Live LSU Football 2020 NFL Draft Updates/Thread: Tigers Start Path Towards Potentially Historic Draft
Day Three
All Time Record Tracker: Record to beat-14
LSU- 14
5:00 p.m.- While the NFL draft has slowed throughout the day for LSU, one member of the basketball program declared the 2020 NBA Draft. Emmitt Williams will not return to school as he announced his decision Saturday afternoon.
Fourth Round
Saahdiq Charles (No. 108 overall, Washington Redskins)
Analysis: The Redskins traded All Pro tackle Trent Williams minutes before day three started and picked up Charles with the second pick of the fourth round.
Charles does come with some character question marks after serving a six game suspension in 2019 but his upside is undeniable. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah had a second round draft grade on Charles on talent alone so this is a great value pick for the Redskins if Charles can prove all of his off the field issues are behind him.
"I just know that of course I made mistakes at school and they were dumb, bone-headed, type of mistakes," Charles said after being drafted. "But I know that moving forward I learn from my mistakes and I improved over the period I was at LSU."
On the field, Charles is a great athlete for the tackle position with great feet and awareness. With Williams now gone, Charles should step in and at the very least, compete for a starting job protecting Dwayne Haskins and opening up holes for Derrius Guice.
"Obviously he battled some off the field problems, hopefully he's learned his lesson, but there are a lot of people that are calling me about him," Orgeron said Tuesday. "Saahdiq is a good young man and like us all, he had some character flaws he had to straighten up in his life. Hopefully he can prove to the NFL that he can go out there and do the right things on a consistent basis."
Rashard Lawrence (No. 131 overall, Arizona Cardinals)
Analysis: The Cardinals have one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the NFL in Kyler Murray and recently traded for pro bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins. But the team does need some help on defense, particularly on the defensive line.
Lawrence provides depth to a defensive line unit that combined for just seven sacks in 2019. While Lawrence is no sack guru himself, he showed the ability to apply consistent pressure on the quarterback. He's been one of the leaders of the LSU defense for two years now and should make an impact with an up and coming Cardinals team.
He'll also team with All Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson. Really good value pick for the Cardinals. After the SEC championship game, Lawrence was asked about playing in the Fiesta Bowl, which is held in Phoenix, Arizona.
"We love the food there," Lawrence said.
Now he's a Cardinal.
Would think that Thaddeus Moss, Saahdiq Charles and Rashard Lawrence are drafted tomorrow. That'd get the Tigers to 13 selections, two shy of the all-time record.
Stephen Sullivan, Michael Divinity, Breiden Fehoko and Adrian Magee will be the names to watch
Before Rounds 4-7 start at 11 a.m., catch up on the latest from rounds two and three on Friday night with this recap.
Sixth Round
Blake Ferguson (No. 185 overall, Miami Dolphins)
Analysis: A special teams nightmare for years, Ferguson is the prototypical long snapper, spending four years as the Tigers' starter. His brother, Reid is the current long snapper for the Buffalo Bills so the two will now face each other twice a year.
He does his job, is a great locker room presence and can make plays on special teams, which is really all you can ask of Ferguson. He also became the highest selected long snapper in the common draft era.
Reid made sure to give a shoutout to his brother as the pick was coming through.
Seventh Round
Stephen Sullivan (No. 251 overall, Seattle Seahawks)
Analysis: Sullivan certainly carries plenty of potential with him and coach Pete Carroll adds another LSU player to the mix in Seattle. On Friday, the Seahawks drafted guard Damien Lewis in the third round and will now take on a project piece in Sullivan that is a freak athlete at 6-foot-6.
Sullivan brought in just 12 receptions during his senior year but has high upside as a contributor if he can improve as a blocker.
Day Two
Second Round
Grant Delpit (No. 44 overall, Cleveland Browns)
Analysis:
Delpit at No. 44 is a steal for the Browns and reunites him with secondary teammate Greedy Williams and former Tigers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry.
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. With no pro day this year, Delpit recently sent workout videos to interested teams including a 40-yard dash time of 4.39 seconds.
His athleticism is an area of strength but so is his knack for making timely plays. This pick makes a ton of sense and will be a playmaking machine with pro bowl upside if he can fix some of his inconsistent tackling issues.
Here's video of Delpit being selected. Delpit in interviews after being selected addressed not being a consistent tackler.
