Tag: Jabril Cox

Looking into the three LSU football players participating in Senior Bowl activities

Turn your attention to these three Tigers this week.

LSU posted a dismal 5-5 overall record on a 2020 season surrounded by unprecedented circumstances, and this year’s draft won’t be nearly as thrilling for the Tigers as it was after a historical 2019.

But there are still some prospects of note within those who have declared for the 2021 NFL Draft, and we’ll see some of their talents on display in Mobile, Alabama.

Here’s a look into each of the three players who once took the field in Baton Rouge who are participating in Senior Bowl activities this week:

WR Racey McMath

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

McMath is a player who has flown a little more under the radar during his time at LSU, but he’s still a vertical threat that brings a lot to the table for a team.

He finished out the 2020 season with 14 receptions for 195 yards with one touchdown. Over three seasons, he tallied 33 receptions for 522 yards with four touchdowns and an impressive average of 15.8 yards per catch.

McMath has also seen significant action on special teams — an area he could help in for teams at the next level. It’s reasonable to expect McMath to be selected on the final day of the draft or signed by a team as an undrafted free agent.

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Senior Bowl Players to Watch: Defense

Mark Schofield highlights some of the defensive players to watch at this week’s Senior Bowl.

As the NFL season winds down, the draft season heats up.

This year the draft process will be a bit different than in year’s past, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But the unofficial kickoff to draft season is upon us, the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

While this week usually gives teams a chance to see draft prospects up close over the course of a few days of practice, the circumstances of 2021 might mean the Senior Bowl takes on even more importance. With the NFL shelving the Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl Week is now the best chance for teams to get true face time with prospects before the draft, meaning those who have good weeks down in Mobile could truly improve their draft stock.

With that in mind, here are just some of the names I’ll be keeping a close eye on this week on the defensive side of the ball.

LSU linebacker Jabril Cox named as semifinalist for Butkus Award

Before transferring to LSU in August, Jabril Cox spent the previous three seasons at FCS North Dakota State.

Before transferring to LSU in August, Jabril Cox spent the previous three seasons at FCS North Dakota State. All Cox did was win freshman of the year, become a two-time All-American and win three national championships during his time in Fargo.

With one season of eligibility left, Cox wanted to play at the highest level while also competing for a national championship.

Unfortunately for Cox and LSU, things haven’t quite worked out. The Tigers sit at 3-4 on the season with dates against No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Florida in the next two weeks.

While it’s been a tough year for LSU, Cox has certainly done his part.

The 6-foot-4 senior has 36 tackles, including 4.5 for loss, two interceptions, one sack, one touchdown and two pass breakups on the season.

This week, Cox was named one of 16 semifinalists for the Butkus Award — given annually to college football’s top linebacker.

The winner of the Butkus Award will be announced on Dec. 22.

Devin White is the only LSU player ever to win the Butkus Award. White won the award in 2018 and became the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

What must LSU do defensively to defeat Texas A&M?

LSU’s defense already looks much-improved, and forcing turnovers against Texas A&M could be the key to earning a win on Saturday.

The LSU defense looked much-improved last week at Arkansas, but the unit has a tough task awaiting them on Saturday.

The home team Texas A&M Aggies average 33.7 points per game and 443.7 total yards of offense. LSU’s enters the game allowing 32 points per contest and 472.7 yards to opposing teams.

Andre Anthony had a breakout game last week at the linebacker position, and could very well show up big for the Tigers again this weekend. The Aggies have not seen the field in three weeks due to COVID-19.

It seems as if Bo Pelini’s defense in Baton Rouge is finally beginning to come together and play more efficient in tough situations. But playing in College Station against the No. 5 Aggies will be no east battle.

Here’s a look at what LSU must accomplish defensively to secure a win in College Station.

Win on third down

Last week against Arkansas, the Tigers held the Razorbacks offense to 0-of-10 on third down.

While the defense gave up big plays, one reason LSU left with a win was because the unit held strong on every third down situation.

Against Texas A&M, the Tigers defense has to come out with the same energy as last week.

