LSU is no stranger to the spotlight.
 
That spotlight only gets brighter for several former Tigers as they await their NFL fate with the league’s draft, starting tonight.
 
Three LSU standouts - cornerback Morris Claiborne, defensive tackle Michael Brockers and wide receiver Rueben Randle - are expected to be first-round draft picks, a common sight in the Les Miles era.
 
Since Miles took over in 2005, eight Tigers have been first-round selections and 37 LSU players have been drafted overall, both tops in the SEC during that span.
 
“We’ve been fortunate to average six players in the NFL Draft each year since 2006,” Miles said in a Tuesday teleconference. “Considering that we’re second in the conference in graduation rate, we really feel like we’re doing some good things that our young men here are achieving greatly. I’m proud of them.”
 
Few players made LSU fans prouder during last year’s undefeated regular season than Claiborne, the 2011 Thorpe Award winner.
He is expected to be the first defensive player off the board tonight. ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper has Claiborne going to the Vikings at No. 3, but he is closer to No. 5 on most scouts’ boards.
 
“I expect Claiborne to be a fit at the No. 5 spot with Tampa Bay,” said NFL Draft expert Mike Detillier. “His former defensive backs coach, Ron Cooper, just went down there, and the Bucs need a physical corner like him.”
 
Claiborne’s likely early selection would mark the second straight year an LSU corner is the first defensive back off the board. The Arizona Cardinals took Patrick Peterson, the 2010 Thorpe Award winner, with the fifth pick last April.
 
No LSU defensive player has ever been drafted higher than No. 3, where former Tiger defensive end Tyson Jackson was taken in 2009.
 
Brockers is more of an enigma in scouting circles. He’s projected as a mid-first rounder, but he’s faced maturity and fitness questions since declaring in January.
He ran a 5.3-second 40-yard dash at February’s NFL Combine due to weight issues, but he shaved .33 seconds off that time at LSU’s Pro Day.
 
“I’m not worried about draft stock or where I go,” he said at Pro Day. “It’s a dream come true no matter what. I can’t wait to see that stage in New York and have my name called.”
 
Detillier said Brockers is an attractive option on the interior because of his versatility across defensive sets.
 
“He can play a variety of roles,” Detillier said. “Brockers is strong enough to play tackle in the 4-3 but fast enough to be an end in a 3-4 formation. Teams like Philadelphia or Dallas or even Kansas City will line up for a utility performer like that.”
Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox ranks ahead of Brockers in most scouting reports.
 
LSU seems to pump out defensive talent like clockwork, but it’s been five years since a Tiger offensive player was a first-round draft pick. Quarterback JaMarcus Russell went to the Raiders as the first overall selection that year.
 
But Randle is well-positioned to snap that drought, Detillier said.
 
“I don’t think it’s 100 percent he will be in the first round, but the late-20s area is my projection.” Detillier said. “The Texans need a big receiver opposite Andre Johnson, and New England is always searching for big-play threats for Tom Brady. Rueben just needs one team to fall in love with him to be a first-round guy.”
 
The first round will wrap tonight. The second and third rounds follow on Friday, and the final four rounds run on Saturday.
Outside of the first-round power trio, LSU has a handful of other likely draftees.
Safety Brandon Taylor’s stock has dramatically improved since Pro Day, and he is a projected third-rounder.
 
“Brandon was the most underrated player in the SEC,” Detillier said. “Scouts have seen the intangibles, the leadership skills and the football smarts. He can match up well in coverage but also support the run.”
 
Linebacker Ryan Baker, cornerback Ron Brooks, center T-Bob Hebert and tight end Deangelo Peterson are expected to be drafted in the latter rounds.
 
Offensive lineman Will Blackwell, fullback James Stampley and defensive end Kendrick Adams represent enticing undrafted free agent options, Detillier said.
Despite LSU’s projected banner draft year, it could be only a precursor to a monster 2013 class.
 
“There could be six LSU guys in the top 30 come next April. What does it say about your program when three first-rounders is basically a warm-up act?” Detillier said.
 
 
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]