TYLER SHELVIN: 2020 PLAYER PROFILE

By

LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

@LonnPhillips

TYLER SHELVIN Junior (DT) #72

6'3

346

2019 STATS:

39 TACKLES (13 SOLO)

3 TFL

2 PASSES DEFLECTED

-Forced 6 direct incompletions

-Disrupted the line of scrimmage 37x

-Created 9 Sacks directly from double teams

13 Games Played in 2019

LSU CAREER

(48 CAREER TACKLES, 1.5 SACKS, 4.5 TFL)

              Look for Shelvin to be the leader, the anchor and the brutal hellraising enforcer up the gut for the Tigers' defensive line, looming large in a hulking destructitude of O-line misfortune.

             Many know how stunningly athletic #72 can be in the trenches for such a large man, which made his heroic decision to return to Baton Rouge a big catch for the D-line's status this season.

               After his complete pillaging of Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma and Auburn's offensive lines (full of high 2020/21 NFL Draft picks), Shelvin created a massive, jolly phantasm of a persona, delighting Tiger fans the world over who fell in love with the team over beastly wonders such as Ty Shelvin in the first place.

               If some are scoffing at #72's statistics, it must be said: when looking at statistics concerning a nose tackle such as Shelvin, you're barking up the wrong tree...still, he registered fantastic numbers:

While failing to record a tackle against Oklahoma, Shelvin consistently attracted Sooners' double teams, fracturing their protections, and producing hits from Chaisson, Delpit, Queen, Fehoko, Damone Clark, Glen Logan or any number of other LSU pass rushers; thanks to Big Ty's durable pressure on the stamina of these O-lines, the above cast of NFL talent inflicted incendiary sacks and TFL agony upon Lincoln Riley's side.

               But if Shelvin's effectiveness must be explained before his willful domination is experienced, here's some homegrown stats to prove his brilliance:

              #72's gap-filling erasership paid ultra dividends during the postseason run, Tyler's grit and unbreakable will held Oklahoma to their lowest rushing total since the 2016 opener (97 yards) as well as swiftly shutting down RB DeAndre Swift and the entire UGA stable of rushers, their season average of 185.9 plummeting like a corpse in a Sopranos episode to 61.

Although Clemson were successful in a rollercoaster ride of a 1st half, Etienne was ultimately hampered and harassed down to 78 rushing yards and 114 total, his 4th lowest of the season (surprisingly, UNC, South Carolina and Charlotte all stuffed Etienne, holding him to fewer total yards than either Ohio State's 134 or LSU's 114). 

Throughout the title game victory, Shelvin became the secondary's biggest aid in making sure Lawrence felt rattled early and often, tossing 17 incompletions due to the barrage of infesting pressure and brutal contact.

Most of the significant plays from Aranda's defense profited directly from #72 scaring Sunshine into a tailspin, or his threat drawing double or triple teams, aka kamikaze warfare vs LSU's specimen in behind.

Tyler will always be remembered as a cornerstone of the 2019 defensive line, the sophomore's maturity dragging his teammates across the finish line on occasion, showing up huge in the biggest contests of the season and ending as a National Champion, an overlooked, yet powerfully crucial part of the greatest college football team of all time.

              What followed next was an interesting and arresting turn of events:

               Instead of heading to the NFL Draft, where the beautiful beast of Saban burden was projected to be a 1st or 2nd Round Draft pick (aka Michael Brockers style after only 2 seasons); Shelvin somehow ignored the impulse.

              He chose to return, claiming his throne as the vortex of death upon a potentially G.O.A.T defensive unit...and the timing of Bo Pelini's hiring, coupled with the switch to the 4-3, couldn't have been a better fit for his attributes.

PROJECTIONS: 

40+ Pocket disruptions this year, 

50+ double teams drawn, 6.5 Sacks, 2 FF,

1 FR =1 Defensive Touchdown (Fumble return vs Texas), 9.5 TFL

(Projection Statistics Based On 12 Game Regular Season only)

By

LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN

GEAUX TIGERS

COPYRIGHT 2020 Uninterrupted Writings Inc

DEDICATED TO:

JERRY SLOAN

RIP

PASSING AWAY AT THE AGE OF 78. THE FORMER JAZZ HALL OF FAMER WAS AN ETERNAL GREAT, TAKING THE JAZZ TO THE PLAYOFFS FOR 20 YEARS STRAIGHT FROM 1984 TO 2003, INCLUDING BACK TO BACK CLOSE NBA FINALS DEFEATS TO THE BULLS.

THE NBA'S GREATEST SACRILEGE & DISGRACEFUL DISRESPECT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE INABILITY TO AWARD THIS MAN A COACH OF THE YEAR HONOR.