How LSU football’s coaching staff helped a former Tiger get drafted
By Zach Ragan
14 former LSU football players were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft.
LSU football had 14 players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, which tied the all-time record set by Ohio State in 2004.
One of the former LSU players that was selected was defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence, who was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round with the No. 131 overall pick.
The biggest reason that Lawrence landed in Arizona, obviously, is his talent. Lawrence had 8.5 sacks as a run stuffing defensive lineman at LSU. He was also the defensive MVP of LSU’s Fiesta Bowl win over Central Florida in early 2019.
But one of the reasons he specifically landed in Arizona?
LSU’s coaching staff.
According to The Advocate’s Brooks Kubena, Tigers wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph, who is the brother of Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, put in a good word for Lawrence.
Kubena also said that Ed Orgeron and director of athletic training Jack Marucci put in a good word for the versatile defensive lineman.
While the input from LSU’s staff probably didn’t have a big effect on how early Lawrence went in the draft, there’s no doubt it had an impact on where he landed. Familiarity with players and their college coaches — especially in this unusual draft year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic — is extremely important for NFL teams.
The Cardinals obviously felt good about what the Tigers staff had to say about Lawrence, which is why they made a big investment in the former LSU standout.
And Lawrence sounds like he’s ready to make a big impact for Arizona, telling AZCardinals.com that he’s prepared for the NFL because the SEC is “is like a second NFL to me”.
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He’s right, by the way. The SEC had 63 players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Big 10 was second with 48.