LSU's Scott, Black to announce plans today

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Jan 14, 2009 - UPDATED: 6:18 a.m.

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LSU will stage a news conference at 2 p.m. today to announce the future plans of junior football players Ciron Black, a left tackle, and Charles Scott, a running back.

Already, junior defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois, the MVP of the BCS national championship game a year ago, is expected to be one of the underclassmen who have declared for the draft.

The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft is Thursday.

Like Scott, Black and Jean-Francois, junior receiver Brandon LaFell also sought evaluation from the NFL.

According to Chris Steuber, an NFL draft analyst for Scout.com, Black could land as high as the late first round or early second, while Scott or LaFell could be second-round picks. Steuber has Jean-Francois as a second- or third-round selection.

Scott, a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, ran for 1,178 yards and 18 touchdowns in a breakout season. The rushing TDs were the second most in school history, while his rushing total was fifth. He had three TDs in the 38-3 Chick-fil-A Bowl win against Georgia Tech.

At running back, Ohio State’s Beanie Wells and Georgia’s Knowshown Moreno are among six running backs who have already declared for the draft.

Black, also a second-team All-SEC pick, is a 6-foot-5, 325-pounder who started 40 consecutive games at left tackle.

Alabama’s Andre Smith and Arizona’s Eben Britton are among top underclassmen left tackles who have already declared.

LaFell, a first-team All-SEC selection, had 63 catches for 929 yards and eight touchdowns.