This year’s Louisiana State team entered the year having lost more players to NFL Draft early entry than any college football team in history. There’s still a ton of potential first rounders all over the roster though. Their opponents in the Music City Bowl, Notre Dame, have a top ten prospect on their OL. There’s going to be a ton of NFL talent on display in Nashville on December 30th.
Read on to find out who, with the help of Walter Football.com
The scouting report/blurbs, write-ups are from Walter Football. Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame is #6 overall in this 2015 NFL mock draft from Walter Football.com
Stanley has generated a ton of late-season buzz, and he put an exclamation point on it by getting the better of the top 2015 draft-eligible defensive lineman in USC’s Leonard Williams in limited plays against each other. It was only for a few reps, but impressive none the less that Stanley was able to handle one of the best defensive lineman in college football.
The other mock on Walter Football.com has Stanley going #7 overall.
Five picks later, Walter Football has #12 La’El Collins, OT/G, LSU
La’El Collins can play many positions up front. Collins has some potential and flashes heavy hands, but needs to learn technique. For the NFL, he would be better at guard or right tackle – at least to start out his career.
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU shows up later in the first round at #32 overall
Collins has 33 tackles, nine passes broken up and an interception in 2014. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder is a long corner who has some athleticism. Sources say that he runs well and could be a star of the Combine.
Jalen Mills, S/CB, LSU and Danielle Hunter, DE/OLB, LSU are second to third round projections in 2015.
Moving on to the 2016 NFL mock drafts, #24 overall you’ll see Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame, who leads the team in tackles and tackles for losses.
Travin Dural, WR, LSU at #17 overall
Even with inconsistent quarterback play, Dural has been one of the breakout performers in the SEC this season. He’s averaged 21 yards per catch with 35 receptions for 747 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 192-pounder plays big with the quickness to make plays downfield. Given that he’s from the same school as Odell Beckham Jr., he may draw comparisons. Which would be huge for him. Given how Beckham has become the breakout rookie at the wideout position in the NFL this year.
Next we have #26 Vadal Alexander, G, LSU
Alexander started out his career at right tackle in 2012. LSU wisely moved him inside to guard for 2013 and the sophomore had a big jump in his play. Alexander was a road-grading guard for LSU in 2013. He paved the way for Jeremy Hill and also did a good job of protecting quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Vadal Alexander on playing an historic program like Notre Dame…
“It adds relevance to the game because there are two big name programs with us and Notre Dame. Growing up, you look at Notre Dame and watching them play since you were little. They’re always a program that is in the national spotlight, so it is a little easier to wake up and work for it, although we would have done the same for any other program. But you get extra excited to play against a great team like Notre Dame.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2