von Rosenberg ditched that for LSU, started punting and could go in Round 7

 

By Jason La Canfora

 

3 hrs ago10 min read

 

 

 

 

Getty Images

Zach Von Rosenberg is unlike any other prospect eligible for this year's draft. For many reasons.

He's 30-years-old, a full decade older, as LSU's punter, than the kicker he was holding for. He's already a millionaire, courtesy of his signing bonus as a former top prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He also dabbled with playing quarterback for the Tigers when arm issues cut his pitching career short, then added 40 pounds to audition as a tight end before stumbling into his role as a backup punter and then a starter for one of the country's top programs in recent years, racking up awards along the way.

The Louisiana native also got a chance to win a national title at the school he grew up rooting for, and is now getting significant attention from NFL scouts and special teams coaches as one of the better and more athletic punters in this draft. At 6-5, 245 pounds, and far more mature than other draft-eligible punters, with a unique perspective and life-story, he is intriguing on many levels, taking quite an unusual career arc to reach the precipice of getting an opportunity to become a professional at a second sport. And while most punters will end up signing as an undrafted free agent, Von Rosenberg is generating buzz as a possible selection in the seventh round.

"It's bananas," Von Rosenberg told me Thursday between Zoom calls with NFL teams and working with his strength coach. "I'm living it, but I still have to pinch myself every now and then."

It truly is a one-of-a-kind path. He is already very financially secure for his age – cruising around campus in a BMW and living at a very nice home nearby. He has become a highly-talented prospect in a second sport – Von Rosenberg was one of the most coveted high school arms in the country (he won games to clinch the state title four straight years) when the Pirates persuaded him to forego his scholarship offer to LSU, among others. That he would eventually go from walk-on to scholarship athlete (he's halfway through a grad degree) for that same school, in a different sport, almost defies credulity.

Craving even more NFL coverage focusing on previews, recaps, news and analysis? Listen below and follow the Pick Six podcast for a daily dose of everything you need to follow pro football.

Von Rosenberg has performed at a high level during his college career, but has limited punting experience overall, which made his pro day performance so important. It's not like he has been kicking at a high level his entire life or going to elite offseason camps for the specialty as a kid – much of it was spent cultivating his arm. With no combine or personal visits or workouts for teams, this was a huge opportunity for Von Rosenberg, and he made the most of it.

 

"Absolutely, I believe it helped me a lot and I do have a lot more interest from teams since then," he said. "Initially, I was getting requests for some paperwork and things like that, before my pro day, but it wasn't so much phone calls and things like that. But since the pro day I've had a lot of Zoom calls and teams want to know about my personality and who I am and check my paperwork and check all those boxes that scouts have to check. There have been some teams that have asked me to tape some recent workouts – I don't think I should share which teams – but that has picked up. So I take that as a very good sign that they are seeing what they wanted to."

Baseball path

Von Rosenberg seemed destined for a long baseball career initially, taken in the same draft as Mike Trout, 2009, and he fell to the sixth round not because of ability but because teams figured he was destined for LSU. But things didn't really come together, he spent parts of three season in the South Atlantic League – in West Virginia, the northernmost team in a league notorious for brutal bus trips. In 2013 future MLB stars Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell were teammates of his, and did pitch 14 games in high-A ball, but that was as far as he went. He could not maintain sensation in his pitching hand, leading to uneven results. (Oddly enough, another Pirates minor-league pitcher at the time, Hayden Hurst, got the yips and left baseball after two minor league seasons, went to South Carolina to play tight end, went on to be a first round pick of Baltimore and will finish his rookie contract with the Falcons this season).

"My middle finger, it was like it was split down the middle – the outside half was numb and the inside wasn't," Von Rosenberg said. "And then the next day it would linger on, and I can't feel sensations in my outside fingers. It was kind of bizarre and it led to me having a lot of velocity issues. One outing I would be up to 95 and the next I would top out at 88."

