2020 NFL Mock Draft LSU Edition: Final Projections of Where Former Tigers Will Land
It's draft day and for the context of 2020, today is probably the biggest sporting event we've seen and will see in many months.
LSU will have a program record amount of players selected starting on Thursday with as many as 16 players projected to be drafted according to various mock drafts. Many of these prospects will be a part of the NFL's virtual mock draft including quarterback Joe Burrow, safety Grant Delpit, receiver Justin Jefferson, edge rusher K'Lavon Chaisson, cornerback Kristian Fulton, guard Lloyd Cushenberry, linebacker Patrick Queen and tight end Thaddeus Moss.
With the first round just hours away, we thought we'd give our final predictions on who and where each player will be drafted.
Joe Burrow (No. 1 overall, Cincinnati Bengals)
We've known since January but Burrow will become the third LSU player taken No. 1 overall, joining Billy Cannon and Jamarcus Russell. All of the recent reports coming from the Bengals are that they've been locked in on Burrow for over a month and haven't even taken trade calls on possibly moving out of that spot in recent weeks.
Burrow will change life in Cincinnati, an organization that hasn't won a playoff game since 1991. His accuracy, toughness and winning background are a few reasons that make him a franchise quarterback but perhaps his greatest quality is his incredible IQ and preparation.
His film study and preparation are two qualities that are most talked about, which more than outweighs some of the concerns about his arm strength.
Justin Jefferson (No. 15 overall, Denver Broncos)
The closer the draft gets, the more it feels like Jefferson's rise up the draft boards will continue to surge. After losing Emmanuel Sanders to the Saints, the Broncos could use a true No. 2 receiver opposite Courtland Sutton and Jefferson more than fits the bill.
His elite route running ability combined with deceptive speed, Jefferson would give the Broncos a 1-2 punch at receiver it hasn't had since Peyton Manning was tossing touchdowns to Demaryius Thomas, Sanders and Eric Decker. Quarterback is still a question mark as Drew Lock has a lot of improvements to make but giving him as many reliable weapons as possible should help in his development.
K'Lavon Chaisson (No. 16 overall, Atlanta Falcons)
The Falcons have long been the rumored destination for Chaisson and if he's there for the taking, Atlanta should jump on the opportunity. Considered to be the second best edge rusher in this draft class, behind Chase Young, Chaisson is still just 20 years old and has the athletic frame and potential to become a perennial pro bowler.
Dallas is another option for Chaisson should Atlanta pass on the LSU pass rusher. After letting Vic Beasley walk in free agency, adding someone that can get after the quarterback, particularly in a division that now features Drew Brees and Tom Brady seems to be the smart play.
Patrick Queen (No. 24 overall, New Orleans Saints)
The long drought of the Saints not drafting an LSU player in the first round will come to an end but on a more serious note, Queen fills a need in New Orleans. The Saints do have Demario Davis, Kiko Alonso and Alex Anzalone on the roster but Alonso and Anzalone are both injury risks.
Queen is a late bloomer but is a phenomenal athlete, can make plays in the backfield and plays sideline to sideline. Lining up next to Davis will make for a lethal combo in the Big Easy.
"He was a tailback and linebacker, just like Devin White. He came, got bigger and stronger, learned the defense, just got better and better," Ed Orgeron said Tuesday. "Every time we put him in there, he made plays. He kept on improving, one game at a time. At the end, he became one heck of a football player. He's a high character kid. We wish him the best."
Kristian Fulton (No. 25 overall, Minnesota Vikings)
Fulton makes it five first round picks for the Tigers and the two year starter at LSU will be a great fit in the Vikings secondary. After parting ways with longtime starter Xavier Rhodes, the Vikings need some depth at cornerback to fit next to one of the best safety combos in the NFL in Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith.
His coverage skills and technique are sublime, allowing just a 40% completion percentage when targeted in his two seasons as a starter. Fulton will challenge for a starting spot upon arrival.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (No. 32 overall, Kansas City Chiefs)
Edwards-Helaire has been a second round prospect throughout much of the 2020 draft process but he's seen a rise in his draft stock over the last two weeks.
Does his late rise mean he slips into the bottom of the first round? It's a possibility. Edwards-Helaire is a universal fit, meaning there isn’t an offense in the NFL that couldn’t use his blend of power and quickness at the running back position.
In the Chiefs offense, his ability to run between the tackles, block in the pass game and also make plays through the air makes him a swiss army knife talent next to Patrick Mahomes.
Grant Delpit (No. 38 overall, Carolina Panthers)
The third LSU player to go to the NFC South, the Panthers are in need of improvements all over their defense and having to face Brees, Brady and Matt Ryan six times, some secondary help would be prudent.
Delpit was once viewed as a first round lock but after some inconsistent tackling and an ankle injury, his draft stock has taken a hit. Those are areas that will need to be addressed but Delpit is a big play prospect that has incredible upside.
Lloyd Cushenberry (No. 50 overall, Chicago Bears)
As a two-year starter for the Tigers, Cushenberry was the leader behind an offensive line that quarterback Joe Burrow called multiple times in 2019 "the most improved bunch of guys I've ever been around." His strength lies in the pass block game and the Bears could use some extra protection around Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles depending on who starts.
Cushenberry earned the prestigious No. 18 jersey for the 2019 season for his exemplary leadership skills. On the field, while not the quickest, he’s extremely difficult to move and should be reliable starter on the inside, whether it be at guard or center.
Damien Lewis (No. 70 overall, Miami Dolphins)
Like Cushenberry, Lewis is a two-year starter at guard that will at the very least be reliable depth at the start of his NFL career. The Dolphins will likely take a quarterback with one of their three first round picks but need to give that player protection.
While he's not the longest lineman in the world, he's compact and very difficult to move. For a team with so many holes, Lewis will be given an opportunity to challenge for a starting spot.
Saahdiq Charles (No. 115 overall, Cleveland Browns)
CBSSports.com draft insider Pete Prisco thinks Charles is one of 20 draft prospects that scouts might be undervaluing. The question mark that comes with Charles doesn’t come on the field but off.
He was suspended for six games in 2019 for violating team rules and he’ll be someone that if he can put those concerns to rest, will outperform his draft selection. In Cleveland, he'll join former Tigers Greedy Williams, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
Thaddeus Moss (No. 147 overall, Cincinnati Bengals)
If the Bengals do what most expect them to do and draft LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, why not reunite the former Tigers' teammates later in the draft by selecting Moss. In a media session after Burrow won the Heisman, Moss admitted that Burrow, Moss and Edwards-Helaire were all really close friends.
"I almost teared up, I was just so happy for him," Moss told the media. "Me, Joe and Clyde, we're really close, I mean that's the main group."
Drafting Moss would help fill some tight end questions on the roster as the team recently decided not to retain longtime starter Tyler Eifert.
Jacob Phillips (No. 178 overall, Denver Broncos)
Phillips has the chance to outplay his draft stick in a major way but for now he seems like a day three prospect. Over the last two seasons, he’s been a tackling machine, racking up 200 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss and two sacks. While he isn’t known for his playmaking ability, he’s a strong, physical linebacker that should make an impact at the next level.
With Denver he'd be a rotational piece to start where he'd learn alongside Von Miller and maybe earn some snaps as a rookie for a retooling defense.
