Alabama Mock Draft Roundup: A Look at Where Crimson Tide Stars Could be Heading
The NFL Draft is just one day away. Barring a major surprise, Evan Neal and Jameson Williams will be the only Alabama players to come off the board during the first round of the draft on Thursday night. From there, things should get a bit more interesting for the Crimson Tide as its draft class this year is chock-full of mid-range talent.
This year’s NFL Draft will be held in Las Vegas and will begin with the first round Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT. The second and third rounds will take place on Friday night beginning at 6 p.m. while the draft will conclude with rounds 4-7 on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.
Before things get kicked off, BamaCentral compiled a list of 10 recent mock drafts to get a feel of where Alabama players are projected to be selected.
Who we used: CBS Sports seven-round (Ryan Wilson, April 22), ESPN seven-round (Matt Miller, April 26), FOX Sports (Jason McIntyre, April 26), NFL.com seven-round (Chad Reuter, April 22), Pro Football Focus (Ari Meirov, April 26) Pro Football Network (Adam H. Beasley, April 26), Sports Illustrated (Albert Breer, April 26), The Athletic (Staff, April 27), The Ringer (Danny Kelly, April 27), USA Today (Nate Davis, April 27).
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Neal, OL
No. 5 (first round), New York Giants, — CBS
No, 4 (first round), New York Jets — ESPN
No. 5 (first round), New York Giants — FOX Sports
No. 6 (first round), Carolina Panthers — NFL
No. 3 (first round), Houston Texans — PFF
No. 6 (first round), Carolina Panthers — PFN
No. 6 (first round), Carolina Panthers — Sports Illustrated
No. 3 (first round), Houston Texans — The Athletic
No, 4 (first round), New York Jets — The Ringer
No. 5 (first round), New York Giants — USA Today
Sports Illustrated’s Abert Breer reported Tuesday that a few teams “have raised knee and hip issues to me concerning Alabama OT Evan Neal, with a good number of clubs considering him a notable medical risk.” Offensive line coach Duke Manyweather, who has trained with Neal the past few months, responded to reports of the injury concerns, stating that the lineman has not missed a workout this offseason. Injury leaks this close to the draft are often a product of teams hoping a prospect falls to them. It’s hard to imagine Neal drops much further than the Giants at No. 5 overall.
Jameson Williams, WR
No. 13 (first round), Houston Texans, — CBS
No. 13 (first round), Kansas City Chiefs (projected trade) — ESPN
No. 8 (first round), Atlanta Falcons — FOX Sports
No. 18 (first round), Philadelphia Eagles — NFL
No. 15 (first round), Philadelphia Eagles — PFF
No. 10 (first round), New York Jets — PFN
No. 15 (first round), Philadelphia Eagles — Sports Illustrated
No. 17 (first round), Los Angeles Chargers — The Athletic
No. 10 (first round), New York Jets — The Ringer
No. 10 (first round), New York Jets — USA Today
Williams’ ACL injury appears to be less of a concern by the day. Earlier this week, a video surfaced of the wide receiver moving well while going through light on-field drills. Even if Williams has to miss time early in the season, he’s viewed by many teams as the No. 1 receiver in this year’s class. That should see him land safely in the first 15 picks with a chance of a team snatching him up in the top 10.
Alabama Athletics
John Metchie III, WR
No. 62 (second round), Kansas City Chiefs — CBS
No. 56 (second round), Dallas Cowboys — ESPN
No. 66 (third round), Detroit Lions — NFL
This is a deep receiver class, so Metchie’s draft stock will depend on how the draft shakes up before him. Fortunately, he appears to be rehabbing well from his ACL injury in December and should be ready to return to the field by June in time for NFL training camps. He seems like a safe bet to come off the board in the second round.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Christian Harris, LB
No. 64 (second round), Denver Broncos — CBS
No. 47 (second round), Washington Commanders — ESPN
No. 45 (second round), Baltimore Ravens — NFL
Harris drastically improved his stock during the national championship game in January where he recorded three sacks and a forced fumble. That performance along with his athleticism should see him land in the second round.
Alabama Athletics
Phidarian Mathis, DL
No. 82 (third round), Atlanta Falcons, — CBS
No. 76 (third round), Baltimore Ravens — ESPN
No. 125 (fourth round), Miami Dolphins — NFL
Mathis is perhaps Alabama’s most underrated prospect in this year’s draft class. While he’s not flashy, he proved he can provide inside pressure from the defensive tackle position, recording nine sacks and 12 tackles for a loss last season. ESPN’s Todd McShay projected him as a second-round pick earlier this month while others have slotted him in the third round. If Mathis makes it past Day 2 of the draft, it will be a surprise.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jalyn Armour-Davis, DB
No. 169 (fifth round), Tennessee Titans, — CBS
No. 83 (third round), Philadelphia Eagles — ESPN
No. 144 (fifth round), Carolina Panthers — NFL
Armour-Davis was Alabama’s top cornerback last year. He followed that up by running an impressive 4.39 time in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine. Could that be enough to propel him into a Day-2 pick?
Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Josh Jobe, DB
No. 114 (fourth round), Atlanta Falcons, — CBS
No. 122 (fourth round), Indianapolis Colts – ESPN
No. 175 (fifth round), Los Angeles Rams — NFL
Jobe is coming off a disappointing senior season at Alabama. Some of that can be attributed to a turf toe injury that ultimately shut him down during the playoffs. That being said, he has the size (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) and athleticism NFL teams covet.
Alabama Athletics
Brian Robinson, RB
No. 206 (sixth round), Denver Broncos, — CBS
No. 144 (fifth round), Carolina Panthers — ESPN
No. 94 (third round), Tennessee Titans — NFL
After waiting his turn behind a slew of talented backs, Robinson finally took over the starting role in Alabama’s backfield last season. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native didn’t disappoint, averaging 4.96 yards per carry while running for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also showed good hands out of the backfield, reeling in 35 receptions for 296 yards and a pair of scores through the air. Robinson isn’t an electrifying back but is capable of picking up tough yards and would be a nice complementary piece to several NFL backfields.
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Slade Bolden, WR
No. 210 (sixth round), New England Patriots — CBS
No. 262 (seventh round), San Francisco 49ers — ESPN
No. 210 (sixth round), New England Patriots — NFL
Almost every draft projection for Bolden has him teaming back up with former Alabama roommate Mac Jones in New England. The crafty slot receiver fits the mold of what the Patriots like at the position. The fact that Bolden can play special teams should also help his draft value.
Caitie McMekin-USA TODAY NETWORK
Christopher Allen, Edge
No. 248 (seventh round), Tampa Bay Buccaneers — CBS
No. 196 (sixth round), Baltimore Ravens — ESPN
No. 133 (fourth round), Tampa Bay Buccaneers — NFL
No. 102 (third round), Miami Dolphins — The Athletic
Allen is Alabama's biggest wildcard in this year’s draft as he has been projected as high as the third round and as low as the seventh. He has dealt with multiple injuries in his career and suffered a season-ending foot injury during last year’s opener against Miami. Still, his potential as an elite pass rusher could entice a team to take a chance on him earlier than some expect.
