By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
LSU's sophomore DT Jaquelin Roy is becoming an unsung, yet highly impactful interior mastermind, building upon the strong finish to his freshman campaign.
Now commanding double teams just to keep his unilateral brutality at bay, working well alongside senior Neil Farrell Jr, Roy continues to make game altering plays, recovering 2 fumbles and forcing another already (forcing and recovering a fumble during the same play, in two quick motions).
Recovering a fumble vs Alabama, Jaquelin Roy's name is now a part of Tigers folklore, however it's just the beginning for the Baton Rouge native.
Posting 21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 0.5 sack, 2 fumble recoveries and the forced fumble, Roy is showing he can make the most of the limited reps he received throughout the first 6 games of 2021....
.....but after Ole Miss and Florida, you can't take #99 out of the lineup.
Though Maason Smith was ahead of Roy in the pecking order to begin 2021, the elite level DT has proven to be impossible for one guard to block, drawing double teams or just enough of the wayward attention of centers or tackles to drill a path for himself or his teammates into the backfield.
While senior Neil Farrell Jr finally receives the plaudits he's deserved & played for his entire LSU career, Jaquelin Roy is becoming the next game-changing DT in line:
For just one example.....as he received less snaps vs Ole Miss than Maason Smith, and tied at 52 snaps with B.J Ojulari, Roy still achieved the second highest defensive rating from Yahoo Sports: recording a 79.4 rating, only behind Neil Farrell's 95.6....he's done more in less snaps than most defensive linemen, let alone interior DTs.
Roy is an all action, pedal to the metal, freight train of Tiger pain.....
#99 already boasts a multi-sack game against a top 10 ranked Florida's Heisman candidate, a strip and recovery of a fumble in the same move, another recovery @ Alabama, and some big time plays in the backfield over the course of 2021....it must be said, without reservation: the LSU DT is a current big game player and a future All-American.
2021 STATS
21 Tackles
8 Pressures
4 TFL
3 QB Hits
2 FR
1 FF
0.5 Sack
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc
SHOUTOUTS: Kevin Howell, LET'S GEAUX BROTHA! Josh!! You two do the toughest jobs of all, a great teacher helping kids and a fire fighter / EMT / sheriff, I have immense respect for you both as friends and people. It's an honor to call you both friends!