The Aggies are 49-of-79 on third down. Texas A&M has converted 62% of its third down situations this season.

If the defense is going to get off the field, winning the third down battles are key on Saturday against a solid Aggies offense.

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Report Card: Grading LSU’s win against Arkansas

LSU looked confident in all areas of the game in a road victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday.

After a couple of weeks off for one reason or another, LSU got back in the win column on Saturday with a 27-24 win at Arkansas. The win featured a fourth-quarter rally and a defensive stand to protect the lead.

The win evened LSU’s record at 3-3 as a season of ups and downs continued. Overall, this was a fairly positive game without much reason to criticize any particular group. This was a stark contrast from our last report card following LSU’s blowout loss to Auburn.

Let’s dig into this latest progress report on the Tigers.

Quarterback: B

TJ Finley started his third game for the Tigers, and he was much closer to his South Carolina performance than his dreadful outing against Auburn. That was very good news for LSU. Finley passed for 271 yards and two touchdowns without an interception thrown. The ability to protect the football was essential in a tight game like this, and seeing him look much more comfortable was an encouraging sign after Auburn really roughed him up a few weeks ago.

Finley also added 15 rushing yards to the game, but the ground game was in good hands as well.

NEXT: Running Backs

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LSU’s defensive players of the week against South Carolina

The LSU defense improved at every position against South Carolina, with BJ Ojulari leading the way.

Through the first three games of the season, the LSU defense had schematic issues with busted coverages and plenty of missed tackles.

But last weekend against South Carolina, the defense made adjustments and looked much improved.

Freshman BJ Ojulari had a phenomenal game, and graduate transfer Jabril Cox was tied for the team lead in tackles.

Here’s a look into the defensive players of the week from the Tigers’ win over the Gamecocks.

BJ Ojulari

The Tigers freshman had three sacks against the Gamecocks and four tackles. He also had one quarterback hurry in the win.

Ojulari continues to impress the coaching staff every game, and he looks better each week.

The linebacker certainly has a bright future ahead, and his three sacks in the win will carry over to the remainder of the season. Tigers fans should be excited for Ojulari’s future in Baton Rouge.

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Four takeaways from LSU’s 44-34 loss to Mississippi State

LSU had issues on both sides of the ball during Saturday’s 44-34 loss to Mississippi State. But Myles Brennan rebounded after a slow start.

The LSU Tigers took a heartbreaking 44-34 loss at home to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday after not losing a single game for 672 days straight.

The loss to Mike Leach’s team ends the Tigers’ 16-game winning streak and it is the first season-opening loss since the Tigers lost to Wisconsin in 2016.

It’s clear the Tigers have much to work on moving forward, but should be able to get their feet under them against an easier opponent in the Vanderbilt Commodores next week.

Here are four takeaways from Saturday’s game.

1. QB Myles Brennan started slow, but improved.

Brennan, the Tigers’ junior quarterback, replaced Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. Though he started slow, he showed improvement in the second half. In his first start as a Tiger, Brennan finished with three passing touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sure, this isn’t the offense from last season. That was evident early on during the game. The Tigers’ first five possessions ended in a three-and-out. But Brennan continued to remain calm and slowly progressed as the game went along.

But remember back to the opener against Miami in 2018, Burrow’s first game as a Tiger. He only passed for 140 yards that game. The time for Brennan to excel will come, but there is developing to do.

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Studs and duds from LSU’s 44-34 loss to Mississippi State

LSU gave up 623 passing yards in the 44-34 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday. Which Tigers players made an impression?

LSU proved no match for Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense as the Tigers fell, 44-34 on Saturday to the Bulldogs.

The defending national champions lost 14 players from the 2019 team, and star cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was out for the opener due to an illness, and it was plenty noticeable based on the overall performance.

The Tigers gave up 623 passing yards to Bulldogs quarterback K.J. Costello, and started slow on offense in comparison.

Here’s a look at who performed especially well, and who could afford to do much better next week.

Stud: DL Ali Gaye

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive lineman Ali Gaye was a force to be reckoned with on Saturday, getting pressure on Costello and making his presence known every snap. He nearly had a few interceptions, and helped cause a fumble in the fourth quarter that resulted in a Tigers touchdown.

