Alabama Football: Challenges for 2020 roster from 2020 NFL Draft

TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 17: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after passing for a touchdown against the Citadel Bulldogs with Mac Jones #10 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 17: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after passing for a touchdown against the Citadel Bulldogs with Mac Jones #10 at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Every season is a rebuild per Alabama football coach, Nick Saban. The 2020 NFL Draft may drain the Tide roster, unlike any previous season.

It is too early for Alabama football fans (or anyone else) to be fretting over the 2020 NFL Draft. The Draft does obsess the football media and mock drafts are already numerous. It is never too early for Crimson Tide fans to be concerned about the program’s future rosters.

For now, the ‘no-fret zone’ exists because there is no way of knowing how many Alabama football third-year players will choose NFL early-entry. Reviewing the current roster, as many as 10 juniors could declare early. Such an unprecedented number is highly unlikely. Four key Tide seniors will make the transition to the NFL. So somewhere between four and 14 is the roster attrition number.

2020 NFL Draft Possibilities

It is possible the Crimson Tide will set a new Draft record in 2020. The record for former Alabama football players drafted in the first round is four. In 2012, 2017 and 2018, the Crimson Tide program had four first-rounders. Current mock drafts from credible experts list 10 current players as solid first-round prospects in the next Draft.

There are no Draft locks this far out. But, barring a major injury, Tua Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy, Raekwon Davis and Dylan Moses will be first-rounders. We’ll call them future-locks. Next, Trevon Diggs and Terrell Lewis are solid first-round picks. Other possible first-rounders are Anfernee Jennings, Henry Ruggs III, Xavier McKinney and Najee Harris.

Impact on the Alabama Football 2020 roster

After turning our attention to the 2020 roster, Alabama football fans can feel free to fret a bit. First, Tua and Xavier will not be easy to replace. Tua can be described as a once in a generation QB. Whoever follows him may be very good but at least as a new starter, will not match a seasoned Tua.

The quarterback of the secondary, Xavier McKinney will also be difficult to replace. Add to that problem is the loss of Shyheim Carter who Tide assistants credit with understanding Nick Saban’s defense better than any other player. A new secondary signal-caller will be a big hole for 2020.

Alabama football fans will closely watch the 2019 backups at quarterback and safety in hopes solid replacements reveal themselves.

The 2020 roster situation could be more complicated if any of four more guys declare early. With big junior seasons, Devonta Smith and LaBryan Ray could skip their final season. More problematic would be for Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills to choose early entry.

Based on the depth in the current roster, losing Jeudy, Ruggs and Smith would be tough but survivable. The 2020 defensive line will be loaded without Ray, but better with him. No Wills and Leatherwood for 2020 would be a huge challenge. Plenty of highly rated but unproven talent resides in the 2019 second and third units. Some young o-line talent would have to mature quickly if Wills and Leatherwood leave early.

The 2020 schedule will be tougher with Georgia rotating in. After opening with USC and Georgia State, the third Saturday in September will be a conference game. It will not be LSU or Auburn. If it is TAMU or Georgia, it is possible an inexperienced QB starter, behind a ‘work-in-progress’ offensive line could leave the Tide vulnerable.

Then again – returning to the ‘no-fret’ zone makes sense. Nick Saban has a plan. Part of his plan will be getting current backups, but potential 2020 starters, as much game experience as possible in 2019.