Some years there isn’t a debate about who the best prospect is in the NFL Draft. Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett was considered the top prospect heading into the 2016 season, and he became the first overall pick in the 2017 draft. A few years earlier, it was Jadeveon Clowney going wire-to-wire from the start of the season until the draft. Two years before him, it was Andrew Luck.
LSU’s Grant Delpit can stake a claim as the No. 1 2020 NFL Draft prospect vs. Texas
Delpit’s the big name to watch, but LSU vs. Texas and Clemson vs. Texas A&M both feature plenty of pro players on Saturday.
Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Currently, there isn’t a consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft. For some, that player is Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Others prefer Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. Others like Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama or Justin Herbert of Oregon because they’re quarterbacks.
On Saturday, safety Grant Delpit has a chance to stake his claim. The LSU true junior is in this week’s primetime game against Texas. It’s the first matchup of two top-10 teams this season.
In his first two seasons for the Tigers, Delpit had 138 tackles, 17 passes defended, six interceptions, and five sacks. A year ago, he was a unanimous All-American and won the Jack Tatum Award. Teammates compare him to former Tigers and current Jets safety Jamal Adams. It would also be fair to compare him to Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Although his best attribute is his deep coverage, Delpit is a very good all-around safety. Besides patrolling the deep middle, Delpit looks comfortable in the slot. Last season, LSU frequently used him on blitzes, and he was effective at creating pressure.
Delpit had this phenomenal play last season. Playing single-high safety against Ole Miss, Delpit was able to read this early enough to break on the ball and dive in front of DK Metcalf for a diving interception.
There’s plenty more to like about Delpit. However, he isn’t LSU’s only draft-eligible prospect on defense.
These are 5 more NFL prospects to know in LSU vs. Texas
Few college programs produce as much defensive talent as LSU. The Tigers had two top-50 picks on defense this year, and two in the top 30 in 2017.
If LSU gets two first-rounders on defense in 2020, the other player will likely be senior cornerback Kristian Fulton. Many thought that Fulton was LSU’s best cornerback last season and not Greedy Williams, an eventual second-round pick by the Cleveland Browns. Fulton is a natural cover man, with decent size, athleticism, and speed.
He could get dinged by several NFL teams, though.
Fulton played just three games as a freshman due to injuries, and then things got weird. Prior to the 2017 season, the NCAA suspended Fulton for two seasons for cheating on a drug test with another person’s urine. After an appeal, Fulton’s suspension was reduced by a year and he was reinstated in time for the 2018 season. Fulton was having a good season— and probably could have gone pro — but he sat out the last three games following ankle surgery.
It will be must-see television if Fulton lines up against Texas wide receiver Collin Johnson on Saturday. It’s pretty simple. Fulton loves to press cover, and Johnson specializes in beating the press. A fellow senior, Johnson returned to Texas and is among the best receiver prospects in the nation. The 6’6 Johnson has a penchant for big plays and knows how to use his body to his advantage.
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is a fringe NFL prospect, and often gets compared to Tim Tebow because of his unorthodox playing style and tendency to run with the ball. He’ll spend much of the evening trying to elude LSU senior defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence.
LSU’s quarterback, Joe Burrow, had a solid first season after transferring from Ohio State. He’s still a work in progress as a prospect, but teams will like his toughness in the pocket.
Here’s the one player on each team to watch in Texas A&M vs. Clemson
Saturday’s other big game is Texas A&M playing at Clemson in the afternoon. A&M junior defensive lineman Justin Madubuike is arguably the best non-senior interior player in the nation. At 6’3 and 300 pounds, Madubuike has excellent timing to get off the snap and has powerful hands to shed blockers. That makes him a matchup nightmare and causes teams to send multiple blockers his direction. He’s capable of lining up in a gap, or over the nose, and that versatility is attractive to NFL teams.
After having six players taken in the 2019 draft, Clemson isn’t exactly bare in terms of NFL prospects this season. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons is the team’s top prospect this season, and the No. 1 player at his position after Alabama’s Dylan Moses tore his ACL.
After a standout 2018 season, Simmons considered entering the draft following his redshirt sophomore season. He had good cause, too. On a star-studded Clemson defense that had four top-40 picks, Simmons led the team in tackles with 97, to go along with 9.5 tackles for loss and seven pass breakups.
At 6’4 and 225 pounds, Simmons has the build of a big safety, and at times plays like one. He has the size and athletic combination to play in the slot and cover tight ends in man coverage. Considering the trend of multiple tight end sets in the NFL (namely the mismatches Rams coach Sean McVay employs), Simmons will be an asset.
With his size and playing style, Simmons won’t be a back-seven player who should take on blockers that often. And he’s never going to be a physical thumper against the run, but his athleticism and ability to line up all over the field will have teams intrigued. Mark this down now: Simmons will be one the player who torches the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
We’ll have more on Clemson’s pro prospects next week leading up to the team’s game against Syracuse.
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