A Few Thoughts About The Alabama Draft Class.....

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, Bill from NYC said:

Derrick Henry is pretty good too.

 

For sure. He's one of the best players saban has ever recruited 

 

If this was 1975 he would have been the first overall pick

 

 

[Bill from NYC]

Just now, Buffalo716 said:

For sure. He's one of the best players saban has ever recruited 

 

If this was 1975 he would have been the first overall pick

 

 

He barely played at first and was contemplating leaving the school.

 

[GunnerBill]

43 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

My point is Alabama is not some special NFL factory. The majority of draft eligible players from bama are jags in the pros

 

You need to really do your due diligence on Alabama players.. because most are not Julio Jones 

 

And that's not to say that Alabama isn't the best college program.. just having the best college program doesn't always put out the best pros, because they are all so good it's hard to tell the true difference makers

 

So I think what is definitely true is that there is less "meat on the bone" when evaluating Alabama players coming out. The majority of them are already close to their ceiling because frankly Saban generally has a better staff than half the NFL teams these kids go to. They are well developed, technically proficient and football smart when they step off the campus. And while I take your point about there being JAGs all over the NFL who were at Alabama that is because almost everyone who has started for the Crimson Tide the past 4-5 years gets into the league and the majority end up starters. That run of three National Championship games, the 2016 victory over Clemson, the 2017 defeat to Clemson and the 2018 victory over Georgia was a pretty special run and there were guys from that who came out and have been more than JAGs:

 

Calvin Rildey (2nd team all pro in the NFL by year 3)

Ryan Kelly (2x NFL Pro Bowler and 1x 2nd team all pro)

Derrick Henry (2x NFL rushing leader, 2x Pro Bowler, 1x 1st team all pro, 1x 2nd team all pro, 1x NFL OPOTY)

Minkah Fitpatrick (2x NFL 1st team all pro, 2x NFL Pro Bowler)

Eddie Jackson (2x NFL Pro Bowler, 1x NFL 1st team all pro)

Marlon Humphrey (2x NFL Pro Bowler, 1x NFL 1st team all pro)

Josh Jacobs (1x NFL Pro Bowl)

 

How many other colleges have produced 7 difference makers of that level in the same time? Maybe Ohio State? Possibly Clemson? It isn't many. And that is without me listing guys who I think have been difference makers for their teams without having that national recognition - primarily the four Dlinemen - Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne with Washington, Da'Shawn Hand with the Lions and Delvin Tomlinson with the Giants. Three of those four were voted to the all rookie team their first year in the league. 

 

Then you get to the "JAGs" but even there there are a lot of established starters off those three teams - Levi Wallace, Jarran Reed, OJ Howard, Cam Robinson, Rashaan Evans, Bradley Bozeman, Damien Harris etc... and of course two current starting NFL Quarterbacks. 

 

I think some of his earlier teams at Alabama though they produced the likes of Hightower and Julio and Dareus did have a lot of guys who flamed out in the league. But that three year run they produced some stars, a number of very good NFL players, some solid JAGs and very few flame outs. 

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by GunnerBill

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, Bill from NYC said:

He barely played at first and was contemplating leaving the school.

 

It's hard to crack a saban running back room as a freshman 

 

He had over a thousand yards from scrimmage as a sophomore.. if you don't have patience Nick saban is not the coach for you

 

 

[Buffalo716]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

So I think what is definitely true is that there is less "meat on the bone" when evaluating Alabama players coming out. The majority of them are already close to their ceiling because frankly Saban generally has a better staff than half the NFL teams these kids go to. They are well developed, technically proficient and football smart when they step off the campus. And while I take your point about there being JAGs all over the NFL who were at Alabama that is because almost everyone who has started for the Crimson Tide the past 4-5 years gets into the league and the majority end up starters. That run of three National Championship games, the 2016 victory over Clemson, the 2017 defeat to Clemson and the 2018 victory over Georgia was a pretty special run and there were guys from that who came out and have been more than JAGs:

 

Calvin Rildey (2nd team all pro in the NFL by year 3)

Ryan Kelly (2x NFL Pro Bowler and 1x 2nd team all pro)

Derrick Henry (2x NFL rushing leader, 2x Pro Bowler, 1x 1st team all pro, 1x 2nd team all pro, 1x NFL OPOTY)

Minkah Fitpatrick (2x NFL 1st team all pro, 2x NFL Pro Bowler)

Eddie Jackson (2x NFL Pro Bowler, 1x NFL 1st team all pro)

Marlon Humphrey (2x NFL Pro Bowler, 1x NFL 1st team all pro)

Josh Jacobs (1x NFL Pro Bowl)

 

How many other colleges have produced 7 difference makers of that level in the same time? Maybe Ohio State? Possibly Clemson? It isn't many. And that is without me listing guys who I think have been difference makers for their teams without having that national recognition - primarily the five Dlinemen - Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne with Washington, Da'Shawn Hand with the Lions and Delvin Tomlinson with the Giants. Three of those four were voted to the all rookie team their first year in the league. 

 

Then you get to the "JAGs" but even there there are a lot of established starters off those three teams - Levi Wallace, Jarran Reed, OJ Howard, Cam Robinson, Rashaan Evans, Bradley Bozeman, Damien Harris etc... and of course two current starting NFL Quarterbacks. 

 

I think some of his earlier teams at Alabama though they produced the likes of Hightower and Julio and Dareus did have a lot of guys who flamed out in the league. But that three year run they produced some stars, a number of very good NFL players, some solid JAGs and very few flame outs. 

 

I don't disagree with that at all. They obviously have put out a good amount of great talent...

 

But how many draft picks have they had in the last 10 years? Around 85

 

How many are contributing to their NFL team? How many are stars? 

