Poll: Who Is Alabama's Top 2012 NFL Draft Prospect?
by kleph on Jul 7, 2011 9:00 AM CDT
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One result of Nick Saban's revitalization of the Alabama football program has been a much more enjoyable April for Crimson Tide fans although it certainly retains it's cruelty. After a decade of watching other SEC team send players into the pro ranks on the first day of the NFL Draft, the tide has turned and Alabama is the school the commissioner invokes with regularity from the podium at Radio City Music Hall.
In the 2011 draft, Alabama saw a school record four players go in the first round and two in the top ten, led by Marcel Darius as the third name called and followed by the No. 6 pick Julio Jones. A total of five Crimson Tide players were selected by pro teams in January which was a step back from 2009 when seven players heard their names called.
It's the harvest of all those top ranked recruiting classes hauled in by Nick Saban and his staff and the difference between his tenure and the past has been dramatic. Here is a look at the total number of Alabama players chosen in the NFL Draft over the past ten years. First round picks are indicated in pink.
Before Andre Smith was tapped by Cincinnati with the No. 6 pick in the 2009 draft, you would have to go back all the way to 2000 to find a Tide player taken in the first round (there were two, Chris Samuels was taken by the Redskins with the No. 3 pick and Shaun Alexander was chosen by the Seahawks at No. 19).
Already, the prognosticators are eying the Crimson Tide's upperclassmen and trying to figure out which ones will go in the 2012 draft. Alabama's Junior corner Dre Kirkpatrick is already under intense scrutiny and projected as high as No. 7. Trent Richardson, Mark Barron and Courtney Upshaw are popping up on a lot of insanely early mock drafts as well.
So we ask you, which Alabama Crimson Tide player is going to go first in the 2012 NFL Draft?
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yes it was
i lost a line of copy for some reason. it’s fixed. thanks for the catch.
Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All
I think...
…Big Sam and Shaun were taken in the 2000 draft…and I’m surprised that Dre has so few votes (although I voted for MB)….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jul 7, 2011 9:29 AM CDT reply actions
and you are correct as well
fixed with added linkage. i’m just a disaster on details with this post.
Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All
It's all good...
…we’re Alabama fans, so we’re more knowledgable than your average (or above average) football fan. Mainly, we’re just grateful y’all keep giving us good stuff to read/consider/debate. So, thanks!
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jul 7, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions
well, to be clear
i appreciate these tips. if there’s a factual error it needs to be fixed. it’s when folks get worked up on minor grammatical mistakes that, 90% of the time, are due to trying to get the damn thing done and on the page (error free, of course).
Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All
I went with Upshaw.
His being picked first means that I will have spent an entire season watching him inflict soul killing TFLs on the full slate of opposition which makes me a happy clown.
Being good has nothing to do with it, Mikey. They choose your name randomly out of the phonebook.
I went Upshaw as well
The NFL is all about passing and stopping the pass now. If Dre plays up to his potential, he has the perfect NFL size. But somehow I don’t see him living up to all of the hype, and if Upshaw stays healthy he’ll prove himself a sack/qb pressure machine and someone snaps him up top 10. I’d say Trent is the most sure-fire NFL success though.
by dixiefootballpride44 on Jul 7, 2011 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep
The NFL is all about passing and stopping the pass now.
Which is why I went with Richardson. Some NFL OC is salivating at the thought of Richardson catching passes out of the backfield.
Not to mention . . .
. . . his blocking skills.
Same thing could have been said of Ingram, though.
Trent is first round material, and if he doesn’t go first among RBs, someone in someone’s front office should be fired, but I just don’t think RBs will go as high as safetys and LBs. That’s why I voted Courtney.
"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy
(Formerly SugarBowl93)
by RememberTheRoseBowl on Jul 7, 2011 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions
*meant corners, not safeties...
"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy
(Formerly SugarBowl93)
by RememberTheRoseBowl on Jul 7, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Agreed...
Trent will go first round for sure, but it will be Courtney or Mark that goes first from BAMA.
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!
I have to agree with you.
Upshaw to me has the most upside if he stays healthy. End rushers are a must have and go high in the draft (see this past year). I think RBs have fallen in value due to durability issues and backs-by-committee.
Dre to me is still uproven from an elite draft level perspective and has had two shoulder surgeries already. He would have to be stellar in some key games to get the attention he needs to go high.
I know I will get some hate, but Barron did not have a great year last year compared to Lester. Maybe it was because he was helping more in run support. I don’t know. But for me he was a step down from 2009 (even before the torn pec)
Dont’a will be holding the middle most often – so I’m back to Upshaw. If the last two games were any indication, he’s poised to destroy some QBs this year and I CAN’T FRICKING WAIT TO SEE IT!
Talent can only get you so far. Give me a player who has less talent, but the heart of a champion and the will to succeed.
I went with Upshaw
3-4 OLB that can get to the QB….yeah that is going to have NFL teams excited. Though if Dre is healthy and plays up to his talent-he can definitely be up there.
Trent Richardson can be an early pick as well, despite the hubbub of the death of the 1st round RB. T-Rich has the skill sets that will make him a high pick.
Hightower-should be fully recovered from his knee injury, if he can play at his level (and speed) pre-knee injury and at his size….
Mark Barron is an interesting NFL prospect, I think a lot will depend on what he runs/agility.
Upshaw, Kirkpatrick...
…and even Fluker seem to be better guesses to me than Barron due to their respective positions, but I had to go with MB because he is a freak of nature and has a take-no-prisoners mentality that awes me….
"High standards come from passion within...." --Coach Nick Saban
by NiceLittleSaturday on Jul 7, 2011 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions
More NFL are going 3-4
At least some form of 3-4, part of the time. This emphasizes the relative shortage of hybrid linebackers like Upshaw and DBs. Though given how he plays and his size, Hightower might move into a hybrid role in the NFL. Really good linebackers and DBs that would have gone high anyway, in this environment? Premium.
Of course, Richardson (and Ingram) are the kinds of backs people like to have going against a 3-4, too—and they ain’t too shabby against other defenses.
by Steven Mitchell on Jul 7, 2011 11:02 AM CDT reply actions
I had to pick Upshaw.
The last 2 games were against excellent competition and he shit-canned all challengers, which must have NFL defensive coordinators willing to trade-up to draft him.
Looking at who we could lose after 2011, I can easily see at least 4 Tiders taken in the 1st Round again.
Charles Martel, Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Raymond IV the Count of Toulouse, Godfrey of Bouillon, Baldwin of Boulogne, Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, St. Joan of Arc and Napoleon Bonaparte -- all of good stock.
by TiderUpNorth on Jul 7, 2011 5:57 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
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