BCS National Championship 2012: LSU Players to Watch for in the NFL Draft

Many of the top players for the LSU Tigers are juniors or underclassmen.  This team is way too young to be this good. 

But of the upperclassmen, here's who might have a shot in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Seniors

Deangelo Peterson, TE, fifth round prospect

Peterson has suffered from the LSU offense not being very TE friendly.  He got only 17 catches all year.  But Peterson does the dirty work—blocking for the run and pass protecting better than a lot of the others in this draft. 

He is not big at 6'3" and 240 lbs, but he's fast enough to test NFL defenses down the middle.  He has good hands and can adjust to a bad ball.

Jordan Jefferson, QB, sixth round prospect.

Jefferson comes with enough baggage to require a second limo, but has helped himself with his play late in the season. 

He completes 60 percent of his throws and had six touchdowns with just one pick.  He can avoid the blitz and complete passes against pressure.

But, he has not had to make pre-snap reads and does not always adjust the speed of the pass to situation.  He was suspended for the first four games and was held out of the fifth game this year.  He then alternated with Jarrett Lee most of the season.  He has a strong arm and is mobile.

  He is not at all ready to step in and start, but he'd be a good late-round developmental QB.

Will Blackwell, G, sixth round prospect

Blackwell is a solid pass protector that can drive block for the run as well.  I like him better than most analysts.  He can pull and get the outside contain man.  He is not flashy but gets the job done inside.

Brandon Taylor, SS, seventh round pick

When Taylor is healthy, he is an OK defensive back. 

He does not make enough plays, based on his lack of speed.  He tends to take bad angles to plays and is not as active as you would like against the run.  He has the speed to cover receivers and the decent ball sense to knock a pass away.

Ron Brooks, CB, seventh round or free agent

Brooks is another player I like better than others.  He is a nice size at 6'1" and got a lot of action opposite Mo Claiborne. 

He will play the run well and is very effective on the blitz.  Depending on his speed, he might end up at S, but will be a player on special teams that will develop into at least a nickel back.

Juniors

Morris Claiborne, CB, Top 10 pick

Claiborne is everything you could want in a cornerback.  He has the speed and enough size to be a factor in the passing game.  He does a great job reading the QB and anticipating the throw.

Despite teams throwing away from him, he has picked off 11 passes in the last two years. He is a return guy and will support the run to his side of the field. 

Rueben Randle, WR, third round pick

Randle is a big possession receiver with very good hands that will also block for the run. 

He is not likely to run much better than 4.55 in the 40, but at 6'3" and 210 lbs, he is a good target over the middle.  He will catch the ball against tight or double coverage and will knock the ball out of the hands of a DB if the pass is intercepted.

The big question is whether this LSU squad will win the national championship tonight.

I will go way out on a limb and say that we will finally see an SEC team lose in the BCS Championship game!

That is what I think.  Tell us what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits http://fryingpansports.com and hosts the Internet radio version of News, Notes and Rumors M-Th at 6 PM EST on http://mooheadradio.com/2.0/.  He has also published several novels on http://www.eBooks-Library.com/Contemporary/ (select William E. Smith in the author list) and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.