"I'm so tired of hearing that I can't tackle, I might tackle you for asking that question."
"I think that when he's healthy, he was a different player this year with the ankle, he missed so many tackles, he was not flying around being the player he was in 2018," ESPN's Mel Kiper said. "Do you attribute it all to the ankle? Do you excuse it all the way because of the injury? That's why there were a lot of mixed opinions on Grant Delpit going into the draft. "
Kristian Fulton (No. 61 overall, Tennessee Titans)
Analysis: Fulton was considered by many to be late riser, receiving some first round buzz, so the fact that he slipped this far is a bit surprising. He's a long corner with great technique and will be able to play in press and man coverage at the next level. He didn't make a ton of interceptions but his pristine technique and coverage skills will help him become an impact player.
In Tennessee, Fulton will immediately compete for a starting job opposite Malcolm Butler. This is a great value pick for the Titans. Fulton recorded 14 passes defensed and an interception in 2019 opposite Derek Stingley.
Fulton certainly received his fair share of targets. He was only the highest graded CB by PFF the last two seasons. The Tigers secondary is off the board now and seven total players have been selected.
Day two of the NFL Draft is less than an hour out and there are plenty of Tigers who will come off the board.
Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton, Lloyd Cushenberry and Damien Lewis are just a few of the names that could hear their names called this evening. Make sure to check in for up to date selections, pick analysis and video throughout the evening.
Third Round
Damien Lewis (No. 69 overall, Seattle Seahawks)
Analysis: The 6-foot-3, 332 pounder proved himself from the minute he arrived, starting in all 28 games over the past two seasons. In Seattle he'll at the very least provide some needed depth to the offensive line that has been a weak spot for the Seahawks over the years.
His journey from being not a sought after recruit to building himself up in the JUCO ranks before becoming a Tiger is remarkable. Zero college offers coming out of Canton, Mississippi. Now he's a third-round pick to Seattle.
He's the eighth Tiger off the board, the first offensive lineman of the day. This isn't a shocking landing spot for Lewis as Pete Carroll and Ed Orgeron are still very tight and Lewis is a powerful lineman that's very difficult to move at the line of scrimmage.
Lloyd Cushenberry (No. 83 overall, Denver Broncos)
Analysis: Cushenberry is a great value pick for the Broncos as he was viewed by many to be one of the top interior offensive linemen in the entire class. 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.
He'll be an impact leader for the Broncos and be a long time, reliable starter in the NFL.
With Cushenberry's selection, the Tigers tied their program record with nine players being drafted in the the first three rounds. Could very well see 5-7 more players come off the board by the end of the 2020 draft.
Jacob Phillips (No. 97 overall, Cleveland Browns)
Analysis: All along it felt like Phillips was undervalued. After racking up over 200 tackles the last two seasons, Phillips is a machine at getting guys to the ground and should translate well to Cleveland.
The Browns are embracing the LSU talent, after taking Grant Delpit at No. 44 overall earlier this evening. Tigers tie the record for most players taken by same school in the first three rounds, break program record.
One of the knocks on Phillips is that he lacks that tenaciousness on defense and doesn't make a lot of big plays. His tackle totals speak a different story and while he may not be a every down player from the jump, could really be a key defensive piece for the Dawg Pound.
Two record setting nights in a row for LSU as the Tigers see 10 players selected through two days, breaking their program record of nine and tying the all-time record after three rounds. See y'all tomorrow as the Tigers go for the trifecta.
First Round
The Joe Burrow to Cincinnati pick is officially official. Make sure to follow along for first round draft coverage.
Joe Burrow- No. 1 Overall (Cincinnati Bengals)
Grade: A+
Analysis: It's the pick we've known was coming for months and Burrow will change life in Cincinnati. The Heisman winner will come in and immediately be a boost for an offense that ranked in the bottom third of the league in total offense.
His preparation, IQ and accuracy in and out of the pocket are some of the traits that will make Burrow a franchise quarterback with pro bowl upside. Burrow joins Cam Newton as the only players in college football history to win the Heisman trophy, a national championship and go No. 1 overall in the same season.
Burrow to ESPN after being selected: "I wasn't very good my junior year but I worked really hard to improve."
Mel Kiper on Joe Burrow:
"Joe Burrow, his poise, his confidence, the way he manipulates the pocket, he just has that 'It' factor. He has tremendous awareness. He slips, he dips, stays away from trouble then makes those accurate strikes down the field. Joe Burrow put together the best season I can ever remember a college quarterback having.
