How does LSU produce so many NFL draft picks?

Recruiting is one good answer. Another is development.

The Tigers set an NFL draft record with six defensive players picked in the first two days (top three rounds), finishing with a school-record nine players drafted overall.

The Tigers did it with a mix of players: several who were highly regarded coming out of high school and lived up to the hype, and a surprising number of players who developed their talents after coming to Baton Rouge, La.

Of the nine Tigers picked, five were not ESPN 150 picks coming out of high school.

Here are LSU's draft picks, broken down by player, round drafted, team, recruiting year, star rating (if applicable) and ESPN 150 status

• DE Barkevious Mingo, first round, Cleveland, 2009, (no star ratings in 2009 class or earlier), not in ESPN 150

• S Eric Reid, first round, San Francisco, 2010, 4 star, No. 72 ESPN 150

• LB Kevin Minter, second round, Arizona, 2009, No. 133 in ESPN 150

• DT Bennie Logan, third round, Philadelphia, 2009, not in ESPN 150

• DB Tyrann Mathieu, third round, Arizona, 2010, 3-star, not in ESPN 150

• DE Sam Montgomery, third round, Houston, 2009, No. 26 in the ESPN 150

• CB Tharold Simon, fifth round, Seattle, 2010, 4 star, No. 91 in the ESPN 150

• DE Lavar Edwards, fifth round, Tennessee, 2008, not in the ESPN 150

• RB Spencer Ware, sixth round, Seattle, 2010, 4 star, not in ESPN 150