At least a half-dozen and maybe seven LSU players are expected to be selected in the three-day NFL draft that begins Thursday at 7 p.m. in Kansas City.
The Tigers have had at least one first-round draft pick for four consecutive seasons. But mock draft projections indicate that streak is likely to end unless projected high-second round pick edge rusher BJ Ojulari sneaks into the late first round.
Other Tigers projected to be drafted are wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (late third), defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy (mid fourth), cornerback Mehki Garner (early fifth), offensive guard Anthony Bradford (mid fifth), cornerback Jay Ward (early seventh) and edge rusher Ali Gaye (mid seventh).
Other possibilities ae cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse, linebacker Micah Baskerville and wide receiver Jaray Jenkins.
In six drafts dating back to 2017, LSU has had 48 players drafted and 44 were on NFL rosters last season including all 14 players selected in the 2020 draft who were members of LSU’s 2019 national championship team.
Here's LSU’s professional football draft history by the numbers:
Total draft picks (all professional leagues): 418
Total draft picks (NFL only, including merged drafts): 382
Players selected in Super Bowl era (since 1966): 274
Total first-round draft choices: 49 (Running backs 13, defensive backs 9, wide receivers 8, defensive linemen 6, quarterbacks and linebackers 4 each, defensive linemen 3, offensive lineman and tight ends 1 each)
No. 1 overall draft picks: 3 (Billy Cannon 1960, JaMarcus Russell in 2007, Joe Burrow in 2020)
Total draft picks selected in the top 5 overall: 15 (Last one CB Derek Stingley Jr. No. 3 overall in 2022 by Houston Texans)
Total players selected in last 15 seasons since 2008 draft: 105
Total players drafted in years immediately following LSU winning national championships: 30 (2 in 1959, 7 in 2004, 7 in 2008 and 14 in 2020)
Most picks in single draft: 14 in 2020 – ties NCAA 7-round draft record (previous LSU high: 9 in 2013, 2014)
Most picks in a first round and most picks in any single round : 5 in 2020 (Joe Burrow, K’Lavon Chaisson, Justin Jefferson, Patrick Queen, Clyde Edwards-Helaire)
Fewest picks in a draft (since 1966): 0 in 1993
