LSU DL Jaquelin Roy picked in Round 5 of NFL Draft
LSU defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy has been selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 141 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Roy was selected in the fifth round on Saturday.
Roy was the fourth LSU player selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. BJ Ojulari was taken by the Arizona Cardinals in Round 2, while Anthony Bradford was next off the board in Round 4 to the Seattle Seahawks. The Minnesota Vikings then made back-to-back LSU picks with Jay Ward at the end of Round 4 and Roy at the beginning of Round 5.
The Tigers did not have any first-round picks for the first time since the 2019 NFL Draft.
Roy heads to the NFL after big season at LSU in 2022
Roy spent three seasons at LSU, appearing in 35 games with 13 starts. He logged 97 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, eight quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries during his 35 games in purple-and-gold.
Roy had his best season in 2022, which helped up his NFL Draft stock.
With starting defensive lineman Maason Smith sidelined for the season after an injury in Week 1, Roy teamed up with fellow LSU defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo to help carry the Tigers in the trenches. He finished the year with a career-best 49 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss, and his most productive game came when he turned in 12 tackles against Texas A&M. He also had five solo tackles in a road win at Auburn and three tackles and recovered a fumble in the SEC Championship against Georgia.
Roy declared for the NFL Draft in December, choosing to leave college early after three seasons at LSU.
“First off, I would like to thank God for putting me in the position I am in today without him, none of this would be possible,” Roy said. “To my family, thank you for your unwavering support.
“To all my LSU coaches, thank you for pouring endless hours into me. You not only helped me sharpen my craft but allowed me to fulfill my dream of being a Tiger, while wearing the Purple and Gold. Also, a special thanks to (Ed Orgeron), for recruiting me at a young age and making me work for my offer. (Jamar Cain) and (Patrick Hill), thank you for lifting me up with knowledge and growth as a man and athlete.
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“At this time after talking with my family and praying about the best decision for me and my future I have decided to follow my dreams and declare for the 2023 NFL.”
As a sophomore in 2021, Roy played in all 13 games with one start, which came against Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. He finished the year with 30 tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. As a freshman in 2020, Roy appeared in nine games with no starts and recorded 18 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.
From Top 100 prospect to NFL Draft pick
Roy, who graduated from University High in Baton Rouge, left high school as a four-star and the No. 55 overall prospect in the country on the On3 Industry Rankings.
He was ranked as the No. 8 defensive lineman in the 2020 class and the No. 2 prospect in Louisiana, ranked behind only LSU receiver and former five-star Kayshon Boutte.
