Final LSU Football 2021 NFL Mock Draft
With the NFL draft this Thursday and teams narrowing down who they have their eyes on, there has been a tremendous amount of chatter surrounding LSU prospects.
The Tigers are set to have multiple players selected in the first three to four rounds, keeping the Tiger lineage alive and well in the NFL.
With names like Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall looking to be first round selections in Thursday’s draft, the Tigers have multiple prospects such as Jabril Cox, JaCoby Stevens and Tyler Shelvin who look to be steals in the later rounds.
Here’s where we project LSU’s top prospects to land:
Ja’Marr Chase (No. 6 overall – Miami Dolphins)
With second year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa taking over as the starter this upcoming season, the Dolphins offense will be in dire need of weapons to support the young quarterback in his first full season as the starter. With Kyle Pitts likely off the board, Chase appears to be the ideal fit alongside Will Fuller and DeVonte Parker.
Chase hasn’t played a live snap in over a year after opting out of the 2020 season, but after a tremendous Pro Day in Death Valley last month, NFL evaluators are not overthinking selecting the wide receiver who has been receiving Julio Jones comparisons throughout the draft process. Boasting a 4.38 40-yard dash and a whopping 41-inch vertical, Chase seems like the clear No. 1 receiver in this year’s draft.
Terrace Marshall (No. 27 overall – Baltimore Ravens)
With most mock drafts having Marshall going to Baltimore, this seems like the ultimate fit for an offense that is in need of weapons next to Lamar Jackson, giving the Ravens a redzone threat for a passing offense that struggled a season ago.
In a deep wide receiver class, Marshall came in as a borderline first rounder, but after an impressive Pro Day, it seems glim he falls out of the first 32 picks. Though this draft has numerous talented receivers, this class lacks height at the position, giving the 6-foot-4 Marshall an even greater opportunity to get selected early. After a remarkable 4.38 40-yard dash and 39-inch vertical, Marshall impressed many NFL evaluators who now have him climbing comfortably into the first round.
According to recent reports, the Philadelphia Eagles have spoken with Marshall a ton over the last few weeks and could be an option to trade up to snag the LSU prospect.
Jabril Cox (No. 60 overall – New Orleans Saints)
The New Orleans Saints are in dire need of a linebacker to complement the aging Demario Davis and Cox is the type of fiery, passionate playmaker that can do exactly that. After the departures of both Kwon Alexander and Alex Anzalone, the Saints need a playmaker to provide depth at the linebacker position.
A three-time national champion at North Dakota State, Cox is a certified winner and carries himself as such. In his lone season in Baton Rouge, Cox proved he can hang with the elite talent of the SEC, recording 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Cox appears to be the ideal fit for the Saints who looks to rebuild their linebacker position with Cox giving them a player who can come in and compete day one.
“No, they’re definitely really interested,” Cox said on the New Orleans Saints. “I’ve been on multiple Zoom calls with them, they’ve said they’ll be down there for my pro day when I have it on the April 26, so the interest is there with them.”
Missing LSU’s Pro Day due to injury, Cox held his own Pro Day at LSU on Monday, showing NFL evaluators the incredible athleticism he attains at the linebacker position. Cox recorded a 4.52 40-yard dash and an impressive 34-inch vertical with numerous NFL teams in attendance.
Tyler Shelvin (No. 116 overall – New York Giants)
After losing defensive tackle, Dalvin Tomlinson, in free agency to the Minnesota Vikings, the Giants have a void to fill at the tackle position with Shelvin appearing to be the perfect fit to do so for New York.
Rated the No. 87 overall prospect in this year’s draft and No. 6 defensive tackle by NFL Draft analysts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper, Shelvin appears to still have significant hype around his name even after opting out of the 2020 season for the Tigers.
Shelvin is a monster of a human being, who with the proper system, has the potential to be a monster at the next level. He does a really good job splitting double teams when moving laterally, which is something that will translate to the next level. He uses his hands very well at the snap and plays with a tremendous football IQ. Shelvin has all the tools to be an incredible run defender at the next level – something the Giants could use significantly this upcoming season after the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson.
JaCoby Stevens (No. 216 overall – Pittsburgh Steelers)
With the Steelers looking for a hybrid safety/linebacker in this year’s draft, Stevens is the perfect fit in Pittsburgh as he has been a player who has shown tremendous versatility throughout his collegiate career at LSU.
“If I’m drafted to a team and they asked me to play a linebacker, hybrid position, they know I can do that because playing DB is one of the hardest positions to play on the football field,” Stevens said after his LSU Pro Day. “So if I can turn my hips and come off my break just as good as any other DB on the field, I definitely can play any of those other positions.”
Rated the No. 235 overall prospect in this year’s draft and the No. 16 safety, Stevens is flying under the radar. Weighing in at 212 pounds at LSU’s Pro Day, Stevens looked the part for anyone questioning his size and came in a little over 6-foot-1. Recording an impressive 42” vertical with a 10-feet, 10-inch broad jump, Stevens showed NFL scouts his pure athleticism is ready for the next level.
