While Alabama continues its preparation for the College Football Playoff in just two days, it's not too early to prognosticate no potential roster attrition. The offseason could start in just over 48 hours after all. It's win-or-go-home on Friday night.
ESPN NFL Draft expert Matt Miller put together "draft tiers" for every team in the College Football Playoff, analyzing the draft stock of all the draft-eligible players on each roster. As expected, Alabama has quite a few names who will be in high demand by NFL teams.
But there are a few names who are a bit higher on Miller's draft board than you might expect, which could lead to more roster attrition than Alabama fans would prefer.
Alabama could be hit hard by the 2026 NFL Draft
Here's what Miller has for the Crimson Tide:
Round 1: Ty Simpson, Kadyn Proctor, Germie Bernard
Round 2: LT Overton, Bray Hubbard, Isaiah Horton
Round 3: Parker Brailsford, Keon Sabb
Round 4: Domani Jackson, Jam Miller, Tim Keenan, Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, Jaeden Roberts
Round 5: Josh Cuevas
Round 6: None
Round 7: Kam Dewberry, Nikhai Hill-Green
Despite his late-season swoon, Miller still has QB Ty Simpson in the first-round range. If he gets first-round NFL Draft feedback, he would be wise to strike while the iron is hot and move on from Alabama. Despite only having 13 career starts, Simpson has flashed enough to put himself squarely in the conversation. He would likely be one of the more polarizing prospects in this year's draft class if he enters.
Kadyn Proctor will be polarizing as well, though his inclusion is less surprising. He always felt like a three-and-done player at Alabama.
The second round range is where it gets interesting with a pair of underclassmen: S Bray Hubbard and WR Isaiah Horton.
Hubbard has had a fantastic season and could parlay that into the draft. Miller has Hubbard as the No. 2 safety in the class, behind only former Alabama DB Caleb Downs. He's not a major surprise, though it would certainly be nice to bring him back for another season.
Horton is more of a surprise. The true junior has shown his prowess as a redzone threat, with eight touchdowns this season on just 35 receptions. He caught three in Alabama's Iron Bowl win over Auburn. He's got excellent size, and if he gets day two NFL Draft feedback, it seems likely that he would move on to the next level as well.
If so, that would mean Alabama would lose him and Germie Bernard. That's not to mention potential Transfer Portal attrition. With only one WR in the 2026 signing class, Horton going pro could lead to Alabama being very active in the portal. Perhaps new WR coach Derrick Nix might know a player or two he could bring over from West Georgia?
The third round guys could be pivotal, too. Both Parker Brailsford and Keon Sabb could return for their fifth year, but another season isn't likely to improve their stock. Brailsford plays a non-premium position and is undersized for the NFL; scouts know what he's about, and his limitations won't change with another year of college football. But convincing Brailsford to come back for one final ride would be huge as Alabama builds its 2026 offensive line.
Miller's draft tiers point to DeBoer and the coaching staff having a bit more roster attrition than fans might have thought. Performances in the College Football Playoff could have a big impact, too.