Alabama Football: NFL Combine begins NFL quest for Tide players
By Ronald Evans
Eleven former Alabama football players will participate in the 2022 NFL Draft Combine this week. The onfield sessions do not start until Thursday when the QBs, RBs and WRs do the bench press and begin their onfield sessions.
The event runs through Sunday, Mar. 6, with defensive backs being the last position group to be evaluated.
Predicting the eventual Draft results for the 11 players is a fun exercise. There must have already been hundreds of mock drafts published. The pace of producing them will quicken after the Combine. The actual 2022, three-day NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, Apr. 28 and conclude on Saturday, Apr. 30.
It is not uncommon for a few players to attend the Combine but not do the strength testing or field workouts. One of those players this year is Evan Neal. Neal and others will wait for their college team’s Pro Day before showcasing their physical skills.
How many former Alabama football players will get drafted in late April? If Chris Owens is a late round pick, the number could be 12. At this point, what will happen with Owens, and four of the Tide’s Combine participants, Slade Bolden, Jaylin Armour-Davis, Chris Allen and LaBryan Ray can only be a guess. Bolden might be drafted on Day 2, but will likely slide to Day 3. Check out these good NFL team fits for Bolden.
Allen and Ray would be Day 2 locks, if not for their college careers being marred by frequent injuries. Because of Tide players ahead of him and injuries, Armour-Davis has only a brief playing resume. JAD is a player that the Alabama Football Pro Day and later NFL team workouts may afford the best opportunity to move up NFL Draft boards.
That leaves seven Alabama Crimson Tide players, all with a chance to be drafted in the top three rounds.
Top Alabama Football players at the Combine
Evan Neal – Offensive Tackle
Many NFL Draft experts are confident Neal will be the first pick overall, going to Jacksonville. If he slips below that, it will not be far. The least optimistic projection for Neal is he is in the top three offensive linemen.
Jameson Williams – Wide Receiver
Injury recovery is a question for Williams, but the buzz is teams are not deterred from selecting him. Jameson Williams is certainly in the top five wide receivers in the Draft and is the top guy having the kind of breakaway speed every NFL team covets.
Christian Harris – Linebacker
Blessed with the physical skills allowing versatility, Harris is probably in the top five of the linebackers in the Draft. Some Draft experts think he could be selected in the first round.
Phidarian Mathis – Defensive Lineman
Mathis made a smart decision in returning to the Crimson Tide for the 2021 season. He improved his NFL Draft stock considerably. He has a good chance to be a second-round pick.
Brian Robinson Jr. – Running Back
Even if B-Rob does not get drafted in the first three rounds, his chances of making an NFL roster are high. His mental and physical toughness will make him a good fit for a team needing help at running back.
John Metchie III – Wide Receiver
Metchie also has to convince teams he will fully recover from injury. For teams needing a possession receiver, Metchie will be a solid second or third-round pick. His Crimson Tide stats show he is an impact player.
Josh Jobe – Cornerback
Josh Jobe has all the physical tools needed to become an NFL starter. He must convince teams his sometimes pressing too hard, and the penalties that resulted as a Crimson Tide player, will not be replicated in the NFL.
dark. Next. The SEC has some hot and warm seats in 2022
Nick Saban often talks about players creating value for themselves. The NFL Draft is one measurement of value.