LSU Football Senior Bowl Preview: Lloyd Cushenberry, Damien Lewis Headline Tiger Participants

Senior Bowl festivities are off and running in Mobile as some of college football's best seniors showcase their abilities in front of NFL scouts. The Tigers have a few players participating so here's a breakdown on who's playing, who's not and the latest draft projections for each player.

The Senior Bowl kicks off on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on NFL Network.

Invites that will not participate

Joe Burrow (quarterback):

This one comes as no surprise as Burrow just completed one of if not the most prolific passing season in college football history. Burrow is back in Ohio, where he told the podcast "Pardon My Take" he'd celebrate for the next week or so there before packing up for California in preparation for the NFL draft.

“The Bengals, who have the No. 1 pick and are coaching the showcase event, were hoping Burrow made the trip to Alabama so they could spend extended time with the prospect,” ESPN’s Ben Baby said.

Burrow won't need to showcase much of anything as the draft approaches because of his status as a top-five pick. Surely NFL teams will ask for private workouts as he probably won't do much at the NFL Combine or Pro Day either.

Kristian Fulton (cornerback)

Like Burrow, Fulton also received an invitation but declined to go to the Senior Bowl. Fulton is coming off a 38 tackle senior season that included an interception.

LSU CB Kristian Fulton won’t make the trip for the Senior Bowl, his agent, Rocky Arceneaux, tells me. Banged up from a 15-game season and has a significant family issue. Long pre-draft process, so NFL teams will have other chances to get to know a prospect many are curious about.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 20, 2020

Fulton, unlike Burrow, will need to go through the NFL Combine at the very least as he's seen as a fringe first round pick in most mock drafts. A good showing at the combine and at pro day could skyrocket Fulton's value as he's one of the unknowns in terms of potential in the NFL at the moment.

Players Participating in Senior Bowl

Stephen Sullivan (tight end)

It was a disappointing year for Sullivan, who made the switch from receiver to tight end over the 2019 offseason before losing out to junior Thaddeus Moss. Sullivan recorded 12 receptions for 130 yards in his senior season and will need a good showing at the Senior Bowl, combine and pro day to catch the NFL eyes.

At 6-foot-5, 242 pounds, the physical tools are there for him to excel in drills but he needs to prove it on the field this week in Mobile.

Lloyd Cushenberry (center)

The definition of a locker room leader, Cushenberry was the heart and soul behind the improvement in the offensive line in 2019 for LSU. The two year starting center was a key piece in winning the Joe Moore Award for best offensive line in the country.

Even though Cushenberry is only a junior, he did graduate and is 21 years old so he's able to compete in the Senior Bowl on Saturday. On ESPN's position rankings, Cushenberry is the No. 2 ranked center and No. 98 player overall. It'll be important for him to perform well as a day two pick (rounds 2-4) isn't out of the conversation.

Damien Lewis (guard)

Lewis has been the Tigers most consistent offensive lineman the last two years and also one of the most durable. Alongside Cushenberry, Lewis started 28 straight games at right guard, making for one of the best 1-2 punches on the inside in 2019.

On WalterFootball.com, Lewis is ranked as the No. 14 offensive guard in the 2020 NFL draft with the following description.

"Lewis has been a quality blocker for LSU this season, but he could have some limitations for the NFL. He is a right guard candidate, but a lack of length could be an issue at the next level. Lewis was dominated by Derrick Brown in the matchup against Auburn."

Lewis will need to prove any doubters wrong this week as WalterCamp has him going anywhere between the fourth and sixth rounds at the moment.

Blake Ferguson (long snapper)

Much like his brother Reid, who currently is the long snapper for the Buffalo Bills, all Blake does is do his job. It's hard for a long snapper to become one of the voices in the locker room but that's exactly what Ferguson has been the last two years.

While he won't be someone that gets drafted, Ferguson will likely be brought in by a number of teams looking for a long snapper as he's young and simply does his job well. He's proven to be a good special teams player in college as well, being inserted on kickoffs as well as punt returns.