The Indianapolis Colts, along with the entire nation, will be watching closely Monday night as the LSU Tigers and Clemson Tigers square off in the BCS National Championship Game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
This matchup has plenty of top eligible prospects for the 2020 NFL Draft, including the likely No. 1 overall pick in LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. And while there are some players the Colts won’t have a chance to draft in April, there are a few they should keep an eye on.
Here are three prospects to watch in the National Championship game Monday night:
WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
In a loaded wide receiver class, the Colts are likely to have their pick of the litter during the early going in late April. The wide receiver position is a major need for the Colts, especially with T.Y. Hilton’s recent rash of injuries over the last two seasons.
Enter Jefferson, whose speed would do wonders in the Colts’ offensive scheme. He’s a strong separator out of his breaks and his sure hands would make a nice target for whoever is under center for Indy in 2020.
In 2019, Jefferson recorded 102 receptions for 1,434 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 14.1 yards per catch in 14 games.
WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
Another wide receiver because the Colts are absolutely desperate for capable bodies worthy of staying at the top of the depth chart. Higgins might need some work refining his route running, but he has the size to be an X-receiver for the Colts, which is something they don’t have on the roster just yet.
Higgins also brings a contested-catch ability to the wide receiver corps, which could help the Colts get more chunk plays—if they can find a quarterback that is willing to push the ball downfield.
In 2019, Higgins caught 56 passes for 1,115 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 19.9 yards per catch in 14 games.
EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
While the wide receiver position might be arguably the biggest need for the Colts entering the draft, they will also need to beef up the defensive line. Under contract, they have the veteran in Justin Houston coming off of a great season. They also have some speed rushers in the form of Ben Banogu and Kemoko Turay.
While Chaisson doesn’t have the size that Jabaal Sheard has on the edge, he’s extremely athletic and has shown to rush from multiple places on the defensive line. The Colts love athleticism, and Chaisson could be someone they target at No. 13 if they feel he’s the key to bringing the pass rush up a notch.
In 2019, Chaisson recorded 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss in 12 games for LSU.
