Here’s your burning question for today, the start of the NFL draft:
You are an NFL GM and must build your franchise around one 2018 draft-eligible Alabama player. Who do you choose?
You have a lot of solid options this year: The guy that can be the face of your franchise, the most versatile defensive back in Alabama history, the legendary Minkah Fitzpatrick. You have Calvin Ridley, a potential superstar on the outside who will thrive in an NFL offense. There’s Rashaan Evans, a weapon of mass destruction and exemplar for this new breed of inside linebackers, and many, many others.
For my money, I’m starting up front. Give me what I think will be one of the can’t-miss guys in this draft; a player you can build an entire defense around: Da’Ron Payne. He commands doubles on the inside, has excellent leverage and technique, and plays even stronger than his legendary weight room antics suggest. He’s scary athletic, hitting a sub-5.0 40 at 311, and has added enough pass-rushing chops from the nose to be an all-around threat. Relentless.
You want to win a few games? Start on the lines, and start on the inside. There’s not a guy on defense I’d want more in this year’s draft.