Alabama Football: Top 30 NFL Draft prospects of the Nick Saban Era

Alabama football’s top 30 NFL Draft prospects: 18-16

18. Ryan Kelly, Center

Ryan Kelly was the best center that Alabama football has likely ever had. He was drafted in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts to help protect Andrew Luck through his prime. With the addition of Quentin Nelson at guard, the Colts now have the best interior offensive line in the NFL. A center being drafted in the first round goes to show just how valuable Kelly was. Centers don’t always add a ton of value, but Indy saw something in Kelly.

17. Chance Warmack, Guard

Chance Warmack was in a similar situation as Ryan Kelly. He was expected to be a really good offensive guard, but that doesn’t bring a ton of value. Thankfully, Warmack found a sweet spot for himself. He was a part of some of Alabama’s best offensive lines ever, bumping up his draft stock. He was also in a relatively weak NFL Draft class, so people wanted to draft players they expected to be solid. Warmack didn’t live up to the hype fully, but he had an above-average NFL career. He wasn’t worth a first-round pick, but he was worth having on your team.

15. D.J. Fluker, Tackle

Fluker also did not live up to the hype. He was a mammoth at offensive tackle, and plenty of people thought it would translate to the NFL. However, the NFL transferred more towards athletic offensive tackles for mobile quarterbacks and hurry-up offenses. Fluker is now an offensive guard and has experienced a second wave of his NFL career. He didn’t pan out with the team that drafted him, but he has had a relatively successful NFL career. We’ll see if he can keep it up at guard.