In his mid-20s with a career ERA of 4.52 through six seasons, with physical problems mounting and no solutions in sight, Von Rosenberg was at a crossroads. Keep up this grind and discomfort and hope something changes, or take a critical rethink of where he was and where he wanted to go. It would require saying goodbye to one lifelong dream, and finding a new passion to pursue.

"At the end of 2015 I had a lot on my mind," he said. "It was hard to say my first dream was over, and accept that, but I was like, 'Now is the time to create a new dream.' And that's how I have been my whole life; if I don't have a goal in front of me, it's difficult to go on with a positive attitude. Not that I get negative, but I need to have a goal to strive for, and I needed a new goal at this point. For some people, it's a marathon. Well, I can't run 26 miles, so I knew I've got to find something else to strive for."

Transition to LSU

Returning home and playing football for LSU became that goal. In whatever capacity.

Originally, it meant quarterback. He had an elite arm he had been harnessing his entire life. Perhaps that transition could be made, given his size and athletic build. The Tigers coach at the time – longtime college and NFL QB coach/coordinator Cam Cameron –thought it was worth a shot.

"Since I was a pitcher, that was the thought process – try QB," Von Rosenberg said. "Cam was willing to give me a shot and thought I had a chance to walk on and have meaningful playing time, but I don't think he meant at QB. And then the first open spot became tight end."

Yeah, he wasn't going to beat Danny Etling (currently a backup in Seattle) out for a spot, and the playbook and nuances of that position were overwhelming. But he had the size for tight end … although not the weight. Not even close. So he set about gaining 40 pounds ASAP.

"Oh my god, I ate like four breakfast sandwiches every day before 10 a.m.," Von Rosenberg said. "I drank 4000 calories of shakes a day. I was miserable." Then, chuckling, "I don't like reflecting back on that."

Um, then there were the physical requirements for the job – particularly taking on some of the best athletes in the SEC each day on the other side of the ball in practice. "Pretty quick I got sick of getting thrown around by Arden Key and those guys," he said. "Blocking them was not very fun."

A new position: punter

Suffice to say the transition was not exactly going swimmingly when one day Cameron caught Von Rosenberg booting a bunch of punts before practice. Van Rosenberg played soccer through middle school and was always known for having a natural ability to strike the ball with force and carry, and when his team's punter got hurt in high school he was asked to try out and ended up handling those duties his final two years of high school.

Cameron noticed him arching the ball, and the QB and TE experiment was over.

"He came up to me and said I have a big leg and he thinks I can be the backup punter," Von Rosenberg said. "And I was able to win that job and a year later I had the starting job."

Roughly eight years had passed since he has punted a ball in any sort of competitive manner ("I guess you could say I had a rested leg," he quipped), but now a new pursuit was at hand. He had redshirted in 2016, but made the 2017 SEC All-Freshman team and served as punter for four years in all, averaging 44 yards for punt. He became one of the nation's most accomplished punters, pushing himself along the way.

"I just kind of retaught myself kicking," he said, "watching YouTube videos and trying to mimic left footed punter in the game, guys like Tress Way. I tried to roll that into my everyday routine and copycatted what they were doing."

By his third year on the team it was clear gains were being made – recording NFL-caliber hang times – and soon Van Rosenberg, despite his advanced age, began to realize a 10-year pro career might still be ahead of him, with specialists regularly thriving into their late 30s or later.

And, well, it was also time to move on. Being in college at age 30 sounds like fun – and it was – but there's a time and place for everything.

"At LSU it started getting weirder the longer I was there," he said. "There are incoming freshmen this year born in like 2004 or something like that, and it's like I was 14 and you were just being born. It started getting a little strange. When I first got here it was no big deal because of the fifth-year seniors around; but now I'm 30 and there are 17-year-old kids on the team, but it was so much fun."

He became known for his financial advice on campus relatively quickly – as someone who got $1.2M from the Pirates, something even coach Ed Orgeron, who took over for Cameron, would note from time to time.

