NFL prospects abound for Tide, Buckeyes
Former LSU linebacker Patrick Queen is a good example of how a huge performance in a national championship game can help a player boost his NFL draft stock.
Queen was a rising prospect throughout last season and capped it by being the defensive MVP of the College Football Playoff championship victory against Clemson. About three and half months later, Queen was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens at No. 28 overall.
No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Ohio State head into the national title game Monday night with a slew of future NFL players. The matchups will not only determine who wins a championship, but could also influence where some of their stars are drafted.
“You do want to look into a player’s ability to play in the clutch and in the big moments because obviously when you’re putting together a football team, an NFL roster, your goal is to be playing in the playoffs,” said Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl executive director and a former NFL scout.
There are perhaps 20 players who could potentially be drafted in April after playing for the Crimson Tide and Buckeyes.
Quarterbacks
Ohio State’s Justin Fields was amazing against Clemson, throwing six touchdown passes and showing off accuracy and arm strength all over the field. He also displayed poise and toughness, playing most of the game after taking a nasty hit to his side.
That came after an inconsistent and truncated season that has called into question Fields’ status as the best available QB behind Trevor Lawrence.
“There’s a lot of buzz around the league about (BYU’S) Zach Wilson being the No. 2 pick in the draft behind Lawrence,” said Dane Brugler, a draft analyst for The Athletic. “Fields, with what he did, it changed that a little bit. He’s making teams kind of go back and reconsider.”
The Alabama defense has had some bumpy moments, but it is still the most talented group Ohio State has faced, starting with SEC defensive player of the year Patrick Surtain III. The junior will probably be the first cornerback drafted if he declares.
Plus, Fields will be tested by Alabama schematically.
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones is among the second tier of quarterbacks in the upcoming draft that includes Florida’s Kyle Trask and maybe SMU’S Shane Buechele.
Jones has been superb, but he doesn’t have athletic traits comparable to Fields and Lawrence. Jones is surrounded by top-end talent, and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian has done a good job of scheming receivers open and creating mismatches.
“He’s a very, very difficult evaluation because how do you separate him from just an elite situation,” Brugler said of Jones.
Wade’s world
Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade made the All-america team, but that was a generous evaluation based on reputation and last year’s play when he was a nickelback and slot corner.
His move to the outside this season has been spotty at best and indicative of Ohio State’s cornerback play in general. Now, he gets to face Devonta Smith, a sure first-rounder, and the gemstone of Alabama’s prolific passing game.
“If I’m Alabama and Steve Sarkisian, I’m getting Devonta Smith on (Wade’s) side of the field as much as humanly possible because no one has been able to stop him,” Miller said.
Brugler said Wade’s future might still lie at safety.
In the trenches
Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore is a thirdteam All-american and a thirdyear sophomore, so he is no sure thing to enter the draft. The 310-pounder has not played at a consistently high level that would make him a lock first-rounder. Still, Brugler said the defensive line class is thin at the top of this draft and Barmore has a chance to be best of the bunch.
Barmore will face a good test in Ohio State’s interior line. All-america guard Wyatt Davis and center Josh Meyers are likely Day 2 draft picks.
Sermon delivers
Ohio State running back Trey Sermon has gone on a remarkable late-season tear with 636 yards rushing in his last three games. He should expect to see a lot of linebackers Dylan Moses and Christian Harris, the top two tacklers for the Crimson Tide.
Nagy said Sermon looked like a potential starting NFL running back before injuring his knee last season while at Oklahoma.