On Tuesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his list of the NFL’s Top 25 prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft as well as his list of the top 5 players for each position for this season. In both of those lists, a combined 14 combined Alabama players were named to either or both of them.
Let’s start with Kiper’s top 25 NFL prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft. In this list, he mentions 5 Alabama players. Let’s break each of them down in the order they were mentioned:
7. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
“You probably recognize the name; Surtain’s father, Patrick, picked off 37 passes and earned three Pro Bowl trips over 11 NFL seasons. He was a second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 1998. Surtain II is a little bit bigger than his dad, but they have similar coverage traits, though I’d like to see him come down with more picks. He has 15 pass breakups over the past two seasons. His frame reminds me a little bit of Marlon Humphrey, another Crimson Tide corner who went in Round 1 (2017).”
Surtain has been a starter for Alabama since starting as a true freshman in 2018. In his career, he has recorded 79 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 2 interceptions.
11. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
“Waddle was Alabama’s No. 4 wide receiver last season, but he is super talented and will be a huge part of the Crimson Tide’s new-look offense in 2020. He’s electrifying with the ball in his hands and always appeared to be 2 or 3 yards open last season. (Here’s an example.) He finished the year with 33 catches for 560 yards and six touchdowns. Waddle also has three return TDs over the past two seasons (two punt, one kickoff).”
Waddle is versatile as a receiver but also as a punt returner. Last season, he recorded 33 receptions for 560 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also had 17 punt returns for 233 yards and 1 touchdown.
16. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
It was Smith, not top-15 picks Jerry Jeudy or Henry Ruggs III, who led Alabama in receiving yards (1,256) and touchdowns (14) last season. He also had a five-TD game with receiving scores of 74, 25, 23, 33 and 27 yards. I picked out Smith as a potential first-round sleeper last October and then put him on my Big Board, but he decided to return to school for his senior year. He has an angular body and could put on more weight before the 2021 draft. I expect him to score on a few more big plays this season.
Even while splitting reps with Jeudy and Ruggs, Smith still recorded an impressive 68 receptions for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns, one of which sparked a second-half comeback against the Michigan Wolverines in the Citrus Bowl. This season will be Smith’s best. Just wait.
19. Dylan Moses, ILB, Alabama
“There was some confusion in January about whether Moses was staying at Alabama for another year or entering the draft, but he’s making the right decision. He missed the entire 2019 season after suffering a knee injury in August, and he needs another year of experience. Moses is an athletic run-and-hit linebacker who is likely to be the starting middle linebacker in 2020. He had 86 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2018. And I’ll include this note again from April 2019: When Quinnen Williams visited Bristol before that draft, I asked him to give me the name of the next great Alabama defender. He picked Moses.”
Moses sat out the entire season with an torn ACL and was one of the players Alabama missed on defense the most. In his first two seasons for Alabama, Moses had 116 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 pass deflection. As the season progresses, and if he can stay healthy, look for Moses to continue to climb up the draft spots in mock drafts leading up the draft. He has an incredible skill set, is a leader, and will be on a mission to prove himself in his senior season for the Crimson Tide.
25. Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
“I’m not convinced Leatherwood will stick at tackle in the NFL, but he could be an elite guard. He started there in 2018, then replaced first-round pick Jonah Williams last season at left tackle, where he’ll play again in 2020. He had a chance to enter the draft but decided to return, which was a good decision. He needs to be more consistent on a play-to-play basis, but I love what he brings as a run-blocker.”
Leatherwood has become a huge part of Alabama’s offensive success. He has missed just seven assignments in 752 snaps, which equates to a 99.1 percent success rate.
Now, here is who Kiper has as his top 5 players in the country for each position for this upcoming season. Highlighted in bold are the Alabama players he named:
Quarterbacks:
1. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
2. Justin Fields, Ohio State
3. Trey Lance, North Dakota State
4. Jamie Newman, Georgia
5. Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Running backs
1. Travis Etienne, Clemson
2. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State
3. Najee Harris, Alabama
4. Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis
5. CJ Verdell, Oregon
Fullbacks
1. Ben Mason, Michigan
2. Mason Stokke, Wisconsin
3. Jamari Peacock, Virginia
4. Tory Carter, LSU
5. Houston Heimuli, Stanford
Wide receivers
1. Ja’Marr Chase, LSU
2. Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
3. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
4. DeVonta Smith, Alabama
5a. Justyn Ross, Clemson
5b. Chris Olave, Ohio State
Tight ends
1. Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
2. Kyle Pitts, Florida
3. Brevin Jordan, Miami
4. Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
5. Cade Otton, Washington
Offensive tackles
1. Penei Sewell, Oregon
2. Samuel Cosmi, Texas
3. Jalen Mayfield, Michigan
4. Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
5. Walker Little, Stanford
Guards
1. Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
2. Trey Smith, Tennessee
3. Deonte Brown, Alabama
4. Jack Anderson, Texas Tech
5. Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
Centers
1. Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
2. Landon Dickerson, Alabama
3. Josh Myers, Ohio State
4. Jimmy Morrissey, Pitt
5. Doug Kramer, Illinois
Defensive ends
1. Gregory Rousseau, Miami
2. Carlos “Boogie” Basham Jr., Wake Forest
3. Patrick Jones, Pitt
4. Joe Tryon, Washington
5. Kwity Paye, Michigan
Defensive tackles
1. Marvin Wilson, Florida State
2. Tyler Shelvin, LSU
3. Jay Tufele, USC
4. LaBryan Ray, Alabama
5. Jaylen Twyman, Pitt
Inside linebackers
1. Dylan Moses, Alabama
2. Chazz Surratt, North Carolina
3. K.J. Britt, Auburn
4. Merlin Robertson, Arizona State
5. Monty Rice, Georgia
Outside linebackers
1. Micah Parsons, Penn State
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Notre Dame
3. Quincy Roche, Miami
4. Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State
5. Joseph Ossai, Texas
Cornerbacks
1. Shaun Wade, Ohio State
2. Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
3. Elijah Molden, Washington
4. Israel Mukuamu, South Carolina
5. Paulson Adebo, Stanford
Safeties
1. Jevon Holland, Oregon
2. Andre Cisco, Syracuse
3. Caden Sterns, Texas
4. Trevon Moehrig, TCU
5. JaCoby Stevens, LSU
Kickers and punters
1. Blake Haubeil, Ohio State (K)
2. Blake Hayes, Illinois (P)
3. Zach Von Rosenberg, LSU (P)
4. James McCourt, Illinois (K)
5. Oscar Bradburn, Virginia Tech (P)
Clearly, Alabama has a lot of talent returning and being fielded this season.
Let’s hope there is a football season this year because Alabama will be a team to watch out for to win it all.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]