"My teammates would ask me a lot about finances," Von Rosenberg said. "Should they invest in Bitcoin or crypto-currency? Just investing in general. Which mutual funds they should choose when they go pro. Coach O even made a joke like, 'Zach, how is your 401K doing?' They heard that and then all of a sudden I'm a financial guru. So that sort of became my niche. I'd get a lot of questions about how to manage finances, and I need to go on the record again and say that I am definitely not a financial advisor."

Movie-worthy ending?

But, chances are, Von Rosenberg is about to start cashing pro paychecks again, very soon. So his portfolio will indeed be expanding, whether he manages it or a trained pro. (Bet on the trained pro).

No more seven-figure bonuses as an entry-level punter, mind you, but another chapter of his amazing journey is about to commence. For what it's worth, a few years back he came across a Disney graphic designer who urged Van Rosenberg to keep a detailed journal, chronicling the minutia of his climb … Which just might be the basis of a too-good-to-be-true screenplay if this story keeps unfolding the way it has the last few years.

At this point, with this athlete, anything seems possible. And no ending is too crazy to believe.

"It's pretty crazy to think about playing in the NFL," he said. "Especially when I was a walk-on my first two years. My dream was just to punt at LSU and then I got a scholarship, too. I can't complain at all and my time there really was special and my family was there for the whole rise, too. It's still surreal to everybody in my family. We still can't really believe it."

 

[LSUDad]

Got a chance to talk with a friend today, got a little information on what the Saints might do. Like anything with the Saints, you never really know. They need help at CB, his guess they should go that way. He said for a while, the best available player, was what they would do. He thinks the Saints need to think more of needs. 
 

He also said the Staff were looking more at the LSU Players, having them go off to other teams, and do really well. 
 

They need a WR, then help on the Defensive side of the ball. Some talk of a QB. They have the 28th pick and a total of 8 picks in the draft.

 

 

[LSUDad]

Profiles: Tyler Shelvin

Run stuffing defensive tackle could be a steal if he stays in shape

By Zach Junda@ZacharyJunda  Apr 22, 2021, 9:00am CDT

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

 

This time last year Tyler Shelvin’s draft stock was about as high as could be. Maybe he was basking in the afterglow of LSU’s championship, but some draft pundits like Mel Kiper Jr. had Shelvin as a first round pick and one of the top defensive tackle prospects in the 2021 draft class. 

Nowadays you can’t find Shelvin anywhere close to the first round on any mock draft. Shelvin was once thought of as maybe a top-25 overall player and his stock has dipped all the way to outside the top-100. Benjamin Robinson from Grinding the Mocks charted Shelvin’s descent down mock drafts over the past 10 months. 

 

So when it comes to Tyler Shelvin which is it? Is he still that elite prospect from a year ago or will his decision to opt out knock him to day two or three of the draft? Let’s look closer. 

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Tyler Shelvin

Position: Defensive Tackle

Height: 6’2” 1/8

Weight: 350

Arm Length: 33 5/8

Hand Size: 10 1/4

Broad Jump: 8’1”

Vertical Jump: 28.5

40-yard Dash: 5.45

2019 Stats: 39 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback hurry (15 games)

The most important number concerning Tyler Shelvin is his weight and it appears he’s done a good job maintaining it since opting out this past August. Maybe 350 is still a little heavy for some teams, but Shelvin was able to play all 15 games during LSU’s championship run at that weight. If anything I feel that speaks volumes about Shelvin’s work ethic that he was able to keep his body at a weight we’re used to seeing. Get him in a professional organization and you may even see him shed a few more pounds. 

The thing about the draft is the further removed a prospect gets from their final game, the more warts scouts and coaches find. Shelvin hasn’t played a competitive game of football in 15 months and without any new tape put out since January 2020 the holes in his game are coming into focus. 

