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LSU
After an undefeated 2019 season that saw them win the National Championship, LSU fell back to Earth in 2020. However, their class entering the 2021 NFL Draft is certainly not lacking in talent.
Headlining is wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, a first-round lock and a prospect considered by many to be one of the top 10 players in the draft. Although he chose not to participate in the 2020 season, his Biletnikoff Award-winning 2019 campaign has firmly entrenched him as one of the best receivers in the class, if not the best. Chase, who ran a 40-yard 4.38 scorecard and had a 41-inch vertical on his pro day on Wednesday, said he was working on his athleticism and burst while giving up his junior year .
“When I retired I was working on a lot of my speed stuff,” Chase told Windy City Gridiron. “After a while I started working on my routes again; getting used to losing weight again, getting used to my fillings and feet. It was me who was just trying to feel comfortable again.
Chase’s decision opened up more opportunities for other wide receivers on LSU’s roster, such as Terrace Marshall Jr. and Racey McMath. Marshall finds himself thrown out as a first-round prospect early in Day 2, on the sidelines after bursting with 731 yards and 10 touchdowns on 48 receptions in just seven games. He explained his process as a road racer, an aspect of his game in which he improved from 2019 to 2020.
“If I’m on the outside, I immediately look at the cornerback in front of me,” said Marshall. “Watching his influence, seeing how he plays me. When you’re in the slot, you basically have to look at safety. Security will tell you what type of defense they are playing. The only thing on my mind when I’m on this line [of scrimmage] is to eat. This bullet comes my way [I] get ready to do a play.
McMath didn’t have Marshall’s production, but his physical attributes indicate he may be a better receiver in the NFL than he was at the college level. A 6-foot-2, 217-pound gun that ran a 4.34 on his Pro Day, McMath’s combination of size and speed is evident in the way he plays the tape game. With his size, it is a bit difficult to climb as a road runner, but he doesn’t find himself struggling with falling hip issues.
“I don’t think that’s a disadvantage,” McMath said of the obstacles his size could create as a road runner. “We have to work a little harder, although I don’t think we are at a disadvantage. The guys that I model my game on, like Julio Jones, he goes in and out of his ways as well as a smaller catcher.
LSU also has a handful of talented defensemen for the 2021 NFL Draft, including defensive back Kary Vincent Jr. He was instrumental in the team’s defense in 2019, totaling 4 interceptions and 8 pass deflections in 15 games. Although he opted out of the 2020 season, his draft value is still high due to the athleticism and versatility he exhibited with the Tigers.
Vincent mentions that the ability to play just about anywhere on the pitch helps separate it from the rest of the 2021 Draft Class.
“Simple: versatility,” Vincent replied when asked what his defining trait was. “I played literally every high school job here at LSU at the best conference in the country. Cornerback, safety, lunge corner, outside corner, I was in the box, I was a safety in the middle of the field; I do it all. When you have me, you don’t just have a corner: you have a security, you have a corner, you have them all in one. “
Florida
Florida hosted one of the best offenses in the country of 2020, so it’s no surprise that they have plenty of scheming talent on this side of the ball this year.
Arguably the Gators’ best prospect is tight end Kyle Pitts, a player many tout as the best tight prospect to enter the draft for many years. The 6-foot-6, 248-pounder posted an explosive 4.44-40 yard dash, and its 83-3 / 8-inch wingspan gives it the largest wingspan of any wide receiver or tight end to get into the draft as well. 20 years old. Not only is his athleticism visible on tape, but his massive figure makes him an absolute offset to the opposition.
“I feel like [my wingspan] gives me an advantage [against] DB, ”explained Pitts of the advantages his size and remarkable stature gave him against defenders. “People who maybe have shorter arms. It gives me the chance to do a decisive piece.
In addition to Pitts, Florida also relied on wide receiver Kadarius Toney, their devious playmaker considered one of the most athletic weapons in the country. He finished with a 40-yard 4.41 scorecard, completing his quick time with an impressive 11-foot-4 wide jump and a 41-inch vertical jump.
“I feel like I’ve come and run the business the way I really should,” Toney said of his interactions with the teams on Pro Day. “The teams got a better idea of what kind of person I am and what kind of skills I bring to the table.”
