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Patrick Peterson a first-round lock
By Kevin Weidl
With the offense struggling, and perhaps headed for a quarterback change, LSU's defense has been forced to carry the Tigers so far this season.
That hasn't been much of a problem, though, thanks to a player on each level of the defense who is impressing NFL scouts and raising his draft stock. Here's how we evaluate LSU's top three defenders at this point.
CB Patrick Peterson -- There is not a defensive player in the country who is playing at a higher level than Peterson, who has impressive size (6-foot-1, 211 pounds), fluid hips and excellent ball skills.
Peterson can lock down one side of the field in man coverage, giving defensive coordinator John Chavis the ability to roll safety help to the other side and flexibility when deciding where to bring pressure from. Peterson has also answered questions about his top-end speed with his contributions as a punt returner, averaging nearly 30 yards per return and scoring two touchdowns on returns thanks to his burst and vision.
He was not challenged much in coverage last week against West Virginia, and for good reason, but Peterson still makes an impact and it's rare to find a player with such a complete skill set. He is doing as much to help his team as any player in the nation and has used his total package of skills to separate from the rest of the cornerback class. Peterson is a junior but currently ranks as our No. 2 overall prospect and looks like a lock to be a top-10 overall pick if he enters the 2011 draft.
OLB Kelvin Sheppard -- The team leader in total tackles, Sheppard showed good range and instincts against West Virginia. He was able to prevent speedy Mountaineers RB Noel Devine from turning the corner at times and also flashed the ability to hold up in both man and zone coverage. I saw LSU in person in the season opener against North Carolina and Sheppard also appears to have added bulk to his frame, something that has helped him anchor more effectively when taking on blocks at the point of attack. He did a great job against West Virginia of meeting blockers with the proper shoulder and maintaining gap control. Sheppard came into the season with a mid-third-round grade but is steadily working his way toward the second round.
DT Drake Nevis -- He was not a starter in 2009 but Nevis jumped out during our offseason film study thanks to his quickness off the ball, ability to maintain leverage and good hand use that allows him to hold up in one-on-one situations. That leverage is important for an undersized defensive tackle (6-foot, 289) who fits best as a one-gap penetrator in a 4-3 defense at the next level. Nevis has been productive in his first season as a starter and is working his way into the early second round after entering the year with a fringe second-round grade.
Keep an eye on Burfict
He's only a sophomore, but Arizona State MLB Vontaze Burfict is a player to watch. He has tremendous athletic ability for his size (6-3, 245), shows great range and delivers heavy hits when flowing downhill. Burfict was a big reason the Sun Devils were able to slow down Oregon's dynamic offense somewhat.
At one point he did a good job recognizing a quick screen on the perimeter, using his closing burst to get to the ball and exploding through contact to bring the receiver down for a loss. Burfict still has room to improve in terms of playing under control and his instincts are still developing, but he is a true Mike linebacker who continues to improve with game experience and he will be on the national radar very soon.
By Kevin Weidl
With the offense struggling, and perhaps headed for a quarterback change, LSU's defense has been forced to carry the Tigers so far this season.
That hasn't been much of a problem, though, thanks to a player on each level of the defense who is impressing NFL scouts and raising his draft stock. Here's how we evaluate LSU's top three defenders at this point.
CB Patrick Peterson -- There is not a defensive player in the country who is playing at a higher level than Peterson, who has impressive size (6-foot-1, 211 pounds), fluid hips and excellent ball skills.
Peterson can lock down one side of the field in man coverage, giving defensive coordinator John Chavis the ability to roll safety help to the other side and flexibility when deciding where to bring pressure from. Peterson has also answered questions about his top-end speed with his contributions as a punt returner, averaging nearly 30 yards per return and scoring two touchdowns on returns thanks to his burst and vision.
He was not challenged much in coverage last week against West Virginia, and for good reason, but Peterson still makes an impact and it's rare to find a player with such a complete skill set. He is doing as much to help his team as any player in the nation and has used his total package of skills to separate from the rest of the cornerback class. Peterson is a junior but currently ranks as our No. 2 overall prospect and looks like a lock to be a top-10 overall pick if he enters the 2011 draft.
OLB Kelvin Sheppard -- The team leader in total tackles, Sheppard showed good range and instincts against West Virginia. He was able to prevent speedy Mountaineers RB Noel Devine from turning the corner at times and also flashed the ability to hold up in both man and zone coverage. I saw LSU in person in the season opener against North Carolina and Sheppard also appears to have added bulk to his frame, something that has helped him anchor more effectively when taking on blocks at the point of attack. He did a great job against West Virginia of meeting blockers with the proper shoulder and maintaining gap control. Sheppard came into the season with a mid-third-round grade but is steadily working his way toward the second round.
DT Drake Nevis -- He was not a starter in 2009 but Nevis jumped out during our offseason film study thanks to his quickness off the ball, ability to maintain leverage and good hand use that allows him to hold up in one-on-one situations. That leverage is important for an undersized defensive tackle (6-foot, 289) who fits best as a one-gap penetrator in a 4-3 defense at the next level. Nevis has been productive in his first season as a starter and is working his way into the early second round after entering the year with a fringe second-round grade.
Keep an eye on Burfict
He's only a sophomore, but Arizona State MLB Vontaze Burfict is a player to watch. He has tremendous athletic ability for his size (6-3, 245), shows great range and delivers heavy hits when flowing downhill. Burfict was a big reason the Sun Devils were able to slow down Oregon's dynamic offense somewhat.
At one point he did a good job recognizing a quick screen on the perimeter, using his closing burst to get to the ball and exploding through contact to bring the receiver down for a loss. Burfict still has room to improve in terms of playing under control and his instincts are still developing, but he is a true Mike linebacker who continues to improve with game experience and he will be on the national radar very soon.