You’ve seen the videos. Every April, the same purple and gold highlights flash across the screen.
It’s almost a cliché by now. If you’re an NFL general manager and you need a guy who can step onto a pro field on day one without blinking, you call Baton Rouge. Honestly, the sheer volume of LSU football draft picks over the last few years is enough to make rival recruiters lose sleep.
But it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about the "NFL-ready" tax that these players carry. When a scout sees that LSU helmet, they aren't just looking at a college athlete; they're looking at a finished product.
The 2025 Wave: Heavy Metal on the O-Line
The 2025 NFL Draft felt a bit different for the Tigers. For years, LSU was "Wide Receiver U" or "DBU." This time, the trenches took center stage.
Will Campbell basically lived up to every ounce of hype he’s had since he walked onto campus as a freshman. Going No. 4 overall to the New England Patriots wasn't a shock to anyone who watched him erase SEC edge rushers for three straight years. He became the highest-drafted offensive lineman in the history of the program. That’s a massive statement for a school that produced guys like Andrew Whitworth and Alan Faneca.
He wasn't alone, though. The Baltimore Ravens grabbed Emery Jones Jr. in the third round (pick 91). Seeing Campbell and Jones go in the first three rounds marked the first time LSU ever had two offensive linemen taken that early in the same draft. It signals a shift in the program's DNA—a move toward brute force.
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A Breakdown of the 2025 Class
- Will Campbell (OT): New England Patriots, Round 1, Pick 4.
- Mason Taylor (TE): New York Jets, Round 2, Pick 42. He’s now the most productive tight end in LSU history.
- Emery Jones Jr. (OT): Baltimore Ravens, Round 3, Pick 91.
- Sai’vion Jones (EDGE): Denver Broncos, Round 3, Pick 101.
- Bradyn Swinson (EDGE): New England Patriots, Round 5, Pick 146.
- Miles Frazier (OG): Detroit Lions, Round 5, Pick 171.
- Garrett Dellinger (OG): Tennessee Titans, Round 7, Pick 243.
The New York Jets getting Mason Taylor at 42nd overall might be the steal of the decade. This is the kid who caught the two-point conversion to beat Alabama as a true freshman. He left LSU with 129 catches—the most ever for a Tigers tight end. He’s basically a wide receiver in a 255-pound body.
Remember 2024? The Year of the "Big Three"
We have to talk about 2024. It’s impossible to discuss LSU football draft picks without mentioning the absolute nuclear explosion of talent that left for the league that year.
Jayden Daniels went No. 2 overall to Washington. He didn't just win the Heisman; he posted the highest passer rating in the history of college football ($208.0$). Then you had Malik Nabers going No. 6 to the Giants and Brian Thomas Jr. going No. 23 to the Jaguars.
Think about that. A quarterback and two wide receivers from the same team, all in the first round. It was arguably the most explosive trio we've seen since the 2019 national championship team.
The Jaguars really leaned into the LSU connection that year. They didn't stop at Brian Thomas. They went back to the well and drafted defensive tackles Maason Smith (Round 2) and Jordan Jefferson (Round 4). If you’re a Jags fan, you’re basically watching LSU East on Sundays.
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Why LSU Players Transition Faster
There’s a theory among scouts that the SEC West—well, what used to be the SEC West—is essentially NFL Lite. But at LSU, the culture is specifically designed around individual "brands."
Brian Kelly's tenure, despite its up-and-down ending in 2025, leaned heavily into pro-style development. The Tigers don't run "gimmick" offenses. When Garrett Nussmeier took over the reins, he was asked to make full-field reads. When the offensive line blocks, they aren't just using zone-read shortcuts; they're using NFL techniques.
The Historical Context
LSU has had 391 players drafted into the NFL.
That includes 42 first-rounders and three No. 1 overall picks:
- Billy Cannon (1960)
- JaMarcus Russell (2007)
- Joe Burrow (2020)
Most schools would kill for one "legendary" draft class. LSU has them every five years. The 2020 draft saw 14 Tigers selected, tying the modern record for most players picked from a single school in a seven-round draft.
What’s Next: The 2026 Outlook
Now that we’re in 2026, the focus has shifted to the next crop of talent. With Brian Kelly out and the program in a state of transition under interim leadership, scouts are watching closely to see if the development pipeline holds steady.
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Early buzz suggests that the 2026 draft will be another strong showing for the Tigers' defense. We're seeing names like Dashawn Spears (the safety who’s been a ball-hawk) and even some of the younger wideouts like Zavion Thomas getting look-ins from scouts.
LSU's "down" years are most teams' "dream" years. Even when the team is 8-4 or 7-5, they’re still putting six or seven guys into the league. It's a factory.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following LSU football draft picks for your dynasty fantasy league or just out of pure fandom, here is what you need to keep in mind:
- Watch the Yards After Catch (YAC): LSU receivers like Malik Nabers and Mason Taylor aren't just "catch-and-fall" guys. Taylor had over 700 yards after the catch in his career. In the NFL, that’s the difference between a starter and a star.
- The "Patriots Connection": Keep an eye on New England. With Will Campbell and Bradyn Swinson both heading to Foxborough in 2025, there is a clear affinity for the Tigers' toughness in that front office.
- Don't ignore the O-Line: For twenty years, LSU was a skill-player school. That has changed. The current crop of linemen is technically sounder than the "maulers" of the early 2000s.
The narrative that LSU only produces "athletes" is dead. They produce technicians. Whether it's a quarterback with historic efficiency or an offensive tackle who didn't allow a sack for a calendar year, the Tigers have mastered the art of the NFL audition.
The best way to stay ahead is to track the "Target Share" for the younger receivers and the "Pressure Rate" for the edge rushers. Those metrics are what NFL scouts are actually looking at when they fly into Baton Rouge.