2021 NFL Draft: LSU WR Terrace Marshall has opportunity to boost stock

This wide receiver prospect could be an extremely high 2021 NFL Draft pick if he can become more well-rounded this season.

Similar to the most recent draft, the 2021 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded at the wide receiver position. Ja’Marr Chase is considered the clear WR1 at this point in the process, but guys like Rondale Moore, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Rashod Bateman will undoubtedly give him a run for his money. While Chase will likely get most of the attention in the LSU offense this season, let’s not sleep on his wide receiver teammate Terrace Marshall Jr.

Marshall is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound receiver who uses his size extremely well on the field. He missed three games with a foot injury last season, but was still an impact player in the LSU offense, piling up 46 receptions for 671 yards and 13 touchdowns. Marshall was the clear third target in the LSU passing attack, with Chase and Justin Jefferson leading the way. However, with Jefferson moving on to the NFL, Marshall will have a major opportunity to prove himself in 2020.

Last season, LSU primarily used Marshall as a deep threat who consistently demanded attention from the defense. He shows impressive deep speed and incredible ball tracking skills. Marshall is also a fantastic contested-catch receiver who particularly shines in the red zone. There is no doubt that Marshall is a dynamic deep threat who is also a massive threat when his team gets near the goal line.

That being said, if he is going to reach his ceiling as a 2021 NFL Draft prospect, Marshall is going to have to prove that he is a well-rounded player this season. LSU relied heavily on Chase and Jefferson in the short-to-intermediate range last season, leaving little opportunity for Marshall to prove himself in those areas. However, with Jefferson gone, Marshall will have a chance to jump in and prove himself as a well-rounded weapon at the wide receiver position.

While he is not the craftiest route-runner at this point in his career, he does show some nice short-area quickness for a receiver of his size. Marshall is always likely going to be his best as a deep threat who runs straight down the field, but I am curious to see how he can make an impact on slants, outs, digs, etc.

If Marshall can prove to be a weapon in the short-to-intermediate range for LSU in 2020, the sky is the limit on his 2021 NFL Draft stock. He is not going to overtake Chase as WR1 or anything like that, but a big, fast and strong receiver who can make plays at all three levels of the defense would certainly have some first-round appeal.