Title game full of NFL prospects
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. “So you want to look at the consequential games. The games that really matter.”
Alabama center Landon Dickerson, who is out with a knee injury, and guard Deonte Brown have already accepted invitations to the Senior Bowl on Jan. 30, Nagy said. Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith, star running back Najee Harris and tackle Alex Leatherwood have also been invited.
For Ohio State, center Josh Myers, running back Trey Sermon, linebackers Tuf Borland and Barron Browning, and defensive end Jonathon Cooper plan to take part in the Senior Bowl, Nagy said. Invitations have also been extended to defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and linebacker Pete Werner.
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.
“Give (Tide coach) Nick Saban 10 days to figure you out and to find your weaknesses, that’s terrifying,” said Matt Miller of NFL Draft Scout.
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.
Especially on the heels of former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie NFL season, which was solid but far from spectacular.