We must not forget the quarterback who throws the ball to Pitts and Toney: Kyle Trask. The FBS leader in passing touchdowns has broken out with a full season as a Florida starter in 2020, and his season has seen him finish as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. In preparation for this year’s draft, Trask has worked with quarterback coaches who have an interesting connection to the Bears’ current projected starter.
“I’ve been in California for about two, three and a half months working with 3DQB,” Trask said. “They work with a lot of older guys like Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Andy Dalton, guys like that. They take that knowledge from them and are able to apply it to our games, give us little nuggets we can hold onto as we prepare to take the next step.
Another physical specimen that the Gators are part of their weapon group is wide receiver Trevon Grimes. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound player played a tyrant ball in Gainesville with 9 touchdowns in 2020. He proved he was more than fit with his 40-yard scorecard on Wednesday, with a score of 4.49. Grimes also had the chance to showcase those skills at this year’s Senior Bowl, an experience he says has been extremely beneficial.
“The experience was once in a lifetime,” Grimes told Windy City Gridiron. “Like I said, I played with Van Jefferson and Tyrie Cleveland – both played Senior Bowl – and they both told me to go out there and treat him like this was the greatest job interview of your life, and that’s what I did. . I went there and learned a lot. I’ve learned that no matter what you do, someone is always watching. Whether you’re talking to a janitor or a general manager, someone is always watching how you communicate with people. I’m also learning how NFL teams deal with their infractions and how they handle their practices, so just being able to get that firsthand before actually being drafted into a team helps me a lot because I know what. expect me when the time comes to actually have an NFL practice.
Florida’s offensive stars aren’t just in their weapon group; they have an intriguing athlete along the offensive line in the Stone Forsythe tackle. At 6ft 8in and 307lb, the tall man stands enormous length and exhibits impressive power at the film’s point of attack. He says his massive frame gives him an advantage when taking on defenders, many of whom are much smaller than him.
“One of the biggest advantages [my size] leads me to create that distance and use my length to my advantage, ”Forsythe detailed. “One of the things we’re working on right now is using my length and creating distance in my stance. I feel like I already have a good punch, but it can still be worked on. [I’ve been working on] keep these guys at the end of my reach and use that to my advantage, locking them down and removing them from my towels.
Minnesota
The two perspectives Minnesota had available to the media on Wednesday both helped each other get to where they are today.
When wide receiver Rashod Bateman and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste faced each other in training, it was a real case of “iron sharpens iron”: two gifted footballers confronting and testing each other at the limit of their strength. opponent.
Because of his practices – as well as his own individual work and physical gifts – Bateman has become one of the top receivers in the 2021 Draft. The 6-foot-2, 209-pounder isn’t just one of the weapons. the most physical of the class, but he’s also a shrewd road racer. He mentions that his work ethic in practice and in the movie theater has allowed him to exploit opposing defenders the way he does.
“To be honest, it just comes with a lot of practice,” Bateman told Windy City Gridiron. “Play under [Minnesota head coach P.J.] Fleck and have [wide receivers coach Matt] Simon over there in my corner when I got to university, I learned a lot from them. It also includes studying NFL receivers and continuing to work on your craft. When I go out to play, it all depends on what DB is doing. It depends on how I saw them in the movie, what they do in previous games, and then I take it to the field. I take what I’m learning in practice and take what I’ve learned from my coaching staff and just apply it in the game.
St-Juste has had an incredibly busy year. From appearing on CNN for his work with social justice and pushing for improved COVID protocols, from playing in a shortened season to attending the Senior Bowl in January, he has had very little chance of working individually. After a remarkable performance in Mobile, he worked to further improve his game and become a more complete player.
“Overall, I’ve improved everywhere,” said St-Juste. “It was really the first time that I perfected my job in the weight room, in terms of speed and everything in between. I’ve always had a limited offseason with COVID, and the year before I moved from Michigan to [Minnesota], so my offseason has kind of been cut short. So this time, from January to here, I had time to work on everything. [I’ve been] working on my details, working to get bigger, stronger, faster, so I feel really good, overall. “
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