4 NFL Draft prospects Antonio Pierce likely eyed at LSU’s pro day

After a few days off, we’re back on Antonio Pierce pro day watch as the NFL Draft is only a few weeks away. Pierce was at LSU on Wednesday and it’s no secret that he was eyeing quarterback Jayden Daniels as those two have a pre-existing relationship. Since we already know Daniels is on the Raiders’ radar, I’ll throw in a bonus prospect from Baton Rouge.

In addition to the quarterback, the Tigers have a handful of quality defensive tackles and each of them is a different type of player than the other, giving Las Vegas plenty of options to add depth to the position group.

QB Jayden Daniels

Again, if you’re reading this, you likely already know the Raiders are interested in Daniels. It’s just a matter of if they’ll be able to trade up and get him.

Something important when evaluating any quarterback prospect is determining how they handle pressure. Last season, Daniels ranked second among FBS quarterbacks with an 82.2 grade under pressure from Pro Football Focus. Granted, part of that was due to his legs as he posted an 87.3 mark as a rusher, which led the country, but he also recorded a ‘big-time throw’ rate at 11.3 percent.

Below is a look at what Bleacher Report’s Derrik Klassen has to say about the LSU product. In full disclosure, Klassen is lower on Daniels than most, giving the quarterback a second-round grade and ranking him 24th overall on B/R’s big board.

DL Maason Smith

As discussed in other pro-day articles, the Raiders could still use some depth at defensive tackle even after signing Christian Wilkins and re-signing John Jenkins and Adam Butler. While Maason Smith is far from a complete prospect, his 6-foot-5 frame with 35-inch arms and 8.99 RAS are worth taking a gamble on as a project.

Smith didn’t put up impressive numbers in college as he was battling back from a torn ACL this past season, however, he did earn a 76.5 PFF pass-rush grade that ranked third among SEC defensive tackles. That was due in part to a 9.5 percent pass-rush win rate, sixth-best among his peers.

DL Mekhi Wingo

At a little over 6-foot-0 and tipping the scale at 284 pounds, Mekhi Wingo is undersized for the position. However, he is quick as lightning, evidenced by a 4.85-second 40-yard dash time and a 1.63-second 10-yard split at the NFL Combine.

Wingo suffered injuries in 2023, limiting him to just eight games, but he did manage to rack up 4.5 sacks which is impressive production for a defensive tackle considering the sample size.

DL Jordan Jefferson