Gaye finished out the game with three tackles, one sack and three pass breakups.

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LSU defense sacks Bulldogs QB K.J. Costello 3 times, returns interception for TD through first half

It’s been a rough first half for LSU football, but the defense isn’t letting up on Mississippi State QB K.J. Costello.

It’s been tough going overall for LSU, which has struggled to find its identity on offense with quarterback Myles Brennan now at the helm instead of Joe Burrow.

Mike Leach’s Mississippi State Bulldogs and his Air Raid offense have had the momentum up to halftime, but there have been some bright spots within the LSU defense.

The Tigers have brought Costello down three times already through the first two quarters of action, with safety JaCoby Stevens, defensive end Ali Gaye and linebacker Damone Clark each registering a sack.

But it’s graduate transfer linebacker Jabril Cox has been a standout thus far, reeling in a reception off of Costello for a 14-yard touchdown.

Not too shabby of a pickup for the Tigers this offseason, eh?

Stevens also had a nice play for LSU in the second quarter, recovering a snap that quite literally bounced off of Costello’s face mask to give LSU the ball at a crucial point in the second quarter.

Mississippi State leads a struggling LSU team, 17-14 at the half.

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Mel Kiper features 3 LSU football players in preseason Big Board

Kiper had a trio of LSU football players featured in his preseason Big Board.

There may or may not be a college football season in 2020.

However, the 2021 NFL draft will still go down in April, and the defending national champion LSU Tigers will be represented.

Now that September has arrived, ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his Big Board of his top 25 prospects for the 2021 draft.

LSU led the list with a total of three selections, with Ja’Marr Chase topping the list at No. 4.

Chase, a 6-foot-1 wide receiver who recently opted out of the 2020 season to prepare for the NFL draft, won the Biletnikoff Award in 2019 after catching 84 passes for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns.

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Here’s a look at Kiper’s assessment of Chase.

“We won’t see Chase this season, as he opted out and will train for the draft, but he has two full seasons of awesome film that NFL teams can study. Chase, who caught 84 passes last season, leading the FBS with 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns, makes everything look easy. He’s stellar after the catch, breaking tackles and running away from defenders. As I mentioned in May, Chase dominated first-round pick A.J. Terrell in the national title game, catching nine passes for 221 yards and two TDs. He’s a terrific prospect.”

The next Tiger on the list is senior linebacker Jabril Cox at No. 15.

Cox, a 6-foot-4, 231-pound linebacker, transferred to LSU from North Dakota State. He was a two-time FCS All-American at North Dakota State.

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Kiper is also excited about Cox stepping up to play against SEC competition.

“There has been a lot of buzz about Cox over the past few months, as the former North Dakota State linebacker transferred to LSU after winning three FCS national titles and starting 38 games for the Bison. He had 258 total tackles, six interceptions and 14 sacks over three seasons, two of which he was named an FCS All-American. Now, Cox will join Ed Orgeron’s defense, and I expect him to make an instant impact. He’s a classic run-and-hit linebacker who tackles well in space and could play inside or outside. I want to see more of him in coverage against SEC offensive weapons, though. Cox is a fun defender to watch.”

Finally, Kiper has defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin rounding out his top 25 Big Board at No. 25.

Shelvin, at 6-foot-3, 346 pounds, was expected to have a major impact in the middle of Bo Pelini’s defense this fall, but he followed Chase’s lead in opting out and begin preparations for the draft.

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Shelvin is a classic run-stuffing nose tackle in the vein of Haloti Ngata and Vita Vea. With a massive frame, he eats up blockers, allowing linebackers to get free and make tackles. He’s not going to give you much as a pass-rusher, but he has a role in the NFL, even if it won’t be for every team. Remember: Vea went No. 12 overall in 2018. It takes only one team to like you, and Shelvin is clearly the top nose tackle in the 2021 class.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence was ranked No. 1 on Kiper’s Big Board, with Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell at No. 2 and Ohio State’s Justin Fields at No. 3.

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