Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick is going to the NFL. As Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams reports, Fitzpatrick has decided to forgo his final season of eligibility in college to enter the 2018 NFL draft, where he is expected to be one of the top defensive players selected.
Despite playing just three years at Tuscaloosa, Fitzpatrick will likely go down as one of the best and most decorated players in Alabama program history, which is quite a feat. A starter since his freshman season, Fitzpatrick went an incredible 41-3 with three national title game appearances and two national titles during his glittering three-year college career.
Aside from winning another national title this season in dramatic fashion against Georgia, Fitzpatrick also took home the Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back, as well as the Bednarik Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive player. Fitzpatrick recorded 60 tackles, 1.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, and one interception in his final season at Alabama.
With his excellent athleticism, instincts, and football IQ, Fitzpatrick has the potential to play either shutdown corner or at free safety at the next level depending on his new team’s needs. Thanks to that terrific versatility, Fitzpatrick will likely be one of the most highly sought-after defensive prospects in the entire draft.
Among the teams drafting inside the top 10, the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, and Oakland Raiders could all be looking at Fitzpatrick to provide some much-needed help along the defensive backfield.
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