The Alabama Crimson Tide are the gold standard when it comes to developing prospects for the NFL Draft. There’s no denying this because it’s completely fact based.

Beginning with the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tide have produced 73 picks — 16 more than LSU, which has the second most picked in that span. It culminated last month when Alabama set an NFL Draft record with an astonishing 12 players selected, including 4 in the 1st round. (Those 12 aren’t included in the database above.)

Considering how well the Tide have continued to recruit under Nick Saban, that production likely won’t end any time soon, and once again the team is loaded with future draft picks.

So who are the top 10 draft prospects going into the 2018 season? Quick disclaimer, we’re including guys who aren’t yet eligible for the draft, so there are some true sophomores on the list. Also remember, this is Alabama – trying to narrow this list to 10 means there’s dozens of other legitimate NFL prospects left off.

10. RB Najee Harris

Harris, a rising sophomore, looks a lot like a younger version of Damien Harris, only with more size at 6-2, 230 pounds. He has a powerful frame and can be brutally tough to bring down, especially for those who try and arm tackle or bring him down above the waist. Like Damien, he shows good vision and the ability to make one cut and get upfield and into the second level, where his size and power present an enormous mismatch for most safeties and corners.

He doesn’t have the same kind of burst or open field speed that Damien possesses, and he tends to run high, which isn’t all that surprising given his height. He’s an underrated receiver out of the backfield, generally showing pretty soft hands, and made improvements throughout his freshman year as a blocker. Overall, with his size, power, vision and athleticism, he has a skill set that should translate well to the NFL when he’s eligible in April 2020.

9. QB Tua Tagovailoa

I caught some flak for including Tagovailoa among the list of top QBs in the SEC, and it’s understandable considering how little we’ve seen of him at the helm of the starting unit going against elite defenses. With that said, his overall skill set projects very nicely to the NFL because of his arm strength, ball placement, touch, poise and feel in the pocket. He’s a good athlete who can avoid pressure in the pocket, pick up first downs with his feet and make throws on the run.

The two things I imagine the coaching staff will continue to prioritize with him are decision making – having a bit too much confidence in his arm and his ability to put it in a tight window – and his delivery. He has a relatively quick release, but if he can shorten his long, windup delivery, he’ll be able to get the ball out even quicker, which combined with his plus accuracy will make him a nightmare to defend.

8. ILB Dylan Moses

Moses, another rising sophomore, is a former mega recruit whose athleticism has been the stuff of legend years preceding his arrival on campus. Like Mack Wilson, his skill set is perfectly crafted for today’s game, showing the speed, instincts, range and playmaking ability needed for the pass happy offenses prevalent throughout college and pro ball. He has good size at 6-3, 235 with a frame that can easily pack on more muscle without sacrificing speed or quickness, which he’ll need to get better inside run fits against the more powerful interior linemen he’ll be facing.

He’s still raw mechanically and his instincts are still improving as he gains more experience – all normal considering his age. His upside is enormous though because he shows the potential to be a complete LB who can play the inside and outside run, rush the passer from the edge and A/B gaps, and cover TEs and RBs in man and zone. It’s hard to imagine there are very many LBs with more upside looking ahead to the 2020 NFL Draft.

7. C Ross Pierschbacher

Pierschbacher, a rising senior, is a highly versatile player with the athleticism and skill set to play numerous positions up front. After starring at LG the past three years, he’ll now slide over to the pivot, which I think might be his best overall position and where he’ll likely play in the NFL. At 6-4, 300 he doesn’t have overwhelming size or strength, but he plays with good leverage and takes smart angles, with technically sound play that lets him take advantage of sometimes bigger and more powerful defensive linemen.

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He shows decent lateral mobility to chip, scrape, trap, pull and get to the second level. He can succeed in a man blocking scheme in the NFL, but I think he’s best suited for a zone-heavy scheme. He’s highly reliable in pass protection, showing good shuffle and communication skills with the other linemen, allowing them to adapt and pick up stunts and blitzing LBs. His leadership skills and mobility will make him an ideal fit at center.

