High-round selections such as LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and former Alexandria safety Ja’Darius “Bud” Clark quickly started stockpiling company Saturday in terms of Louisiana flavor in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The first two days of the draft included three Tigers in Delane, safety A.J. Haulcy and wide receiver Zavion Thomas and a pair of Louisiana natives in Clark and Thomas, who prepped at John Ehret.
Midway through the third and final day of this year’s event, those numbers had more than doubled overall with another four Boot Boys and another four players from in-state colleges: two more from LSU, one from Southeastern Louisiana and one from Louisiana (Lafayette).
Former Oak Grove and Southeastern Louisiana star Kaleb Proctor had a short wait to start the day to check both boxes as the Arizona Cardinals drafted him with the No. 104 overall pick, the fourth selection of the day.
Two of the league’s more successful franchises in recent seasons nabbed speedy Louisiana wide receivers in the fifth round as the Detroit Lions took former Captain Shreve star Kendrick Law at No. 168 overall and the Kansas City Chiefs added Landry-Walker product Cyrus Allen just a few picks later at No. 176.
Former East St. John star Jackie Marshall continued the Louisiana natives’ momentum into the sixth round when the Tennessee Titans chose him at No. 184 overall.
Ragin’ Cajuns linebacker Jaden Dugger was the next Louisiana college player selected after Proctor when the San Fransisco 49ers drafted him in the fifth round at No. 154 overall.
Another pair of LSU players were taken early in the sixth round: tight end Bauer Sharp to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 185 overall and wide receiver Barion Brown to the New Orleans Saints at No. 190 overall.
And two of the faces of the Tigers’ team the past few years, linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, finally came off the board at No. 215 overall in the sixth round to the Atlanta Falcons and No. 249 overall in the seventh round to the Kansas City Chiefs, respectively.
LOUISIANA NATIVES IN THE 2026 NFL DRAFT CLASS
Rd. 2 — No. 64 overall — Ja’Darius “Bud” Clark, safety, Alexandria (TCU) —> Seattle Seahawks
Rd. 3 — No. 89 overall — Zavion Thomas, wide receiver, John Ehret (LSU) —> Chicago Bears
Rd. 4 — No. 104 overall — Kaleb Proctor, defensive tackle, Oak Grove (Southeastern Louisiana ) —> Arizona Cardinals
Rd. 5 — No. 168 overall — Kendrick Law, wide receiver, Captain Shreve (Kentucky) —> Detroit Lions
Rd. 5 — No. 176 overall — Cyrus Allen, wide receiver, Landry-Walker (Cincinnati) —> Kansas City Chiefs
Rd. 6 — No. 184 overall — Jackie Marshall, defensive tackle, East St. John (Baylor) —> Tennessee Titans
Rd. 6 — No. 215 overall — Harold Perkins Jr., linebacker, New Orleans native (LSU) —> Atlanta Falcons
Rd. 7 — No. 249 overall — Garrett Nussmeier, quarterback, Lake Charles native (LSU) —> Kansas City Chiefs
LOUISIANA COLLEGE PLAYERS IN THE 2026 NFL DRAFT CLASS
Rd. 1 — No. 6 overall — Mansoor Delane, cornerback, LSU —> Kansas City Chiefs
Rd. 3 — No. 78 overall — A.J. Haulcy, safety, LSU —> Indianapolis Colts
Rd. 3 — No. 89 overall — Zavion Thomas, wide receiver, LSU —> Chicago Bears
Rd. 4 — No. 104 overall — Kaleb Proctor, defensive tackle, Southeastern Louisiana —> Arizona Cardinals
Rd. 5 — No. 154 overall — Jaden Dugger, linebacker, Louisiana (Lafayette) —> San Francisco 49ers
Rd. 6 — No. 185 overall — Bauer Sharp, tight end, LSU —> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rd. 6 — No. 190 overall — Barion Brown, wide receiver, LSU —> New Orleans Saints
Rd. 6 — No. 215 overall — Harold Perkins Jr., linebacker, LSU —> Atlanta Falcons
Rd. 7 — No. 249 overall — Garrett Nussmeier, quarterback, LSU —> Kansas City Chiefs
NOTE: Cyrus Allen and Bauer Sharp began their college careers at Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana, respectively.
