5 LSU players to watch out for in 2022 NFL Draft

All but two NFL teams will be planning out their strategy for the 2022 NFL Draft after Sunday. Draft boards are being constructed and we are starting to get a sense of where prospects are being projected. The LSU Tigers have had quite the success of having draft-worthy players, with 133 since 2000 (third-most), including 20 first-round picks.

LSU Tigers have a strong 2022 Draft Class

The Tigers got off to a bad start with JaMarcus Russell as the program's first No. 1 pick since the new millennium. We all know how bad of a bust Russell was, but LSU have stepped up their game since then, including a quarterback taking part in the Super Bowl in two weeks: Joe Burrow. With players like Odell Beckham Jr., Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Shelvin and Andrew Whitworth, the Tigers are well-represented in Super Bowl 56.

The 2022 NFL Draft should continue the Tigers' dominance in the NFL and the draft. They won't have a quarterback going into the first round in 2022, but they can still have a top-five draft pick (more on him later). Here are five Tigers to keep an eye on leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft and where they fall come Draft Day.

5 LSU Tigers to watch out for in 2022 NFL Draft (#1-#3)

#1 CB Derek Stingley Jr

LSU DB Derek Stingley Jr - 2022 NFL Draft Class

Let's get the most well-known LSU Tiger out of the way first and that is cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

Stingley has been an impact player since his freshman year in 2019. He was a major piece in the Tigers' run to the championship and earned First-Team All-American honors. However, he is an interesting prospect in that he remains a highly-regarded draft pick despite playing ten games in the last two seasons combined. He's viewed as the third-best defensive back in the 2022 NFL Draft on average, but some have him off the board by No. 5.

There is a possibility that Stingley could fall to the late-teens of the first round, but he will be an instant starter no matter where he goes. His skillset allows him to cover the slot on one play and then the opponent's best receiver on the outside on the next play. Stingley reminds some of Jamal Adams, another great former Tigers defender.

#2 LB Damone Clark

LSU Tigers LB Damone Clark - 2022 NFL Draft Class

Damone Clark was the Tigers' leading tackler and the second-best linebacker to come out of the 2022 NFL Draft class. Nakobe Dean has a case for being the first linebacker taken in the draft, and rightfully so.

Clark is no bum in any sense but suffers from playing on a great college defense. His short-distance explosiveness and pursuits are elite and can be disruptive against the passing game with knockdowns and coverage skills across the middle of the field. Damone is able to read the quarterback and running back well and react in an instant with the correct read.

Good linebackers can either stuff the run or aid in the coverage of the passing attack. Great linebackers can do both and also come off the edge as a blitzer. That's who Damone Clark is, and there's a chance we'll hear his name in the second round.

#3 DT Neil Farrell Jr.

DT Neil Farrell Jr. - LSU Tigers 2022 NFL Draft Class

The Tigers had a fantastic defense in 2021 and defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. was their highest-rated defender.

The big man is 325+ pounds, but you wouldn't guess it by how soft and agile his feet are. He possesses the same moves that an edge-rusher has, and he performs them well.

There are a few flaws to his game, including a lack of lateral quickness and upper body strength. Overall, his size and frame are what NFL teams want in a defensive tackle, and they can condition him to gain more strength in his upper body and gain speed without losing much of his frame.

Neil can fit in either a 3-4 front or 4-3 gap defense. In the NFL Draft, he will likely go around the fourth round. He'll probably play as a rookie but will be a consistent starter by his third season.

5 LSU Tigers to watch out for in 2022 NFL Draft (#4-#5)

#4 K Cade York

LSU Tigers Kicker Cade York - 2022 NFL Draft Class

With the sudden stardom of Cincinnati Bengals rookie kicker Evan McPherson, you can expect more NFL teams to look further into kickers like LSU's Cade York.

York is the Tigers' record-setting kicker with the longest field goal (57 yards), and he didn't miss an extra-point kick in his last two seasons. His freshman season was a bit shaky, but that's expected of a freshman kicker. He still made the SEC All-Freshman squad and was named a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award as a sophomore, the award given to the best placekicker in the NCAA.

As a sophomore, Cade was a First-Team All-SEC and a Second-Team All-American. Through three seasons, he is perfect from 20-29 yards. Surprisingly, he struggles more from 40-49 than from 50+ yards. His deep accuracy will entice NFL teams, though. He might not be an "Evan McPherson" but Cade York could easily be drafted in the sixth round.

#5 RB Tyrion Davis-Price

LSU RB Tyrion Davis-Price - 2022 NFL Draft Class

Luckily for the LSU Tigers, they are losing minimal skill positions to the 2022 NFL Draft. But running back Ty Davis-Price is forgoing his senior year after rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2021.

Davis-Price scored six touchdowns as a freshman despite just 64 carries and 295 yards. In 2020, he rushed 104 times for 446 yards and only three touchdowns. He pushed past 1,000 yards in 2021 with six touchdowns for his best season. His vision is solid and he has a workhorse-like mentality on the field. He's not the fastest but can beat defenders in zone running. Some of Ty's underlying gems are his blocking and receiving capabilities.

NFL teams will look at Ty Davis-Price and not see a dynamic, natural playmaker. They will get a project player who needs to work on his footwork and with staying true to his cuts and eliminating the "happy feet". He will be a late-round selection but could find a niche on an offense with his skillset.