The LSU football team will lose several leaders from the 2010-11 senior class, and not just offensively and defensively.
The Tigers will say goodbye to a group of seniors including wide receiver Terrence Toliver, offensive tackle Joseph Barksdale, defensive tackle Drake Nevis, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, punter Derek Helton and kicker Josh Jasper — perhaps the most valuable of all.
NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier said the importance of special teams in the NFL has skyrocketed, making Jasper a hot commodity as a kicker.
“[Jasper] is probably going to be the hardest guy to replace,” Detillier said. “In my 27 years of doing this, he’s the best placekicker I ever saw at LSU. There will be a lot of teams interested in him late in the draft. He’s been very good inside 48 yards and is a good pooch punter.”
Jasper led the nation in field goals by converting 28-of-34 attempts, the most field goals in a single season in LSU history. He also kicked a career-long 53-yarder against Louisiana-Monroe and set an LSU record with five field goals in a game against Mississippi State last season.
The LSU player whose performance in the Cotton Bowl likely helped his draft stock the most is Toliver. Toliver caught three touchdown passes in the game from junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson.
Detillier called Toliver’s season “disappointing,” but he said Toliver has a chance to build on his Cotton Bowl performance Saturday in the East-West Shrine Game. Barksdale will also participate.
“I’m not a selfish player,” Toliver said after the Cotton Bowl. “Our offense and passing game struggled this year. … I didn’t have as many catches as I had last year. I learned how to adjust, be a team player and block in the run game.”
Barksdale, at 6 feet 6 inches and 318 pounds, has played both left tackle and right tackle in his career and is the only senior departure on the offensive line. Depth on the offensive front will make the unit the best offensive group to return in 2011, Detillier said.
“The strength of LSU’s football team offensively will be the line if you find the right left tackle to replace [Barksdale],” Detillier said. “In the pros he’s best suited to play on the right side. … His versatility starting at both left and right tackle in the toughest conference in college football has to be a big plus for him.”
Nevis stands to be the highest draft pick of the seniors, likely in the second round, Detillier said.
Nevis erupted for his best season with the Tigers in 2010, leading LSU with 13 tackles for loss and was second on the team with six sacks.
Detillier said LSU has some options on the defensive line to fill the 285-pound Nevis’ void. Lazarius Levingston is another departing senior defensive tackle.
“[Nevis] is a little undersized, but he has that ability to split the gap and get good penetration inside,” Detillier said. “Drake really was an inconsistent player before this year. He had his moments where he was impressive, but other times he looked rather ordinary. LSU has a lot of young puppies up front at the defensive tackle position.”
Possible options might be redshirt freshman Michael Brockers, who played in all 13 games with one start against Alabama; sophomore Josh Downs, who played in 12 games with no starts; and redshirt freshman Chris Davenport, who played in mop-up duty against McNeese State and Louisiana Monroe.
Nevis and Sheppard will join Jasper on Jan. 29 at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Sheppard was LSU’s leading tackler last season with 116.
Detillier predicted Sheppard will be a mid-third round to mid-fourth round draft pick, and featuring his versatility at middle and strongside linebacker at the Senior Bowl should help his stock.
“This has been a wild ride,” Sheppard said. “In my first season at LSU we won the national championship and have been to a bowl game every year since. … What more can any athlete ask for?”
 
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Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]