Joe Burrow names his Mount Rushmore of LSU Athletes sparking debate

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron hugs quarterback Joe Burrow (9) after defeating Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday November 9, 2019.

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LSU head coach Ed Orgeron hugs quarterback Joe Burrow (9) after defeating Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday November 9, 2019. Bama935 / Mickey Welsh / USA TODAY NETWORK
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In the sports world, there's one debate that often pops up regardless of which sport is being talked about at the college and professional level. You often hear fans saying who's on the Mount Rushmore of players from LSU or from a professional team. We all have our personal opinions as until a school builds their own Mount Rushmore it will be up for debate.

In an interview with Complex Sports, Joe Burrow gave his own LSU Mount Rushmore:

The four players Burrow picked are hard to debate as he picked Shaquille O'Neal, Pete Maravich, Odell Beckham Jr, and himself.

If you asked most LSU fans, they'd likely have three of the same choices as Shaquille O'Neal, Pete Maravich, and Joe Burrow are three of the most important athletes in LSU History. Where fans likely disgaree however, is with Odell Beckham Jr.

If you were looking for a player from the same Era as Beckham, Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu are likely better choices as they were the most dominant defensive players during their time at LSU. You could also make the case for Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase as they both were dominant and National Champions at LSU.

On the basketball side, Chris Jackson now known as Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf has an argument as a two time SEC Player of the Year, two-time First-Team SEC, and a two-time consencus All-American with his number 35 hanging from the rafters.

Billy Cannon is likely the biggest snub on Burrow's list as the first Heisman winner in LSU history, a two-time Unanimous All American, and a National Champion along with several other high honors. Tommy Casanova has a case as well as a do-it-all player for the Tigers rushing for 651 yards and 12 touchdowns as a running back while being a key defensive player for the Tigers.

After the 2023, season Jayden Daniels has a claim to the throne for his success winning the third heisman in LSU history but, he'd likely miss the cut due to a lack of team success.

Recent players like Angel Reese, Paul Skenes, and Dylan Crews have both the individual and team accolades to belong in the discussion but, they also likely fall short.

LSU's Dominance speaks volumes in this debate

At most schools, a Heisman winner like Jayden Daniels or Billy Cannon would be an easy selection to this list however, at LSU they're fighting for the fourth spot on the list. This speaks volumes to the long history of success at LSU as most schools would have LSU's 7th or 8th best player as the top player on their list. Over the years, we'll continue to see great LSU athletes put themselves in the conversation but, the bar has been set extremely high.

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