LSU Defensive Stars Grant Delpit and Patrick Queen Declare for NFL Draft
By Jerry Trotta
Two members of LSU's historic 2019-2020 team have decided to wrap up their college careers as national champions.
On Wednesday, safety Grant Delpit and linebacker Patrick Queen announced they will forgo their senior seasons and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
This settlement was a widely expected one from Delpit's perspective as his sensational sophomore campaign saw him rise up draft boards as a projected early- to mid-first-round selection.
LSU safety Grant Delpit will declare for the NFL Draft, he announced on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/rr4Rl1h076
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 15, 2020
Delpit was superb for LSU in the national championship win over Clemson on Monday night, compiling six tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. He emerged on the scene with a world-beating sophomore season, during which he logged 74 tackles, five sacks, nine defended passes, and a forced fumble.
Queen, on the other hand, made a name for himself as a junior. For the year, he compiled 85 combined tackles, 12 of which came for losses, an interception, and three sacks.
He saved perhaps his best performance in an LSU uniform in the title game against Clemson. Queen recorded eight tackles (2.5 for losses), and was a prominent reason Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne couldn't establish a rhythm.
LSU LB Patrick Queen announces he's skipping his senior season to enter the 2020 NFL draft. Queen blossomed into a star this season and improved more than any other guy on that defense and was flying all over the field making big plays Monday night to beat Clemson.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 15, 2020
It was always forecasted that Ed Orgeron would lose a myriad of his stars to the draft, and Delpit's and Queen's announcements are surely only the beginning of a long list of declarations.