As the #2 LSU Tigers set to face off with the Crimson Tide this weekend, there’s no better time to take a brief dive into one of their best players, who should be on the Falcons radar in the first round.
Delpit has been the heart and soul of the LSU Tigers defense for the past couple of seasons. He exploded onto the scene last year after snagging 5 INTs and forcing a fumble to go along with his 5 sacks. So far this season, the numbers aren’t eye-popping, recording 1 INT and 43 tackles, but he’s still been an elite player at his position, and eventually, the opportunities are going to come. Perhaps that starts this week against Alabama.
Delpit checks all the boxes. Like Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jamal Adams, and Jabrill Peppers, he’s a guy you can line up just about anywhere on the field – a Swiss Army knife the Falcons could desperately use. He’s a powerful and willing tackler and posesses elite blitzing skills for a safety. Delpit is the vocal leader on and off the field for LSU, and his character is off the charts. He’s the safest pick in this draft besides Chase Young and will have an immediate impact wherever he ends up. So how does he fit on this Falcons defense?
As much as we all love Keanu Neal, his injury history is starting to become a problem, and Ricardo Allen has been a liability this season. Delpit would be an upgrade to a secondary that badly needs some juice. He’s an intelligent player and has often been described as a coach on the field. That, combined with his elite instincts, would energize the entire Falcons defense, something this secondary has been lacking for quite some time. Standing 6’3″ and weighing 200 pounds, Delpit isn’t going to be pushed around by any tight end or wide receiver, and he’ll have the ability to cover pass-catching backs out of the backfield. Avoiding the easy route by comparing him to Jamal Adams, I think a good comp for him is Derwin James. Both are athletic safeties, that are physical enough to play in the box, with excellent intangibles and coverage skills, but I think Delpit can be a little better. If Young and Okudah are off the board, Delpit would be an elite addition to this secondary, even if it’s not the most pertinent need heading into next season.