After having 10 players selected in the 2022 NFL draft, the Tigers have a lot of outgoing talent to replace this offseason. But with that being said, this team still has a lot of star power.
LSU had one player drafted in the first round this spring, No. 3 overall pick [autotag]Derek Stingley Jr.[/autotag] That total could increase next year, however, as two Tigers players are receiving considerable preseason draft hype.
The latest first-round mock from Touchdown Wire’s Luke Easterling has both receiver [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]BJ Ojulari[/autotag] coming off the board in the first 32 picks. He’s highest on Boutte, who he has going to the Chicago Bears with the No. 8 pick.
Justin Fields has a solid No. 2 receiver in Darnell Mooney, but he still needs a true No. 1 target with size and physicality, as well as athleticism. Boutte checks all of those boxes, and would be just what Fields needs to reach his full potential as Chicago’s franchise quarterback.
Pairing Boutte with Fields is certainly intriguing and could be just what the young quarterback needs to take a step forward in Chicago. Meanwhile, Easterling has Ojulari going off the board a bit later in the round to the Miami Dolphins with the No. 16 pick, where he could shore up the defensive line quite a bit.
Jaelan Phillips has a promising future, but the Dolphins need another young, explosive edge rusher to pair him with. Ojulari racked up seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2021, and is primed for even more this year.
There is some projection going on with Ojulari, who was good last season but is expected to have a breakout campaign in 2022. If he can live up to those expectations, he could be one of the best edge rushers in college football and find himself as a Day 1 pick.
One former Tiger is also projected as a first-round pick: Cornerback Eli Ricks, who transferred to Alabama and is expected to be one of the nation’s top defensive backs. He’s projected to go at No. 13 to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite seeing a lot of turnover this offseason, this is a talented roster for Brian Kelly’s first season, and he could see a couple of his players go on to be very high picks in the draft.
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