With LSU’s football team kicking off its season this past week, many players stepped onto the field with the hope of impressing NFL scouts; the dream for every college football player, of course, is to one day play at the highest level.
LSU players have a long history of producing at the professional level, and that figures to continue as the NFL regular season begins this week, with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills having faced off on Thursday night, and the bulk of the week’s opening games coming up on Sunday.
This weekend is especially important for the Tigers’ most recent draftees who were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, as it represents their first chance to really prove themselves in front of a national audience after an offseason spent in training camps. Of the 16 LSU players who declared for the draft, nine have now earned their way onto NFL rosters.
Derek Stingley Jr., Houston Texans
Stingley Jr. was selected with the 3rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Stingley Jr. became the highest picked defender in LSU history since 2009 and LSU’s 49th first round pick. Stingley has been the real deal since high school when he was rated the No. 1 player in the nation for the 2019 class and was named Louisiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018.
Stingley Jr. continued the tradition of “DBU” with his career at LSU. He became the first true freshman in LSU history to start every game and earned consensus All-American honors in 2019 and 2020. He raised his draft stock with his impressive performance at LSU’s 2021 Pro Day. 
The cornerback position has been a weakness for the Texans since they did not re-sign the duo of Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph. Now a member of the Texans, Stingley will start as their No. 1 cornerback and beat out two corners with multiple years of NFL experience for this spot. Stingley impressed in the preseason and should transition perfectly to the NFL if he can stay healthy.
Ed Ingram, Minnesota Vikings
Ingram was drafted by Minnesota with the 59th pick in the second round of the draft, a pick many in the NFL community thought was a bit of a reach. However, Ingram has had a strong offseason, beating out Jesse Davis to establish himself as the starting right guard for a Vikings offensive line that was among the NFL’s worst in 2021—they allowed 173 pressures last year, the 5th-most in the league.
The Vikings have not had continuity at the right guard position in recent years—the last time a player was named the starter at that position for consecutive years was in 2013. Ingram has a chance to give the Vikings consistent production there and solidify their line, while blocking for star running back Dalvin Cook and quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cordale Flott, New York Giants
After a successful tenure at LSU where he was a versatile starter in the secondary for his final two seasons, Flott was selected by the Giants in round three with the 81st pick. Flott only played in two preseason games after a groin injury suffered in his first game caused him to have to sit out the next week. In the preseason, he came up with five tackles.
Heading into the season, Flott stands as the primary reserve defensive back for the Giants. Their depth chart lists Adoree Jackson and Aaron Robinson as the starting outside corners, with Darnay Holmes taking the starting spot at nickel corner, but Flott is right behind them.
Flott projects as a slot corner in the NFL in part due to his lack of size—though he is long and quick, he weighs only 175 pounds. He will have the opportunity to have plenty of value for the Giants in a rotational role this year.
Tyrion Davis-Price, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers selected Tyrion Davis-Price with the No. 93 overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Baton Rouge area product was ranked as the No. 8 running back in the nation coming out of high school for the class of 2019.
Davis-Price played three seasons at LSU with his most productive season being his junior year in 2021. His junior year, he started 12 games for the Tigers, ranked No. 6 in the SEC in rushing yards and set LSU’s single game rushing record with 287 yards against Florida.
Now a member of the 49ers, he is the No. 3 running back on the depth chart behind Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson Jr. Davis-Price was efficient with the touches he was given in the preseason and proved he was worthy of his 3rd round selection. Davis-Price impressed the 49ers so much that they waived running back Trey Sermon. The 49ers will likely use Mitchell and Wilson Jr. the most but are expected to have a three-man rotation at the running back position.
Cade York, Cleveland Browns
Cade York was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 124 pick in the fourth round of the draft, which is higher than is typical for a kicker. However, it’s an investment Cleveland feels confident in, and one that was easier to make after seeing Evan McPherson’s rookie success last year with the Cincinnati Bengals.
York was highly productive at LSU, where he made an All-SEC team each of his three years and was named a Second Team All-American in 2020. He holds the single-season record for points scored and is second all-time in field goals made and points scored. He also kicked fifteen 50-yard field goals in his college career, the most famous of which was his 57-yard game winner in the fog against Florida in 2020, which was the longest kick in LSU history.
York will now be the starting kicker for the Browns after Chase McLaughlin held the position last year. McLaughlin made 71.4% of his field goal attempts last season; for reference, York hit on 81.8% of his kicks in his LSU career.
The Browns have started the season with a different kicker than the previous year in each of the last seven seasons, and this year will make it eight. York made five of his seven field goal attempts in the preseason, and all of his five point-after tries. His two misses were from 55 and 58 yards.
If York’s strong camp—which netted him the prestigious Maurice Bassett Award, given to Cleveland’s best rookie in training camp—is any indication, he’s ready to put an end to the Browns’ kicking woes.
Neil Farrell Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Neil Farrell Jr. with the No. 126 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Farrell was rated the No. 1 defensive tackle in the state of Alabama for the class of 2017.
Farrell played five seasons for the Tigers and improved every year. He opted out of the 2020 season to care for his grandmother. He used his extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic and returned to LSU in 2021 for a breakout season. In the 2021 season, Farrell started all 12 games and earned an All-America selection from Pro Football Focus. He was invited to the 2022 Senior Bowl and earned the Best Defensive Lineman award.
Farrell saw playing time in the 2022 preseason and earned a roster spot. However, he is not likely to play much this season because he is No. 3 on Raider’s depth chart behind Andrew Billings and Johnathan Hankins.
Damone Clark, Dallas Cowboys
Former standout LSU linebacker Damone Clark was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round with pick 176 of the 2022 NFL Draft. He had an extraordinary 2021 season, finishing second in the nation in tackles with 135, as well as being named as a Second Team All-American and a Butkus Award finalist.
A former wearer of the No. 18 jersey for LSU, Clark had to undergo spinal fusion surgery in March after a herniated disc was discovered at the NFL Combine. It seemed as if Clark wouldn’t play at all in the 2022 season. The Cowboys, however, were undeterred.
Clark was placed on Dallas’ Reserve/Non-Football Injury list to begin the season, but the Cowboys remain optimistic that he has a chance to return at some point later in the year. If he does, he will join a loaded Dallas linebacker group with Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, Anthony Barr and fellow LSU alumnus Jabril Cox.
Austin Deculus, Houston Texans
Austin Deculus was selected with the 205th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Deculus was rated the 14th best overall prospect and the No. 5 offensive tackle coming out of high school for the class of 2017.
Deculus started four seasons at LSU and improved every year. He appeared in 61 games, which is more than any player in school history. Deculus started at right tackle in 46 of his last 49 games at LSU and was a member of the 2019 National Championship team.
Deculus played in the 2022 preseason and earned his roster spot. He is the No. 2 right tackle on the Texans’ depth chart behind Tytus Howard. Deculus offers consistency and reliability to Houston’s offensive line that needs just that. At six feet seven inches and 325 pounds, Deculus possesses the size to be an elite tackle in the NFL but is unproven against NFL-caliber defensive linemen.
Chasen Hines, New England Patriots
Hines was picked in the sixth round with pick No. 210 by the Patriots, after an LSU career where he started at right guard for his final two seasons and participated in the 2022 Senior Bowl. He also has experience at center, and his versatility was attractive to New England.
Hines is regarded as somewhat of a project at this stage in the NFL, but the Patriots like his potential. This year, he will be serving as a backup interior offensive lineman. He may be a gameday inactive at some point this year, but if injuries occur on the Patriots front, he will likely be first or second in line to fill in.