The last hurrah of LSU’s 2019 national championship football team was long and loud.
The 15-0 Tigers tied the all-time NFL record for the most players selected in a seven-round league draft with 14 by 12 different teams as the three-day 2020 draft concluded Saturday afternoon.
Led by a school-record five first-round draft choices and No. 1 overall pick Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Joe Burrow, the Tigers had two players or more selected in the first four rounds. LSU had a player drafted in every round but the fifth.
LSU had seven offensive and six defensive players drafted along with one special teams player.
Moments after the draft ended, four undrafted Tigers signed free agent contracts. Tight end Thaddeus Moss signed with the Washington Redskins, defensive end Breiden Fehoko with the Los Angeles Chargers, offensive lineman Badara Traore with the Chicago Bears and wide receiver Derrick Dillon with the New York Giants.
The SEC finished with the most draft selections of any league with 63.
Following LSU was Alabama 9, Florida and Georgia 7 each, Auburn 6, Mississippi State 5, South Carolina 4, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee 2 each and Vanderbilt 1. Ole Miss was the only SEC school without a player drafted.
Here’s some of draft records LSU established:
- First SEC team and unbeaten and untied college national championship team in the 85-year history of the NFL draft to have the first and last players picked in the first round.
- Five first-round selections were a school record and tied Southern Cal 1968, Miami 2002 and Ohio State 2016 for the second most first-round picks in a draft since 1967 when the AFL merged with the NFL.
- LSU’s 14 drafted players tied Ohio State’s record in 2004 of the most players taken in a seven-round draft.
Here’s the complete list of LSU’s 2020 draft choices and the projected four-year contracts courtesy of Spotrac. Total amount of contract is listed first, followed by signing bonus.
Round 1 (5)
Joe Burrow, QB, Jr., No. 1 overall, Cincinnati, $36,190,097/$23,880,071
K’Lavon Chaisson, DE/OLB, So., No. 20, Jacksonville, $13,344,601/$7,265,164
Justin Jefferson, WR, Jr., No. 22, Minnesota, $13,122,793/$7,103,849
Patrick Queen, ILB, Jr., No. 28, Baltimore, $12,161,659/$6,404,843
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Jr., No. 32, Kansas City, $10,821,563/$5,430,228
Round 2 (2)
Grant Delpit, S, Jr., No. 44, Cleveland, $7,465,055/$2,989,131
Kristian Fulton, CB, Sr., No. 61, Tennessee, $5,330,188/$1,436,501
Round 3 (3)
Damien Lewis, OG, Sr., No. 69, Seattle, $4,843,315/$1,125,193
Lloyd Cushenberry III, Jr., C, No. 83 Denver, $4,432,501/$946,173
Jacob Phillips, ILB, Jr., No. 97, Cleveland, $4,057,645/$832,294
Round 4 (2)
Saahdiq Charles, OT, Jr., No. 108, Washington, $3,434,372/$799,732
Rashard Lawrence, DE, Sr., No. 131, Arizona, $3,319,005/$684,085
Round 6 (1)
Blake Ferguson, DS, Sr., No. 185, Miami, $2,825,448/$190,448
Round 7 (1)
Stephen Sullivan, TE, Sr., No. 251, Seattle, $2,710,490/$75,490
Perfect year for football- recruitment was great- coaching and hires were great- development of players, from Qb to other thirteen players drafted along the players, the new offense and new coach hired to support our OC was right own-the new AD I feel will continue culture at LSU. I am 78 years old and have been waiting a long time. We have always been good and I am very proud but this year was perfect. I cannot be more or more happy. Go tigers!!!!!!
GEAUX TIGAHS AND SCREW THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS! Once again, the Saints show their disdain for drafting LSU players! This was THE MOST loaded team in LSU history–undefeated, National Champions, the greatest season in the history of college football, too many records to list here and NOT ONE player picked by the Saints!! Oh, the Saints will make their excuses and talk about how they just wished they could have picked one, blah, blah-blah, blah-blah! Same crap, different day! I’m DONE with the Saints! They can rot in the Superdome or Hell–makes no difference to me! From now on I’m ATBS: Any Team But the Saints!