Shelvin may be a great run stuffer but his pass rush borders on nonexistent. Pro Football Focus credited Shelvin with six quarterback hurries in 316 pass rushes. For whatever reason all his size and power doesn’t translate to making a quarterback bail out of the pocket. Football has evolved the past decade. The two biggest questions surrounding a team are do you have a quarterback and can your defensive front get after the opposing team’s QB. Shelvin never showed he can be that guy while at LSU and that was with Ed Orgeron and Pete Jenkins, two of the best defensive line coaches ever, as his position coach. If Orgeron and Jenkins couldn’t unlock it who can? 

Now let’s focus on his strengths. If his weight and conditioning is in order there’s not a defensive tackle in the class more ready to take on double teams than Shelvin. He may not move the pocket but the pocket won’t move him either. 

Defensive tackles don’t usually record a lot of stats, unless your name is Aaron Donald. The best nose tackles do the dirty work and open up gaps for blitzing linebackers and safeties to attack. Isn’t that exactly what Shelvin did in 2019 for guys like Patrick Queen and Jacoby Stevens? And when it comes to stuffing the run nobody does it better than Shelvin. Pro Football Focus gave him an 88.3 run defense grade in 2019, and I wouldn’t be surprised if his future team sees an immediate improvement stopping the run in 2021. 

We of course want nothing but the best for all of our former Tigers but I’m really hoping Shelvin does well at the next level. The young man had to get both his weight and grades in order to be a contributor and he did. Personally I think that speaks to his character that he made the changes and didn’t let things spiral out of control. 

Good luck Tyler Shelvin. And the Valley Shook is pulling for you.

[LSUDad]

As most know Trevor will be the first player taken. I like what the QB Wilson from BYU has done. Like I, many see him as the second pick. For many after that, the 49’ers, could do anything. 
The Bengals pick 5th, it would be great to get Chase reunited with Joe, but Joe needs to stay upright, the logical pick, Sewell, the OT from Oregon. 
A little further down, a number of teams are in need of WR help, this is a deep draft at that position. The Dolphins would be a great spot for Chase. 
As for Marshall, I’ve said, late first, early second round. Marshall got his numbers playing on a team with two first round WR’s in 2019. The Ravens have that need. A take on the first round, giving the Tigers, two WR’s in the first round. 
 

After those two, what Jabril Cox did tells me, he’s second round. A guy that can move around, cover the field, not afraid to tackle. Will make the INT, and return it. 
 

Then we have to look at two that sat the season out. Tyler Shelvin and Kary Vincent. 3 and 4th rounds seem to be a landing point for both. 
 

Jacoby Stevens a playmaker on the field, just does his job. Middle rounds. 
 

Racey McMath is a very good WR, I thought he would have done better to play this year. Size and speed. He will be in a camp, draft or FA. He can play special teams. Kick and punt returns, he does a great job. Many might remember Danny McCray, he spent a number of years in the NFL, mainly special teams. 
 

 

[Hatchertiger]

Jabril's unoffical numbers from today's pro-day

 

[dachsie]

When is draft?

[Hatchertiger]

1 hour ago, dachsie said:

When is draft?

This Thursday. Firing up my grill to see where LSU players land ... may pop a cork as well.

[LSUDad]

1 hour ago, Hatchertiger said:

This Thursday. Firing up my grill to see where LSU players land ... may pop a cork as well.

In Tx, we usually have a draft party. A number of former Players and Coaches. A few of the guys, coached or played with Cannon, Jr, Bucky Richardson, and a number of players from La. 

One coach said, Cannon, Jr was a LB, returned punts, lead the conference in returns. 
 

One of the guys, played and roomed with Gary Kubiak, at aTm, he had talked with him the night before. Knowing who the Texans were going to choose, if still available. Before the pick, I said the players name, my friend wondered where I had gotten the name from. I had talked with a scout, we had discussed the player days before. The Texans took the player, Whitney Mercilus. The number 26 player taken that year. 

