LSU CB Jalen Mills declares for the NFL Draft

LSU cornerback Jalen Mills will forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL Draft. After reports that he was going to leave surfaced before the team’s bowl game against Notre Dame, Mills has made it official that he is turning pro. The true junior corner has started every game since arriving in Baton Rouge as a heralded prospect from DeSoto, Texas. Mills enters a cornerback class that is unsettled and leaves a lot of room for players to vie for the top spots. And while Les Miles is firmly entrenched as the head coach, defensive coordinator John Chavis is going to College Station to take the same position for Texas A&M, which may have only confirmed Mills’ decision to leave.

More from NFL Draft News

Part of the reason that Mills was able to start all three seasons for the Bayou Bengals is the school has sent an incredible number of underclassmen into the NFL over recent years, especially at the defensive back positions. Morris Claiborne and Tharold Simon were two recent underclassmen to go into the NFL from the corner spot, opening up opportunities for young corners like Mills to take over and play from the word go. While LSU’s unbelievable run with underclassmen has been great for them in recruiting, the massive turnover and reliance on young players have cost them this season and could hurt them as well next season.

Mills, listed at 6′ 194lbs, has a nice combination of size and length in addition to having a ton of experience in games despite being just 20 years old. This season, Mills collected 26 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 5 pass deflections, and 1 fumble recovery in 13 games this season.

Home/NFL Draft News