"I think his improvement was not only dramatic, it was historic and I don't think we'll ever see it again."
Here's the call from the Bengals to Joe Burrow minutes before selecting him. Pretty cool moment.
In between all of the interviews and media obligations, Burrow did get the chance to spend a few minutes with his brothers.
K'Lavon Chaisson (No. 20 overall, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Grade: A-
Analysis: The second LSU player off the board, Chaisson is a great value pick for the Jaguars, who took Florida cornerback CJ Henderson with their first picks. Chaisson is a do it all player from an edge rushing standpoint as his sound technique, off the charts athleticism and massive potential makes him worthy of a first round selection.
Chaisson is still just 20 years old and will be a spark plug for the Jacksonville defense, joining Leonard Fournette and DJ Chark, who are also former Tigers. While at LSU, Chaisson recorded 92 tackles, 19 tackles for loses and 9.5 sacks.
Here's a breakdown of the Chaisson pick from the Sports Illustrated team.
Justin Jefferson (No. 22 overall, Minnesota Vikings)
Grade: A
Analysis: Jefferson is the prototypical modern NFL receiver. He's long, has deceptive speed and is as precise a route runner in this draft class, which is saying something. Many draft analysts have pegged this the deepest, most talented receiver class in many years.
Jefferson will fit in seamlessly whether it be in the slot or on the outside in Minnesota. The Vikings just traded Stefon Diggs and Jefferson should get all the reps he can handle next to Adam Thielan.
Here's a breakdown of how Jefferson will look in fantasy football as a rookie with the Vikings, broken down by the Sports Illustrated staff.
Patrick Queen (No. 28 overall, Baltimore Ravens)
Grade: A-
A great value pick for the Ravens, Queen goes to a team that has a history of coaching up some great linebackers including Ray Lewis and CJ Mosley. In addition to his excellent coverage skills, Queen is a sideline to sideline, athletic, tackling machine.
Queen's selection makes it the fourth first round pick of the night, tying a school record. He'll step in and be an immediate contributor and is the type of athlete you want to anchor the middle of your defense.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (No. 32 overall, Kansas City Chiefs)
Grade: A
Edwards-Helaire is a phenomenal fit with the Super Bowl champs. 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.
He and Mahomes will work extremely well next to one another and should be a 50+ catch back out of the backfield. He's shifty, very hard to bring down and has the power to be a phenomenal weapon for the Chiefs.
Edwards-Helaire will now join former Tiger Tyrann Mathieu in Kansas City as well.
Pre Draft Coverage
The NFL Draft is officially upon us and for a number of LSU players, their professional dreams will become true. On Thursday morning, LSUsports released the following video as a preview for tonight's festivities.
The LSUSports video team continues to knock hype videos out of the park. Here’s the latest previewing today’s draft.
The Tigers will be chasing a little bit of history this week at the draft with as many as 16 players from the national champs could hear their names called this weekend.
"It means a lot," Orgeron said. "It means development. It means recruiting great character kids. It means a lot in recruiting. The reason you come to school at LSU is because you want to win the national championship, you want to graduate, and you want to get drafted. Now, it's not like we're presenting a plan to the parents. This is what we're going to do, this is the results that's going to happen if we put in the right amount of work. It adds validity to your program."
Here are a few pre draft stories that to prepare you for tonight's first round:
Ed Orgeron Previews 2020 NFL Draft
Best NFL Fits for the 2020 LSU Prospects
2020 NFL Mock Draft LSU Edition: Final Projections of Where Former Tigers Will Land
How a Great Weekend at the 2020 Draft Affects LSU Recruiting
Column: LSU's Grant Delpit is an NFL Playmaker, Will Outperform Draft Value
Here’s how the future No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow spent his draft day morning. Burrow has been compared to a variety of NFL quarterbacks but one that remains consistent is Tom Brady.
Just a little over an hour until the first round kicks off, Burrow took to Instagram to show off these “Air Burreaux” shoes from Nike.
Tune in throughout tonight's first round and leave your thoughts/comments about all LSU players as they are selected over the next three days. All you have to do is click here and hit the follow button at the top right hand corner. Whether it's Facebook or Google, login for free and start leaving your thoughts.
