There’s only one game remaining in the 2023 college football season before we turn our attention to the NFL draft, which could be an eventful affair for former LSU stars.
The Tigers have three players who are likely to hear their names called in the first round — quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], the 2023 Heisman winner, and receivers [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]
Daniels and Nabers are widely viewed as top-10 picks, with Daniels’ stock especially rising rapidly in recent months. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. updated his draft board once again ahead of the national championship game, and he still has Daniels behind Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Drake Maye at No. 4 overall.
I went deep on Daniels’ future ahead of him taking home the Heisman Trophy. In short, he was consistent enough over the final two months of the regular season that I now feel comfortable moving him into my Big Board. I have a first-round grade on him — he could be the third quarterback off the board. Over two seasons at LSU — after he transferred from Arizona State — Daniels threw 57 touchdown passes with just seven interceptions and added 21 rushing scores. He ranked No. 1 in the country in Total QBR this season (95.7), completing 72.2% of his passes while averaging 11.7 yards per attempt. Those are spectacular numbers.
Daniels has rare ability as a dual-threat playmaker. He can evade, elude and blow by defenders, but he also impressed with the way he can run through contact. But it’s his improvement as a passer that has him looking like a Round 1 selection. Yes, having blue chip wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. to throw to was a huge benefit, but they also were fortunate to have a passer like Daniels with a big-time skill set directing the offense.
Nabers sits just two spots behind Daniels at No. 6, ranking third among receivers behind Harrison and Rome Odunze.
I love watching Nabers, whose best trait is his speed. He can take the top off the defense. He was consistent in 2022, showing elite separation skills and the ability to high-point receptions. He also was balanced, catching 35 passes when lined up in the slot and 37 when lined up out wide. That versatility will matter at the next level. He finished with 72 catches for 1,017 yards and three touchdowns.
Nabors blew away those numbers in 2023, catching 86 passes for 1,546 yards with 14 scores. He has good hands and showed toughness in taking a shot while hauling in a catch over the middle of the field. He tracks the ball exceptionally well. He gets easy separation on cornerbacks. I have been impressed with his run-after-the-catch ability. He lit up Mississippi State with 13 catches for 239 yards and two scores earlier this season.
Meanwhile, Thomas is a bit further down, though he still remains in the top 20 at No. 17 on Kiper’s board.
Thomas is a fun player to watch, and he excelled catching passes from Daniels on the other side of Nabers. He has great length and a huge catch radius, which makes him a nightmare to match up with for smaller defensive backs. He can take the top off a defense — he averaged 17.3 yards per catch this season. I really like the way he uses his acceleration ability to get late separation. Thomas finished the season with 68 catches for 1,177 yards and led the FBS with 17 touchdowns. The arrow is pointing up; Thomas needs a little bit more polish, but he’s just scratching the surface of his talent.
Those are the only Tigers who appear in the top 25 overall, though defensive tackle [autotag]Mekhi Wingo[/autotag] is likely to hear his name called in the first two days as Kiper ranks him seventh among defensive tackles in the draft.
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