 

I'd say it's 50-50 whether they contribute or are not much..

 

Though since that run that you mentioned they have put out high end talent.. maybe 10-13 pro bowlers / all pros maybe a few more 

 

But yeah, most bama players are physically maxed out and supremely well coached, so lots of them are already at their ceiling... Unless you're an underused guy like Josh Jacobs who has more left

 

But you generally know what you're getting. And that's a solid but not spectacular pro

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GunnerBill]

Just now, Buffalo716 said:

I don't disagree with that at all. They obviously have put out a good amount of great talent...

 

But how many draft picks have they had in the last 10 years? Around 85

 

How many are contributing to their NFL team? How many are stars? 

 

I'd say it's 50-50 whether they contribute or are not much..

 

Though since that run that you mentioned they have put out high end talent.. maybe 10-13 pro bowlers / all pros maybe a few more 

 

But yeah, most bama players are physically maxed out and supremely well coached, so lots of them are already at their ceiling... Unless you're an underused guy like Josh Jacobs who has more left

 

But you generally know what you're getting. And that's a solid but not spectacular pro

 

I think that was a special run I am not arguing that is the rule as such. But those 3 teams man they were stacked. And I don't have a college football team and am an "Anyone But Alabama" guy. The first couple of Saban teams (guys who came into the league the first half of the last decade) I think a few stars, a few JAGs a lot of flame outs. But the guys who came in the second half of the decade more stars, plenty of JAGs and very few flame outs. 

[BuffaLoko]

On 2/11/2021 at 6:21 AM, Bill from NYC said:

Jaylen Waddle

I see a lot of Tyreek Hill in this guy!

2 minutes ago, BuffaLoko said:

I see a lot of Tyreek Hill in this guy!

And BTW...that was an outstanding summary of a roster full of stars, thanks a lot Bill from NYC!!  this Indio (beer) is for you! 

[Bill from NYC]

I am going to add 1 more.....

 

Miller Forristall (TE):

    Miller is 6'4/240. He has had several injuries at Bama but you wouldn't know by the way he plays. The kid looks more like a young Robert Redford than a football player, but he runs head on into the biggest defenders on the field. He is a great blocker and he has very good hands. Although he didn't get many chances, I can't remember ever seeing him drop a pass, but maybe I just didn't notice. 

    The thing is, he tended to be wide open, because look at who else had to be covered. That said, he would have got more chances on a lesser team to be certain. He WAS able to find the endzone at times.

    This is a player that the combines will make a difference with imo. I want to see lots of reps on the bench, and a half decent 40 time. Even at that, Miller is not a huge prospect. I have seen him going in the 5th, 6th, 7th, or not drafted at all. 

    Do I think that he might be worth a 6th or 7th round pick? Yeah, why not. 

 

[GunnerBill]

45 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

I am going to add 1 more.....

 

Miller Forristall (TE):

    Miller is 6'4/240. He has had several injuries at Bama but you wouldn't know by the way he plays. The kid looks more like a young Robert Redford than a football player, but he runs head on into the biggest defenders on the field. He is a great blocker and he has very good hands. Although he didn't get many chances, I can't remember ever seeing him drop a pass, but maybe I just didn't notice. 

    The thing is, he tended to be wide open, because look at who else had to be covered. That said, he would have got more chances on a lesser team to be certain. He WAS able to find the endzone at times.

    This is a player that the combines will make a difference with imo. I want to see lots of reps on the bench, and a half decent 40 time. Even at that, Miller is not a huge prospect. I have seen him going in the 5th, 6th, 7th, or not drafted at all. 

    Do I think that he might be worth a 6th or 7th round pick? Yeah, why not. 

 

 

There is no combine, only pro-days. 

[Bill from NYC]

3 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

There is no combine, only pro-days. 

Have you studied Forristall yet?

[GunnerBill]

8 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

Have you studied Forristall yet?

 

Nope.

[Blokestradamus]

5 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

I am going to add 1 more.....

 

Miller Forristall (TE):

    Miller is 6'4/240. He has had several injuries at Bama but you wouldn't know by the way he plays. The kid looks more like a young Robert Redford than a football player, but he runs head on into the biggest defenders on the field. He is a great blocker and he has very good hands. Although he didn't get many chances, I can't remember ever seeing him drop a pass, but maybe I just didn't notice. 

    The thing is, he tended to be wide open, because look at who else had to be covered. That said, he would have got more chances on a lesser team to be certain. He WAS able to find the endzone at times.

    This is a player that the combines will make a difference with imo. I want to see lots of reps on the bench, and a half decent 40 time. Even at that, Miller is not a huge prospect. I have seen him going in the 5th, 6th, 7th, or not drafted at all. 

    Do I think that he might be worth a 6th or 7th round pick? Yeah, why not.

 

Haven't graded him yet but Forristall is someone I've noticed a few times over the past couple of years, especially in the run game. I think he's one of two (along with Bruno Labelle of Cincinnati) that stand a chance of getting a draftable grade simply because of their blocking.

 

I don't think he should be on the Bills' radar because the TE group is already pretty meh without the addition of another ultimately limited body but I'll be rooting for Miller to stick on a roster somewhere. I still desperately want guys like him to have a future in the modern NFL.

[DCofNC]

I think the Bills will have to focus on the trenches this year in the draft.  I would not be shocked to see Morse gone as well as Williams and Mongo.  Morse is better served being released next year, but if they question his health at all, he could be a goner. Williams may get a hefty pay day, I’d like him back, but it’s not that easy.  Cody Ford can hopefully make it back and take Mongos place, depending on contract demands again, I want him back too, but it may not happen.

 

With all that said, a couple of these Bama boys look the part, I wonder if they meet the Beane criteria.