Guice, Chark Headline Possible Record-Setting Draft
BATON ROUGE – Running back Derrius Guice and wide receiver DJ Chark headline a group of what could be as many as 10 or 11 LSU players that may hear their name called at the NFL Draft as the three-day event is set to start on Thursday night at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 2018 NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday as the event will be held at an NFL Stadium for the first time. Round one takes place on Thursday, followed by rounds two and three on Friday and the final four rounds will be held on Saturday.
LSU, which has had a nation’s best 65 players selected in the NFL Draft over the past 10 years, has had at least four players selected in the draft for 12 consecutive years. Last year, the Tigers sent eight players to the draft including three in the first round (Leonard Fournette No. 4 overall, Jamal Lewis No. 6 overall and Tre’Davious White No. 27 overall).
This year, Guice, Chark and defensive back Donte Jackson have been predicted as possible first round picks in the many mock drafts that have been circulating since the end of football season.
If Guice does go in the first round, it will mark the first time in school history that LSU will have had running backs selected in round one of the NFL Draft in consecutive years. Last year, Fournette was taken fourth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Other former Tigers that could potentially be drafted during the three day draft include: Three offensive linemen in Will Clapp, KJ Malone, and Toby Weathersby, quarterback Danny Etling, wide receiver Russell Gage, defensive linemen Greg Gilmore and Christian LaCouture, outside linebacker Arden Key, tight end John David Moore, cornerback Kevin Toliver II and running back Darrel Williams.
LSU Draft Notebook
- LSU has had 20 defensive linemen picked the draft going back to 2005. That includes having one defensive lineman taken in 14 of the past 15 drafts.
- Every LSU player that has started for more than one game at running back since the 2012 season, has been selected in the NFL Draft. That list includes: Spencer Ware (6th round in 2013); Jeremy Hill (2nd round in 2014); Alfred Blue (6th round in 2014); Kenny Hilliard (7th round in 2015); Leonard Fournette (1st round in 2017).
- LSU has had 11 first round draft picks the past decade (2008-17) with seven of those coming in the first 10 selections of the first round.
- Since beginning its streak of seasons with at least 8 wins in 2000, LSU has had 99 players selected in the NFL Draft and 30 of the 32 franchises have picked at least one Tiger during that span led by Seattle and Houston with six each. The only two franchises not to pick a LSU player during that span, Baltimore and Detroit.
Television Coverage
Round one of the 2018 NFL Draft starts at 7 p.m. CT and can live coverage can be seen on several networks including ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and Fox.
The second and third rounds will be held on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and the NFL Network.
Rounds four through seven take place on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. and will be carried live on ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network.
All seven rounds can be seen on the Watch ESPN app.