Questions Facing LSU Football's Top NFL Draft Prospects
LSU has a number of prospects who should hear their names called in the first few days of the 2021 NFL Draft but there are questions around each player.
Ja'Marr Chase hasn't been in a live action football game since Jan. 2019. Jabril Cox will be holding his pro day just days before the draft. Here's a look at some of the top questions facing each prospect with the draft now less than a week out.
Ja'Marr Chase- Will year away from football affect his play?
Chase will have to answer the question that all other players who opted out in 2020 will need to answer. After going more than a year without playing a single snap of football, what will his game look like?
He has put up the numbers in his pro day with a 4.38 40-yard dash and he looked good catching the ball on March 31, the first time we've seen him since the very early stages of the 2020 fall camp session. But whichever NFL team winds up drafting him will have to take into account that going 18 months without taking the field in a live game is just a different feel.
In an interview with local press, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said that teams are put in a different position in regards to the opt outs, not because of the decision but about the football shape the players are in upon being drafted. It's not something that will keep Chase from being a top 10 pick but will be a question he needs to answer his first few weeks with his new NFL home.
Terrace Marshall- Does his extensive injury history cause him to fall?
When healthy, Marshall was one of the great redzone and vertical threats in the entire SEC over his final two seasons. He proved that by hauling in 23 touchdowns in 19 games played but throughout his time in Baton Rouge, he wasn't able to complete a full season.
A serious leg injury during his senior year of high school lingered into his freshman season at LSU, forcing him to miss five games. During the Tigers' championship run and a fractured foot forced him to miss four games. However, he was able to prove he could get through most of a season healthy in 2020, playing in seven games before opting out of the final three contests.
He's recognized as a potential first round pick with the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints all possibilities. But proving he could go a season without injury was an important step.
JaCoby Stevens- Where do you put him to have most success?
Stevens has the physical tools to be a defensive menace for an NFL team but finding the right fit will be everything for the team that drafts him. Whether it's at safety or as a hybrid linebacker, Stevens made most of his plays closer to the line of scrimmage and struggled when he was asked to play deep safety.
A team that drafts him will have a specific plan in place with him but for Stevens, it doesn't matter where he plays because football is becoming more and more positionless over the years.
"I'm comfortable playing any position," Stevens said. "I think the game is kind of going towards a position-less game where it's kind of becoming like basketball, Coach O said it best: basketball on turf. So it's getting to the point to where you're going to have to basically be ready for matchups.
With NFL scouts questioning his weight at the safety position and athleticism to play at the next level, Stevens suppressed any outside noise with a strong Pro Day today in Baton Rouge. Weighing in at 212 pounds, Stevens looked the part for anyone questioning his size and came in a little over 6-foot-1. Like we mentioned, there will be a specific plan in place for him which could cause him to drop a little bit but also lead to him outplaying his draft position.
Jabril Cox- How much will last minute pro day affect draft status?
Cox had a minor injury during LSU's initial pro day and will have a last minute workout with interested teams on April 26. There will be many teams in attendance, including the New Orleans Saints, but with only a few days before the draft, many teams will be putting the finishing touches on their draft boards.
How Cox performs during the pro day should help his stock to some degree as he's pretty firmly cemented as a second round pick. A linebacker who made played at both the FCS and SEC levels throughout his career, Cox really proved in his lone season with the Tigers he has the athleticism to keep up with SEC talent and thrive.
He's a player with a winning pedigree and can provide a strong presence in the locker room pretty early in his career.
