Denver Broncos roundtable: Which players should team draft in 2021?

Nicholas Manning’s “guy”: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

Jabril Cox is a name you need to know before the NFL draft. The Denver Broncos have been searching for a young, athletic linebacker who can cover in space, and Cox is that guy.

Cox has been an unknown for most of his college career after being hurt his senior year of high school, causing him to take a college scholarship at FBS North Dakota State. Cox transferred to LSU in 2020 after the Bisons’ season was canceled in the wake of COVID-19.

Cox arrived in Baton Rouge and earned a starting spot right away. The team was reportedly not only impressed by his physical acumen but was in awe of his leadership.

With a 6-foot-3 and 230-pound frame, Cox covers ground like a safety and hits like a traditional linebacker. He makes plays in the hole often, showing an ability to dissect what the offense is doing and make plays behind the backfield, totaling 6.5 tackles for loss in 10 games during the 2020 season.

The same instincts that allow him to make plays in the run game are present when he is in coverage. Cox has shown an adept skill set to not only make a break on the ball but cause turnovers in the process. Cox intercepted 3 passes in 2020, one of them being a pick 6. All in all, Cox would be a tremendous addition in rounds 2 or 3 for the Broncos.