NFL Draft Prospects: Alabama

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With the College Football National Championship coming up on Monday night, I’m breaking down the 2017 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on from both Clemson and Alabama. With these being the two best teams in the nation, there are plenty of players on each team projected to be drafted this year.

I’ve already covered Clemson’s top draft prospects and Alabama’s are listed below.

Alabama Draft Prospects:

#93 DL Jonathan Allen (6’3 | 291 | 4.85) – One of the best all-around defensive line prospects to enter the draft in years. Allen is a versatile beast who can play all over the line of scrimmage and be a force both as a pass rusher and run stopper.

The only knock on Allen is his lack of ideal length and bulk for an NFL d-linemen, but he came to Bama as a 268-pound outside linebacker so he’s already bulked up as much as can be expected. At 291 pounds, he’s big enough to play anywhere on the line except maybe nose tackle. He has the skill set to excel as a one, three, or five technique.

That versatility to play multiple positions in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme has plenty of value, but it’s Allen’s ability to control the line of scrimmage that makes him unique. He has the quickness to generate pressure on quarterbacks, the power to hold the point against the run, and the violent hands to shed blockers and make plays on the ball. His play recognition and awareness are also elite.

Allen is the total package where ever he’s used on the defensive line and is a legit contender for the number one overall pick.

Projection: Top-5 overall

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#10 ILB Rueben Foster (6’1 | 236 | 4.72) – Prototype inside linebacker with the skill-set to play in any NFL scheme. There are very few weaknesses in Foster’s game as he’s excelled at everything he’s been asked to do for the Tide the last two seasons. He was overshadowed at times by Reggie Ragland last year but has stepped up this season to be the leader on a defense more talented than some NFL teams.

Foster is a sideline-to-sideline run stopper who makes up for just average speed with elite instincts and textbook tackling technique. He’s quick enough to beat blockers to the hole and strong enough to shed them if he doesn’t.

Foster is also a vicious hitter who reads plays quickly, gets to where the ball is going to be, and finishes plays with authority. He occasionally will misread or overrun the play, but changes directions quickly enough to adjust and still make the tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, Foster had the highest run-stopping grade in the nation this year.

He’d be a top inside linebacker prospect on his run-stopping skills alone, but Foster is also one of the best coverage linebackers in college football. His ability to read routes and react quickly is unique for a linebacker that is so good against the run. His combination of power against the run and skill in coverage has drawn comparisons to All-Pro middle linebacker Luke Keuchly.

Foster wasn’t asked to blitz often but was effective when he did with four sacks. There really aren’t any holes in Foster’s game. Inside linebackers are rarely drafted in the top ten overall, but on talent alone, Foster is a top five pick.

*I’m only about a hundred or so players into my draft scouting this year, but Foster’s highlight reel is by far my favorite so far. His vicious hits remind me of former Bears linebacker Wilbur Marshall. It’s too bad Foster can’t replace the modern neck roll he wears occasionally with the old school one that Marshall wore.

Projection: Top 10 pick

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#56 OLB Tim Williams (6’3 | 252 | 4.76) – Was used mostly as a pass-rush specialist early in his career with Bama, but added weight in the offseason and has been more of a complete outside linebacker this season.

Williams might have the most explosive first step in this year’s draft and has used it to rush the passer effectively with 18.5 sacks over the last two years and pressures on 27% of his snaps (average is 10% according to PFF). He does a good job anticipating the snap, but even when he guesses wrong his first step is quick enough to win anyway.

He uses his lack of height to his advantage, getting as low to the ground when he turns the corner as any pass rusher I’ve seen this year. With his speed and low trajectory off the edge, it makes him almost impossible for taller tackles to deal with.

His lack of ideal length is one knock on Williams as is his inexperience playing against the run and in coverage. He could be an impact pass rush specialist in the NFL right now but will need to show he can set the edge against the run consistently and occasionally drop into coverage if he’s going to be a three-down OLB in the NFL.

Williams has flashed the ability to do both when given the chance this season, he just hasn’t had enough opportunity to prove it on a regular basis. That’s the downside, I guess, of playing on a defensive loaded with future NFL players.

Pass rushers are always in demand during the NFL draft and that’s Williams’ strength. Even if the rest of his game doesn’t develop, his explosiveness off the edge has enough value to get him drafted early in the first round.

