There isn’t a lot of elbow room for emerging stars at LSU, at least if the returning veterans fulfill the potential and expectations in 2016.
Still, there always seems to be a player or two who finds his way into the mix, much like Deion Jones managed to as a senior; Jones was a first-time starter in 2015, led the team in tackles and has become a hot NFL prospect. Keep an eye on two juniors who have operated off the radar for the most part so far – wide receiver D.J. Chark and linebacker Donnie Alexander.
ON OFFENSE
WR D.J. CHARK: A wave of departures at receiver has opened some doors for returning veterans who didn’t make a huge splash in 2015 and Chark might be the most tantalizing of that crew. A former Class 5A All-State receiver from Alexandria, La., Chark (6 feet 3, 186 pounds) could fit nicely as the No. 3 receiver behind Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural, and in fact could even absorb some of the routes and roles from Dural as he mends from offseason surgery to repair a torn hamstring. Chark’s speed is in the same category as Dural’s and makes him a nice potential complement to Dupre’s athleticism and Dural’s veteran savvy and home-run ability (if he is healthy). There is work for Chark to do to fend off a slew of freshmen receivers, but having been around for a while and familiar with quarterbacks Brandon Harris and Danny Etling, he should have a chance to play.
ON DEFENSE
OLB DONNIE ALEXANDER: The New Orleans native has played in 23 games in his first two seasons and got the starting nod at Syracuse in September when Deion Jones had to sit out after being ejected from the previous game. With Jones gone and the Tigers transitioning to becoming more of a 3-4 base defense, Alexander has an open avenue to step in at one of the outside spots. At his size (6-1, 215), he could be the kind of flex player new coordinator Dave Aranda has utilized in the past in both pass coverage and run support. Replacing Jones is a tall task for the entire LSU defense, and while Alexander doesn’t have the same speed and explosiveness, he was a similarly successful linebacker at the high school level and could be one of the beneficiaries of Aranda’s new and diverse scheme.
(You can follow Randy Rosetta on Twitter @RandyRosetta)
(Feature photo by THOMAS SHEA/USA TODAY SPORTS)
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