GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
MOBILE, Alabama – Quarterbacks Bo Nix of Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. of Washington and offensive tackle Taliese Fuagu of Oregon State were among the players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft last year by Denver, Atlanta and New Orleans after playing in the Senior Bowl.
They either helped themselves in the practices, game and interviews or didn’t hurt themselves. But one of the most significant attributes of the Senior Bowl that started in 1950 and has been played here since 1951 is the number of players drafted overall – 110 last year, or 43 percent of the draft. What happens virtually every year is middle-to-late round projections for the seven-round draft raise their stock to higher rounds.
LSU COACH BRIAN KELLY LIVE AT THE SENIOR BOWL
That happened to LSU offensive lineman Miles Frazier, who started the week in Mobile as a third-day pick in the draft, meaning the fourth through seventh round on Saturday, April 26. The draft opens on Thursday, April 24, with the first round and follows with the second and third rounds on April 25.
Frazier is now widely projected as a second-day pick, most likely the third round after showing tremendous versatility as a guard, where he started the last three seasons, and at tackle, where he played in spots, at the Senior Bowl practices.
Frazier will be playing both spots today during the Senior Bowl game (1:30 p.m., NFL Network) at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Other former LSU players expected to play at the Senior Bowl are guard Garrett Dellinger, tackle Emery Jones Jr. and defensive end Sai’vion Jones.
MASON TAYLOR SHINES AT SENIOR BOWL PRACTICES, BUT NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY IN GAME
Former LSU tight end Mason Taylor has had one of the better weeks at the Senior Bowl as well, but he is not expected to play in the game today. He was not listed on the game-day rosters on Saturday. On occasion, players have opted out of the game after shining in practices, as the practices are more important to the hundreds of NFL personnel who annually attend Senior Bowl week.
Frazier plans on playing.
“Miles made himself a lot of money this week,” former LSU tailback Jacob Hester, who played in the 2008 Senior Bowl before being drafted in the third round by San Diego, said Thursday.
On Friday, Frazier, who started the last three seasons at LSU at guard, was voted the top offensive lineman on the American team at the Senior Bowl by the defensive linemen and linebackers on the National team who went against him at practices all week.
𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮: LSU's Miles Frazier was named top OL on American squad in vote from DL & LB position groups at Practice Player-of-the-Week awards ceremony today at 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl. 📈#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️ pic.twitter.com/axgJO6bS3k
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 31, 2025
“I think the guy who really helped himself?,” LSU coach Brian Kelly asked Tiger Rag Thursday after watching practice. “Miles Frazier. His ability to play tackle, play guard, his sets. And versatility is so important on an NFL roster, particularly on the offensive line.”
Frazier displayed his versatility in his first three games at LSU in Kelly’s first season in 2022 after transferring from Florida International as he started at left guard, right tackle and right guard. On the season, he started nine times at left guard, three at right guard and one at right tackle. In 2023 and ’24, he started 25 of 26 games at right guard before starting the Texas Bowl last month at right tackle.
Every Miles Frazier 1-on-1 from the Senior Bowl – extremely underrated player pic.twitter.com/S6Ghas8vIc
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 30, 2025
Judging from his conversations with a wide array of NFL teams this week, Frazier agrees with Hester’s assessment.
“Yes sir,” he told Tiger Rag Thursday. “I would just say I showed my versatility and that I’m the best swing player in this draft class, and that I can play anywhere. Whether they want me at left tackle, right tackle, left guard, right guard, center – wherever they need me, I’m available to play.”
After dominating interior defensive linemen from the guard slot on Tuesday, Senior Bowl coaches had him split time between guard and tackle on Wednesday. On Thursday, he mainly played tackle before an off day Friday.
“They said I would play both in the game,” Frazier said. “It’s been basically fifty-fifty.”
The week was everything that Frazier, a native of Camden, New Jersey, wanted.
“The best are here,” he said. “At the end of the day, this is an experience. I never took it for granted, because I always wanted to come to Mobile and compete with the best to show that I’m the best. Hopefully, I will go in the early rounds. Hopefully, top 100, top 50. But I’ll be blessed to be drafted anywhere.”
LSU MAY ADD QUARTERBACK ON SIGNING DAY WEDNESDAY
University High quarterback Emile Picarella will be signing with LSU on the second national signing day of the recruiting season on Wednesday, according to an LSU Communications & University Relations release on Thursday.
“Picarella will be signing to play football at Louisiana State University. Picarella is a two-year starter and is first team all-district for the 2024-25 season,” the release said.
The release also listed several other U-High players from football and other sports and where they will sign during a ceremony at the school gym at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. U-High is located on the LSU campus.
Also on Thursday at the Senior Bowl, however, LSU coach Brian Kelly told Tiger Rag that he would not be signing anyone on signing day on Wednesday.
“Nobody,” Kelly said. “We’re not signing anybody. We’re focused strictly on our 2026 class right now, and the guys who are on campus. So, it’ll be nice when it goes dead at LSU on Sunday (recruiting dead period begins through Wednesday). Zero. We have zero. We’ve got 16 who came in with the portal, and another 12 or 15 who came in early as freshmen. So, we’re focused on those guys and ready to go.”
If he doesn’t sign for the 2025 class, Picarella could walk on for the 2025 season or be reclassified for the 2026 class. He is the No. 74 quarterback in the country and No. 40 overall prospect in Louisiana, according to 247sports.com. LSU has not offered Picarella (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) a scholarship, according to 247sports.com. He has been offered by Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Marshall, Houston and Arkansas State.
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