Despite not reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019 and just the second time since the Playoff's introduction in 2014, Alabama still had a roster loaded with NFL-caliber talent. Those players have now finished their respective careers for the Crimson Tide. They will now move on to bigger and better things on Sunday afternoons via the NFL Draft.
With the draft order for the first half of the first round set, we can begin to get a picture of who might be taken where. For the purposes of this hypothetical, we're going to assume that on draft night, no deal has been struck with the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick, and that they hold it. Even though, I readily admit that might not end up being the case.
There are currently three players from Alabama expected to be taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Here's where they may find themselves drafted in a few months.
3. Brian Branch, DB- Packers, 15th overall
Brian Branch proved to be exactly the kind of defensive back Nick Saban drools over. He has a commanding presence in the secondary coupled with positional versatility and excellent tackling skills. You would have to think Branch will go pretty high. He can fit in either as a nickel corner or a safety. There are plenty of teams with that need that may be interested in him.
The team I currently think would be best positioned to pick him at the moment would be the Green Bay Packers at 15th overall. They need help on the back end, and are well equipped to capitalize if prospects like Georgia's Kelee Ringo and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon are off the board, which is likely.
2. Will Anderson, EDGE- Cardinals, 3rd overall
Will Anderson has been one of the most dominant pass rushers in the country for each of the past three seasons. He looks like one of the best edge prospects we've seen come out of college over the last decade or so. He's got elite speed and hands, and has the knack for getting to the passer that you just can't coach into a player.
Anderson is a player the Bears would certainly consider at first overall, but they would probably be best served by taking Georgia's Jalen Carter to cover the interior of their defensive line. With J.J. Watt retired, the Cardinals certainly need the talent on the edge. Anderson provides them with plenty of that, and may just turn out to be something truly special at the NFL level.
1. Bryce Young, QB- Texans, 2nd overall
Remember how I said we were assuming that the Bears keep the first overall pick of the NFL Draft? That was purely so I didn't have to speculate on which team would actually make the trade and select Bryce Young. If someone does trade for the first pick, it's very likely to be so they can take Young.
If the Bears stay at first overall, like we're assuming here, then the Houston Texans would probably sprint their card up and place it directly in Roger Goodell's hands. They are a team starved for a franchise quarterback in the wake of Deshaun Watson's departure.
Bryce Young has all the tools to be that guy. The mobility, the arm, the sixth sense on where to put the ball that everyone has been searching for in quarterbacks since they first laid eyes on Patrick Mahomes. Bryce Young has it all.
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