With Gutekunst at Alabama, Big-Play Defensive Tackle Impresses
GREEN BAY, Wis. – In 2004, the University of Miami produced six first-round picks.
In 2021, Alabama could match or surpass that number.
With a smorgasbord of top players, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was in attendance for Alabama’s pro day on Tuesday, according to a source.
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years and it’s the greatest group of NFL talent I’ve ever seen,” a scout said of Alabama’s draft class.
Receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, cornerback Patrick Surtain II and running back Najee Harris are considered sure-fire first-round picks, with all four most likely to be off the board long before the Packers are on the clock at No. 29. Quarterback Mac Jones could go in the first round, too, as could three potential Packers targets: linebacker Dylan Moses, defensive tackle Christian Barmore and center Landon Dickerson.
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“This is what these guys aspire to do. It is what their vision is, their goal, it’s something they want to accomplish,” Tide coach Nick Saban said. “Most of these guys have graduated too, so we are very proud of that. It is really special to win a championship, to get everybody to buy in, to do things the way you need to do them to play at a high level on a consist basis. These guys did that, and they provided great leadership for our team. I can’t be more excited for them, their future and the opportunities that they have. I just hope it works out well for each and every one of them.”
Smith, Waddle, Harris and Moses chose not to work out – the Crimson Tide will host another pro day on March 30 – and Dickerson suffered a torn ACL in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19 and could miss the start of his rookie season.
Of those who did test, Barmore, in particular, put on a show. At 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, he ran his 40 in 4.93 seconds, according to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy. He is coming off a season in which he recorded eight sacks and three forced fumbles. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 12 pressures in the two playoff games. Green Bay could use a playmaking defensive tackle to pair with Kenny Clark.
Alabama left tackle Alex Leatherwood had a big day, too, to perhaps solidify his position as a top-40 pick. The 2020 Outland Trophy Winner as the nation’s top lineman measured in at 6-foot-5, 312 pounds. He posted a 85 3/8-inch wingspan (98th percentile) and a 34.5-inch vertical leap (98th percentile). He ran a 4.96 40-yard dash (94th percentile) and posted a 9-foot, 10-inch broad jump (99th percentile).
“Some teams like me at tackle, some at guard,” Leatherwood said on Monday. “It just all depends on what team you’re talking about and their team needs but I feel like most of them think that I can play anywhere on the offensive line.”
The rest of Alabama’s pro day results can be found here.
Two other important pro day notes:
One, Purdue’s explosive receiver, Rondale Moore, measured just 5-foot-7. That’s 2 inches shorter than the Boilermakers listed him on the roster and 3 inches shorter than Green Bay’s historical preferences.
Two, UCLA defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa measured 6-foot-1 5/8 and 282 pounds. That’s undersized – not that defensive coordinator Joe Barry cares after working with Aaron Donald – but he’s got 34-inch arms and excellent athleticism. Playing in all seven games of the Bruins’ abbreviated season, he had four sacks and six tackles for losses. He was a scout’s second-round pick in an all-Senior Bowl mock draft.
