Three Under the Radar LSU Football Stars Poised for Breakout NFL Seasons in 2021

Jackson, Chark among the veteran Tigers who should see uptick in production for 2021

As the NFL season approaches, LSU continues their dominance of Tigers succeeding at the next level. With an array of talent in the NFL already, there are many under the radar Tigers due for a breakout season.

With highly touted players such as Joe Burrow, Tyrann Mathieu and Odell Beckham Jr. representing LSU to its max potential, there are many sleeper picks who have the chance to be the next NFL greats to come out of Death Valley.

Here are the players we believe are due for a breakout 2021 NFL season:

Leonard Fournette - Running Back (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

After being cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2020 season, Fournette hit the waivers where he got picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after only one day on the free agent market. Joining Tom Brady and serving as the No. 2 option behind Ronald Jones, Fournette got into a groove late in the season and showed what he is fully capable of. After Jones suffered a quad injury before the postseason, Fournette made the most of his opportunity and shined for the Bucs, showing flashes of what fans knew he has been capable of. In four playoff games, he rushed 64 times for 300 yards and three TDs, including 89 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl.

What’s next for Fournette? The LSU stud signed a deal to return to Tampa Bay where he has the opportunity to continue his exceptional play into 2021. “Playoff Lenny” will be rocking the infamous No. 7 for the Bucs next season, which could make all the difference in his play. Fournette has proven to Bucs Coach Bruce Arians he is all in and willing to do anything to win for this team. With all the intangibles to be a Pro Bowl back in the NFL, Fournette is due for a breakout year where he can serve as a pivotal piece for the Bucs. After being in a bad situation in Jacksonville for his first few years in the NFL, Fournette is now surrounded by champions with a “Super Bowl or bust” mentality.

Donte Jackson – Cornerback (Carolina Panthers)

Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson is known for his lightning fast speed and quick instincts at his position, but the New Orleans native is still trying to find his groove at the next level. While Jackson struggled at times in his rookie campaign, there were still flashes of his incredible athleticism on display. In thirteen starts, he produced 40 combined tackles, eight pass deflections, and three interceptions. In his second season, Jackson dealt with a nagging toe injury that hindered his play, but still showed flashes of what he is capable of. Being hit or miss in pass coverage, Jackson has put in the work to impress Panther fans this upcoming season and improve in all ways.

After drafting cornerback Jaycee Horn in the 1st round of the 2021 draft, this takes the pressure off of Jackson in zone coverage. With Horn specializing in zone coverage and Jackson succeeding most in man coverage, the Panthers secondary will be in good hands this upcoming season. As Jackson looks to be 100% heading into the 2021 season, this could be the year we see him take the league by storm. With speed and athleticism like no other, Jackson needs to work on technique and ball skills to show new defensive coordinator Phil Snow and the Panthers just how talented the young speedster truly is.

DJ Chark Jr. – Wide Receiver (Jacksonville Jaguars)

After a phenomenal second season in Jacksonville where Charkfound himself named to the Pro Bowl, he struggled a bit in his third year where the Jaguars could seemingly never get the ball to their dominant receiver. Jacksonville had one of the worst offenses in the NFL and suffered from inconsistency at the quarterback position all year. Their poor quarterback play impacted Chark and the wide receiver corps significantly. Charkfinished the 2020 season with 53 receptions for 796 yards and five touchdowns, a tremendous difference from the season before.

On the heels of a down 2020 season, things are going to be different coming into next year under newly named Head Coach Urban Meyer and their revamped staff. The Jaguars now have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, whom they took with the first overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. With the Clemson standout at the helm, Jacksonville’s offense should see a rise in production and Chark should be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this.

The Tiger lineage runs deep in all facets of the NFL and with a superior rookie class a year ago and dominant players such as Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall coming in this year, LSU looks to continue living up to their “NFLSU” trademark.