Edited April 26, 2021 by LSUDad

[LSUDad]

Chase Reunited with Burrow - Highest Selected Receiver in LSU History

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• NFL DRAFT HISTORY

BATON ROUGE – Ja'Marr Chase became the highest drafted wide receiver in school history and in the process was reunited with former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow when he was selected with the fifth overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL Draft on Thursday night in Cleveland. 

 

Chase, a native of New Orleans, became the 48th first round NFL Draft pick in LSU history and the 10th for head coach Ed Orgeron. A unanimous All-America and winner of the 2019 Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, Chase is the first LSU wide receiver picked in the top 10 of the NFL Draft. He betters the previous high of 12 held previously by Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014. 
 
In being picked No. 5 overall, Chase becomes the eighth LSU wide receiver selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. He's also the fourth-highest drafted wide receiver in SEC history joining Wes Chandler (No.3 in 1978), A.J. Green (No. 4 in 2011) and Amari Cooper (No. 4 in 2015) as top 5 picks at the position in league history. 
 
Now a Bengal, Chase will join former teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Burrow, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Chase and Burrow helped lead the Tigers to a 15-0 mark and the 2019 national championship. Chase and Burrow connected for 20 TD passes in 2019 as the Tigers had one of the most explosive offenses in NCAA history. 
 
Chase became the first player in school history to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in receiving yards in only two years of action. He finished his career with 98 receptions for 2,093 yards and 23 TDs. At the time, his 20 TDs and 1,780 yards in 2019 were SEC records. 
 
LSU's NFL Draft Notes

 

• LSU has had 48 players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, including a school-record five picked in the 2020 draft. 
• Dating back to the 2004, LSU has had at least one player picked in the first round in 14 of the last 18 NFL Drafts. 
• Under head coach Ed Orgeron, the Tigers have had 10 players picked in the first round, four of which were Top 10 overall picks. 
  • No. 1 Joe Burrow (2019 – Cincinnati)
  • No. 4 Leonard Fournette (2016 – Jacksonville)
  • No. 5 Devin White (2019 – Tampa Bay
  • No. 5 Ja'Marr Chase (2021 – Cincinnati) 
  • No. 6 Jamal Adams (2016 – NY Jets)

[LSUDad]

Marshall back under Joe Brady with the Panthers. 
Jabril Cox to the Cowgirls. 
 

Tyler Shelvin with Joe and Chase, drafted by the Bengals. 

[LSUDad]

 

 

 

 

[LSUDad]

 

 

[LSUDad]

LSU fullback/tight end Tory Carter agrees to undrafted free agent deal with Titans: source

 

 

 

LSU fullback Tory Carter (44) on the field in the first half against Georgia Southern, Saturday, August 31, 2019, at LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK▲

 

 

BY BROOKS KUBENA | Staff writer

May 1, 2021 - 6:31 pm

 

After four years of doing all the dirty work at LSU, Tory Carter will get his NFL shot with the Tennessee Titans.

The tight end and fullback agreed to an undrafted free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans on Saturday, a source told The Advocate | Times-Picayune, becoming the eighth LSU player to land with their first NFL team over the weekend.

Carter was LSU's starting fullback in 2018, the year before the program's transformation into a modern spread attack. In the last two seasons Carter mainly saw action as a tight end or H-back in the backfield.

Carter, a Georgia native, had two carries for four yards in his four seasons along with 16 catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded eight career tackles on special teams. The Georgia native played in seven games in 2020, starting one.

[houtiger]

It was a good draft for the Tigers.  It obviously didn't hurt Chase sitting out a year.  I think it did hurt Shelvin and Vincent.  The biggest surprise to me was how low Jacoby Stevens went.  He looked great his in 2019, maybe should have turned pro then, and in 2020, the poor showing of the defense must have made Jacoby look bad.  I thought Jacoby would go in the 3rd or 4th round, not 6th.  But, if he plays great, there is always a second contract.

