LSU QB Joe Burrow poised to cash in on draft day in Las Vegas
Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow had a magical season at LSU which should translate to big bucks on draft day.
Burrow’s stock is soaring after he entered the season off the radar of most fans and even many draft analysts.
He likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called when the event takes place April 23-25 at various sites around Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, the Raiders will celebrate their move to town with two first-round selections.
Heading into the bowl season, here’s an updated look at the best available prospects:
1. Chase Young, Edge Rusher, Ohio State: Young has recently flirted with the idea of returning to school. It’s not happening. He has powerful hands that help him separate from offensive linemen and the kind of explosion teams covet on the edge. A brief suspension only seems to have provided additional motivation as Young looks more unblockable than ever.
2. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU: There’s still a possibility he could fall when he’s examined more closely by scouts at the combine. But for now he’s firmly in the top 10. If things fall right, he could go in the top two with his former Buckeye teammate.
3. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama: His speed and cutting ability allow him to get open consistently and make him even more dangerous with the ball in his hands. He has a chance to show he can star even without injured quarterback Tua Tagovailoa feeding him the ball.
4. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia: He’s pretty clearly the best prospect at a coveted position. His size and agility ensure he will be a high pick on draft day. He’s chosen not to play for Georgia in the Sugar Bowl against Baylor
5. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama: His injury may not be as big a deal as many may believe, unless he shocks the world and decides to return to school. The bigger questions are still about his arm strength.
6. Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State: A steady performer with good size and ball skills on the outside. Does not have a discernible weakness and has a chance to solidify his spot with a strong performance in the College Football Playoffs.
7. Grant Delpit, Safety, LSU: A big-time hitter who some NFL defensive coordinator will fall in love with despite some questions about his coverage ability.
8. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn: A massive presence on the line of scrimmage who returned to school to further refine his technique. He may also benefit from a shallower pool of interior talent on defense.
9. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma: His production has been outstanding. But the true excitement about his future shows up on film where he has repeatedly proven his ability to make contested catches.
10. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama: He has world-class speed and the ability to score every time he gets his hands on the ball. But with so much talent at the position, there is a chance he could be left out of the top half of the first round.
11. A.J. Epenesa, Edge Rusher, Iowa: He’s very long for the position, though it doesn’t stop him from winning leverage battles on the outside.
12. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon: His offensive coordinator, Marcus Arroyo, is the new head coach at UNLV. Herbert manages to be both steady and spectacular. He may be the most ready to start a game in Week 1 of his rookie year.
13. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa: There had to be some great battles between him and Epenesa at practice. Wirfs’ value may be downgraded because he has played on the right side rather than the more demanding left. But he’s a phenomenal talent with agility that belies his size.
14. Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson: The Tigers weren’t tested very often this season, so the postseason will be a proving ground for Simmons and his teammates. He’s a safety in a linebacker’s body and has the versatility to play almost anywhere on the field.
15. Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge Rusher, Penn State: He can get to the quarterback but is also better against the run than some of the other pass rushers in the draft. He’s probably best suited as a base end in a 4-3 defense.
16. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU: He allowed just six combined first downs and touchdowns in coverage in all of 2018. Six. This year, he has followed it up with a top 10 grade from Pro Football Focus in overall coverage, forced incompletion percentage and pass breakups.
17. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina: A massive interior presence, he has 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks the last two seasons. Perhaps more impressively, he has seven passes defensed.
18. Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin: He’s the best interior offensive line prospect and the leader of one of the best fronts in the nation.
19. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado: Injury concerns may be the only question about him. He’s a dynamic playmaker when he’s on the field.
20. D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia: Could there be several running backs taken in the first round? It’s possible with elite talents like Swift, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor and Clemson’s Travis Etienne.
21. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama: Scouts haven’t been high on him despite how well he passes the eye test on the field. He’s been very productive for Nick Saban and should wind up in the first round by the time April rolls around.
22. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida: He has used his blazing speed to turn two of his six career interceptions into touchdowns. Henderson hasn’t impacted the stat sheet much this year, but much of that has to do with opponents choosing to throw away from him. Last season, he allowed just a 43 percent completion rate and didn’t allow a touchdown while averaging 19.1 snaps per reception against.
23. Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama: He is an incredible athlete, which could see him making a quick move up the draft boards after the combine. Scouts are going to be salivating over his workouts even if his technique is still developing.
24. Curtis Weaver, Edge Rusher, Boise State: He’s still publicly wavering on whether he will return to school. It will be difficult to stay out of the draft should he get first-round feedback. While explosive, he projects as more of a three-down player than a pass-rushing specialist.
25. Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama: A massive tackle who is much further along as a run blocker than in pass protection. His lack of quickness and explosiveness may keep him out of the top 20.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.