Projection: Top 15 pick

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#74 OT Cam Robinson (6’6 | 310 | 5.12) – A three-year starter who was once thought of as a potential top-five pick overall. His draft stock has dropped a bit over the last two years but in a weak offensive line class, Robinson could be the first tackle selected.

He has the size, strength, and quick feet to eventually develop into a starting left tackle in the NFL, but he is taking longer to develop than expected when he won the starting left tackle job as an Alabama freshman.

At times Robinson looks like an elite pass blocker with quick enough feet to beat speed rushers to the edge, the knee bend to absorb power, and the long arms to keep defenders at bay. Other times he looks like he’s still a freshman with sloppy technique and poor hand placement.

Robinson is more developed as a run blocker. He plays with a nasty demeanor, has the strength to drive defenders off the ball, and is quick enough to be the lead blocker on outside runs. His more advanced run blocking skills make some evaluators think that his future is at guard in the NFL, but I’d be surprised if teams gave up on his potential to protect the blind side.

The talent is there for Robinson to become an above-average left tackle, but he needs to be more consistent with his pass blocking technique to get there. Even with a few flaws in his game, Robinson probably has more upside than any tackle prospect in this year’s draft and shouldn’t make it out of the first round.

Projection: 1st round

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#26 CB Marlon Humphrey (6’1 | 196 | 4.49) – The former five-star recruit has had an up-and-down career so far in two seasons with the Tide, but his potential is unmistakeable. Humphrey has the size and speed combination to be a shutdown NFL corner.

The red-shirt sophomore has graded out as a top-ten coverage corner the last two seasons according to Pro Football Focus, but inconsistent technique and concentration lapses have allowed too many big plays on an elite defense that doesn’t give up many of them.

Overall Humphrey has been good enough to keep his starting gig and has made way more positive plays than negative ones. He has the size to defend big receivers and enough speed to run with anyone. On athleticism alone, there isn’t a corner in the draft with as much upside.

His size and speed combo would be enough to get him drafted, but Humphrey has also shown good ball skills with five interceptions and 13 pass deflections in two seasons. He has the coverage ability to play man, zone, or press at the next level but his ability to read, react, and make plays on the ball would fit best in a zone scheme.

Humphrey uses his size well against the run as well, showing an aggressive demeanor and no fear of mixing it up in traffic. He’s had a number of big hits over the last two years and plays the run more like a safety than a cornerback.

His technique isn’t as advanced as the other corners with first round grades, but Humphrey has more potential than any of them to develop into a true lockdown corner at the next level. It may take a year or two for him to fine-tune his coverage technique but his upside is worth the wait.

Projection: First round pick

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#88 TE OJ Howard (6’6 | 251 | 4.57) – Howard should be looking forward to playing Clemson as he had a breakout game against them in last year’s championship game (5-208-2). Throughout his career with the Tide, Howard hasn’t been utilized much as a receiver in their run-first offense but he flashes big play potential when given a chance.

Howard has the ideal size to be a match-up nightmare in the passing game, he runs like a big wide receiver, and has good enough hands to catch anything in his vicinity. He’s also a threat after the catch with good vision, acceleration, and agility in the open field. With Howard’s size, he is a problem for defensive backs to tackle once he gets moving.

His route running skills aren’t as polished as they should be as a four-year starter, but he’s shown the ability to get open consistently at the college level. Howard’s blocking can improve as well, though it’s better than most college tight ends with his receiving skills.

Despite a few traits that could use improvement, Howard is the most well-rounded tight end prospect in the draft and should be the first one off the board. I’d be surprised if Howard made it out of the first round.

Projection: First round pick

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#22 OLB Ryan Anderson (6’2 | 253 | 4.77) – The less heralded and productive of Bama’s two edge rushers, but still a legitimate NFL prospect. Anderson isn’t as flashy or quick off the edge as Williams but he may be the better all-around player.

While Anderson lacks the explosion of Williams, he’s had plenty of success getting to the quarterback with 13.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He also plays more on running downs and has been effective with 28 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles since 2015.

Anderson has played well in coverage too with three pass defenses on the year and a pick-six against Washington in the first playoff game. He’s a solid all-around OLB prospect who gets overshadowed by the bigger names on his defense but is a legit first round prospect.

Projection: 1st-2nd Round