Four LSU Football Draftees Selected as “Top-25 Rookies to Watch”
This rookie class has the chance to be special at a number of different positions. With the NFL attempting to move forward with its season on schedule, there are plenty of first-year talents that are hoping to make immediate impacts in their new homes.
That includes the national champs who after a historic 2019 season, followed that up with a historic draft class.
But which LSU rookies does NFL.com think can make the most impact as rookies? In an article earlier this week, Joe Burrow, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Patrick Queen and Justin Jefferson were all listed as rookies that could make an immediate impact with their organizations and even challenge for Rookie of the Year.
Jefferson was listed in the "big opportunity, big payoff" category as he's projected to be a starter for the Minnesota Vikings next season.
Will the Stefon Diggs replacement be more productive in 2020 than Diggs was in 2019 (63-1,130-6)? Won't be easy, of course, but I'm not going to rule it out for a guy who has proven he can produce at absurd levels (18 TD catches in 15 games last season!). Jefferson could quickly become Kirk Cousins' best friend if he proves he can consistently run crisp routes. Why? Well, 82.8 percent of passes that came Jefferson's way in 2019 were completed, which was the highest rate in college football, per PFF. He can go up and get it.
Because Adam Thielan mans the slot for the Vikings, Jefferson will need to make the transition back to the outside, something he's very capable of doing. As a sophomore in 2018, Jefferson hauled in 54 receptions for 875 yards and six touchdowns while primarily playing on the outside.
Linebacker Patrick Queen, who's expected to be a starter for the Ravens from day one was put in the "greatness within reach" category. Baltimore has a strong history of producing Hall of Fame level linebackers including Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.
Baltimore filled its biggest need with a spark plug for the second level of the defense, a player with the instincts and athleticism to start from Day 1. It's not yet clear whether he'll play on the weak side or in the middle, but I'm not sure it matters much. Queen has a good defensive line in front of him, the burst to close running lanes in a hurry and is smooth dropping into coverage, too. DC Don "Wink" Martindale had to be smiling when Baltimore made this pick.
Queen only has 12 games of starter experience under his belt but what he accomplished and the fast pace in which he developed in 2019 makes him a prime candidate to be a reliable force for the Ravens in his first season.
As for Edwards-Helaire and Burrow, they were listed as No. 3 and No. 2 as the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year honors. The running back couldn't have asked for a better landing spot as the coaching prowess of Andy Reid and the talent of Patrick Mahomes will give Edwards-Helaire the chance to succeed right off the bat.
The fit seems too good to be true. A three-down weapon provides a havoc-wreaking offense with one of the few pieces it still needed? That'll play. Think of the one-on-one matchups against linebackers that Andy Reid will be able to exploit with this dynamo catching passes out of the backfield. Patrick Mahomes got exactly what he wanted, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
Reid has already compared Edwards-Helaire's skill set to that of former All-Pro Brian Westbrook, who Reid coached when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles. While he'll likely start out sharing duties with Damien Williams, it wouldn't be surprising if he takes over the bulk of the work by season's end.
As for Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick walks into a situation from a weapons perspective that not many in his position are accustomed to. Running back Joe Mixon and receivers AJ Green, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins provide Burrow with a strong nucleus but there are some concerns up front.
Keep this in mind about Joe, though: He was the best FBS QB under pressure last season, per PFF, and led the nation with 17 touchdown passes in those situations (no one else had more than 10). The arrival of the first overall pick, who's coming off what was probably the best season ever by a college quarterback, gives Zac Taylor a chance for a smooth recovery after a turbulent first ride as a head coach.
These are just a few LSU rookies that were mentioned in this specific article but keep in mind, the Tigers had 14 draft selections, 10 of which were taken in the first three rounds alone. You don't invest in those kind of players early if there isn't a vision for them to compete for playing time from day one.
