There’s a lot on the line today when the LSU Tigers and Georgia Bulldogs face off in the 2019 SEC Championship Game – invitations to the college football playoffs, seeding in playoffs, and a ton of NFL decision-makers watching potential future employees. The next-level talent that will be on display at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is more than impressive as the game features both quality and quantity.
What scouts will be watching
The numbers are impressive – 23 players with draftable grades, almost a dozen top 100 prospects, and 6 potential first-round picks. And while the scale tilts towards LSU at the top of my board, the Bulldogs own two of the top three positions.
This is a huge opportunity for Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm. It could be a statement game for the signal-caller, or it could end in disaster. The LSU secondary is NFL ready and lines-up four top-45 selections, one being a true freshman not even eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Fromm, who was a Week 13 slider, has struggled for much of the second half of the season and as a result, I’ve moved him from a second-day pick into round four. He scatters passes, misses open targets, and lets a lot of opportunities fall by the wayside. The fact that running back D’Andre Swift and receiver Lawrence Cager are not 100% puts even more pressure on Fromm.
LSU is not a great pass rushing defense but the matchups between K’Lavon Chaisson and Michael Divinity versus Georgia’s dynamic duo at tackle must be watched.
This could be easy pickings for LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who’ll be crowned with the Heisman Trophy in a week, as Georgia has no real stars on defense. Safeties Richard LeCounte and J.R. Reed are both better against the run, though LeCounte does display solid ball skills.
Prediction
Georgia doesn’t have the horses to stay with LSU, and the Tigers want to make a statement in this game. Granted, the Bulldogs nearly pulled off an upset over Alabama a year ago – but I don’t see a repeat happening. In the end, I believe LSU wins the SEC Championship Game by at least 18 points.
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SEC Title Game Prospects |
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| Grade | Rnd | Full Name | Pos | # | School | Yr |
| 4.29 | 1st | Andrew Thomas | T | 71 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 4.18 | 1st | Grant Delpit | S | 7 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 4.13 | 1st | D’Andre Swift | RB | 7 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 4.12 | 1st | Joe Burrow | QB | 9 | LSU | 5Sr |
| 4.04 | 1st | Kristian Fulton | CB | 22 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.99 | 1-2 | Isaiah Wilson | T | 79 | Georgia | 3So |
| 3.83 | 2nd | Kary Vincent Jr. | CB | 5 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.82 | 2nd | Jacob Phillips | OLB | 6 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.80 | 2nd | Justin Jefferson | WR | 2 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.64 | 3rd | Rashard Lawrence | DT | 90 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.62 | 3rd | Austin Deculus | T | 76 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.58 | 4th | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | 22 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.58 | 4th | Richard LeCounte | S | 2 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 3.57 | 4th | Jake Fromm | QB | 11 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 3.40 | 5th | K’Lavon Chaisson | OLB | 4 | LSU | 3So |
| 3.39 | 6th | J.R. Reed | S | 20 | Georgia | 5Sr |
| 3.38 | 6th | Solomon Kindley | G | 66 | Georgia | 4Jr |
| 3.37 | 6th | Damien Lewis | G | 68 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.35 | 6th | JaCoby Stevens | S | 3 | LSU | 3Jr |
| 3.33 | 6th | Charlie Woerner | TE | 89 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.30 | 6-7 | Dee Anderson | WR | 11 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.28 | 7th | Rodrigo Blankenship | PK | 98 | Georgia | 5Sr |
| 3.27 | 7th | Lawrence Cager | WR | 15 | Georgia | 5Sr |
| 3.25 | FA | Stephen Sullivan | WR | 10 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.21 | FA | Glen Logan | DE | 97 | LSU | 4Jr |
| 3.20 | FA | Monty Rice | OLB | 32 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 3.20 | FA | Michael Divinity | OLB | 45 | LSU | 4Sr |
| 3.18 | FA | Tyler Clark | DT | 52 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.16 | FA | Tae Crowder | ILB | 30 | Georgia | 5Sr |
| 3.13 | FA | Jeremiah Holloman | WR | 9 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 3.07 | FA | David Marshall | DT | 51 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.05 | FA | Derrick Dillon | WR | 19 | LSU | 5Sr |
| 3.05 | FA | Brian Herrien | RB | 35 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.05 | FA | Malik Herring | DE | 10 | Georgia | 3Jr |
| 3.05 | FA | Breiden Fehoko | DT | 91 | LSU | 5Sr |
| 3.04 | FA | Tyler Simmons | WR | 87 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.02 | FA | Tyrique McGhee | S | 26 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 3.00 | FA | Julian Rochester | DT | 5 | Georgia | 4Sr |
| 2.80 | FA | Eli Wolf | TE | 17 | Georgia | 5Sr |
| 2.71 | FA | Badara Traore | T | 74 | LSU | 4Sr |
Tony Pauline is Pro Football Network’s NFL Draft Analyst and Insider. Follow him on Twitter @TonyPauline. Follow PFN on Twitter @PFN365. Also, be sure to join us today for the PFN College Football Game Day Blog, as Tony and the rest of PFN’s NFL Draft team give the latest analysis and inside scoops on the day’s games.