Senior Bowl week is almost here with things kicking off on Monday in Mobile. The Senior Bowl is always the beginning of the NFL Draft process and it will give all the players participating their first opportunity to increase their draft stock.
Of course, a poor showing in Mobile could send your draft stock tumbling a bit, too. Competition is always fierce. While there are always some high-end prospects that participate, the majority of the guys in Mobile are fighting to get noticed and drafted at all.
Five players from Alabama's 2024 football team will be in Mobile for the Senior Bowl next week.
QB Jalen Milroe, DB Malachi Moore, TE CJ Dippre, P James Burnip, and recent invitee DL Tim Smith will represent the Crimson Tide. All five players have plenty to prove. None will have more eyeballs on him than Milroe.
QB is always the most scrutinized position, and Milroe has been one of the most polarizing players in the country the past two seasons. He will be the most divisive draft prospect in this cycle with some convinced he's a mid-round pick and others ready to mortgage the future of their franchise to take a shot on the high upside Milroe possesses.
Mock drafts are all over the place for Milroe. He has been mocked as high as No. 2 overall, but there are plenty of mocks that do not have him going in the first round.
The Senior Bowl will give Milroe his first opportunity to prove himself as a first round prospect. The offense won't be tailored to him in Mobile; he'll be running a pro-style system and will need to show his ability to read defenses and make throws with anticipation. Everyone knows he's a high-level athlete, but can he do the other things necessary to be a starting QB in the NFL?
It has not yet been reported whether Malachi Moore will be able to participate in the Senior Bowl. Moore underwent surgery in mid-December and missed Alabama's ReliaQuest Bowl matchup with Michigan as a result. The two-time captain will be in Mobile, but he may not be able to participate in the physical portions. It will still give him face-to-face interview opportunities with scouts, though.
TE CJ Dippre didn't get to make much of a splash in the passing game during his two years in Tuscaloosa, but he has NFL size at the position and is hoping he'll get his opportunity to showcase his skills in Mobile.
Punters are rarely picked, but James Burnip has been listed as a top five specialist in the draft per most experts. He averaged 45.4 yards per punt in his senior season with the Crimson Tide.
Tim Smith was a late add to the roster, getting the nod on Thursday. Smith was a reliable depth piece on Alabama's defensive line during his five years in Tuscaloosa and hopes to prove he can provide the same thing to an NFL team.
Senior Bowl practices start on Monday with the game slated for 12:30 PM CT on Saturday, February 1st.