[Nutriaitch]

2 hours ago, houtiger said:

It was a good draft for the Tigers.  It obviously didn't hurt Chase sitting out a year.  I think it did hurt Shelvin and Vincent.  The biggest surprise to me was how low Jacoby Stevens went.  He looked great his in 2019, maybe should have turned pro then, and in 2020, the poor showing of the defense must have made Jacoby look bad.  I thought Jacoby would go in the 3rd or 4th round, not 6th.  But, if he plays great, there is always a second contract.

 

JaCoby played out of position most of 2020. 
 

if Vincent played like rest of secondary most of last year he might have dropped farther 

[LSUDad]

 

LSU finishes with seven players selected in the 2021 NFL draft; 'I was counted out'

 

 

 

LSU defensive back Jabril Cox returns an interception against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods) Michael Woods▲

 

 

BY BROOKS KUBENA | Staff writer

May 1, 2021 - 5:19 pm

 

Jabril Cox paused mid-sentence to settle himself.

"This is the most I've ever..." the former LSU linebacker began, stopping as he considered his being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. "I just can't even say it."

Questions from reporters continued.

Was he excited?

Of course.

Was he surprised that he fell to the fourth round?

Of course he was, too.

The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Cox had been a three-time FCS All-American at North Dakota State when he transferred to LSU as a graduate. Despite an overall struggle by LSU's defense in a shortened 10-game pandemic season, Cox was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award while recording 58 tackles, 6½ tackles for loss, three interceptions and a sack.

Cox did strain his hamstring while training for LSU's pro day on March 31, but he held his own personal workout at the school's indoor football facility on Monday. His 4.54-second 40-yard dash and 34-inch vertical seemed to solidify the linebacker's chances at being selected in at least the second or third rounds on Friday.

"It was a surprise to me," Cox said. "I know my talents and what I can do, but I just stayed patient and continue to just have my faith in God. Whenever I was going to get picked up, I was going to give the team the best. I'm glad Dallas did that."

Saturday was filled with a similar surprising theme for the five LSU players who were selected on the final day of the NFL draft, bringing the university's total number of picks to seven for the entire weekend.

Nose tackle Tyler Shelvin was selected No. 122 overall in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Bengals, where he'll reunite with former teammates Joe Burrow, Thaddeus Moss and Ja'Marr Chase, the star wide receiver the Bengals selected No. 5 overall on Thursday.

Racey McMath — a speedy prospect who became a starting wide receiver after starring on special teams — was drafted in the sixth round, No. 205 overall by the Tennessee Titans. The 6-foot-2, 211-pound New Orleans native was a former three-star recruit in LSU's 2017 signing class, which has now produced 10 total draft picks.

Fullback/tight end Tory Carter, who was also in that signing class, agreed to an undrafted free agent deal with the Tennessee Titans, a source told The Advocate.

Shelvin and safety JaCoby Stevens were a few of the gems of that signing class, back when it wouldn't have been likely to think McMath would be selected before Stevens, a former five-star recruit out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The Philadelphia Eagles picked Stevens later in the sixth round, No. 224 overall. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound hybrid defender told reporters Saturday that he's open to playing multiple positions on the Eagles defense, as he did in Baton Rouge. He brushed off position "labels" and joked that people could call him a defensive tackle so long as he was contributing to the franchise.

Stevens and his fellow LSU draft-eligible defensive teammates saw their draft stocks dip after the school's disappointing 5-5 title defense last season, when the Tigers defense surrendered the most yards and points per game in the program's history.

Kary Vincent Jr., a three-year starter at cornerback and nickel safety, was picked No. 237 overall in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound defensive back also was a sprinter on LSU's track team, and he opted out of the 2020 season.

Vincent is considered to be a player who could become a consistent contributor as a slot corner with the Broncos. After a year away from the game, he finds himself in the same position as the other LSU defenders drafted on Saturday: proving to his future franchise that he's valued more than the round in which he was selected.

"I was counted out by everybody," Vincent said in a personal live video shortly after getting drafted. "We did it. This is the start of something, bro, from where I started. Nowhere near the end."