Not that there was any doubt as to the level of NFL talent that the LSU Tigers produce, but last night’s Monday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders was a free advertisement for LSU recruiting.
We already were well aware of the abilities of Cincinnati’s quarterback and wide receiver duo that brought a national title back to Baton Rouge in Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, but Commanders quarterback and the No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels, a Heisman winner in his own right, burst onto the scene and announced himself as having arrived onto the NFL stage. Daniels threw a late long touchdown pass that helped Washington earn a huge 38-33 road win against Cincinnati. He completed a scorching 21 of his 23 attempts for 254 yards and two touchdowns along with 39 rushing yards and a score.
Ridiculously, Daniels and Burrow put up the first NFL game since 1940 in which there were both no turnovers and no punts. If there was ever a display of offensive talent from ‘NFLSU’ players, this was it. It’s worth at least asking the question: is LSU the biggest brand in college sports?
From an NIL standpoint, the Tigers certainly have a case. LSU has three athletes with seven-figure On3 valuations in Livvy Dunne, Garrett Nussmeier, and Flau’jae Johnson. On top of that, there are seven athletes in Baton Rouge with valuations of over $500k including two offensive linemen who just so happen to be two of the best in the country in Will Campbell and Emery Jones.
On the NFL side of things, Daniels and fellow 2023 LSU top-ten pick Malik Nabers are both lighting the world on fire, with Nabers sitting top five in the league through three games in receptions (23), receiving yards (271), and touchdowns (3). Incredibly, despite the fact that the Tigers’ 2023 offense had numerous NFL stars on its roster, they still lost three games and did not qualify for the College Football Playoff.
But in the era of Name, Image, and Likeness where the most elite players want to go where they can create the most value possible for themselves both during and after college, LSU is unquestionably proving to be a place where that goal can be accomplished.