6. OLB Anfernee Jennings

Jennings, coming off a knee injury in the playoff game against Clemson, is a gifted pass rusher who has the ability to rush either side from a 2- or 3-point stance, giving him the flexibility to play OLB or DE at the next level. Honestly, I prefer him with his hand on the ground because I think he has a better get-off and rushes with better leverage, so I think weakside DE in a 4-3 defense is his best fit. At 6-3, 266 he shows a nice blend of quickness and strength with the ability to convert speed to power and flip his hips getting after the QB.

As effective as he’s been, he’s still improving his repertoire of rush moves, which will come with more experience and coaching. His burst upfield, particularly when coming out of a 3-point stance, forces OTs to overcompensate, which opens things up for an inside counter. He shows good flexibility and the ability to dip underneath and run the arc, which should translate well to the next level.

5. DE Isaiah Buggs

Buggs, a rising senior, didn’t get the recognition he probably deserved for the season he played last year, which is a bit understandable considering the amount of star power that defense had, but I think that should change this year as he takes on more of a leadership role. He’s as reliable and consistent as they come in defensive linemen, which makes the jobs of everyone around him easier. He’s brutally powerful at the point of attack with a punch that jars linemen, which makes shedding off to the ball painless.

He’s an underrated athlete who moves well, showing good lateral quickness and mobility – and has a high football IQ, understanding situational awareness and reacting quickly to the ball. He doesn’t appear to be quite on the same level as Raekwon Davis athletically (very few are), but he shows a bit more polish in his game. He has the versatility to play either inside or outside of an even or odd front at the next level.

4. ILB Mack Wilson

Wilson, a rising junior, reminds me a bit of Roquan Smith in terms of speed, range and cover skills. He’s quick to read and react, can click and close and chase down ball carriers in the open field. He’s at his best in coverage, where his awareness and lateral mobility put him in position to make plays more often than not, and shows the strength to cover TEs down the seam and the speed to cover RBs out of the backfield. He’s also a well-known playmaker with a knack for coming up with a big INT when his team needs it most.

He’s not bad in terms of ability to stack and shed, though he needs to get stronger and more powerful to better enforce the run game between the tackles – especially when he’s at the next level. Overall, he’s a fast, instinctive and rangy linebacker well suited for the modern game, where LBs are asked to do more in space and cover more often than in years past. He’s a dynamic player who I anticipate will rise quickly up draft boards if he plays to his potential this fall.

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3. RB Damien Harris

I’m a huge fan of Harris and think he’ll be one of the first RBs off the board next April. The 5-11, 225-pound rising senior is a complete back who has the power to run inside but also the burst and speed to pick up chunk yardage off the perimeter. He displays good balance, vision and patience, with the ability to read the defense, trust the blocking, make one cut and explode into the second level, where he simply overpowers DBs.

Harris is also an above average blocker and an underrated receiver, giving him the ability to play all 3 downs in the NFL. Overall, I really like his skill set and how it should translate. And given that he’s constantly been playing in a loaded backfield and splitting carries, he still has plenty of tread left on the tires – something that won’t be lost on NFL scouts.

2. LT Jonah Williams

This kid has been the best lineman on the best team in all of college football the past two years and that trend will very likely continue again this fall. The 6-5, 300-pounder is an above average athlete for the position with quick feet, a fluid shuffle, the ability to mirror in pass protection and the strength in his base to generate a push drive blocking. He’s a gifted blindside protector who displays the skills to play on either side of the line and potentially inside at OG or C if need be, displaying unique versatility.

Some think he’s destined for RT at the next level — I don’t buy that though. I believe he has the feet and enough length to protect the blindside in the NFL, and play the position at Pro Bowl-caliber level. I think the SEC has the two best OT prospects in the entire 2019 NFL Draft class (Greg Little of Ole Miss being the other), but I like Williams’ game the most, so in my opinion he’ll contend for the first selected at his position next April, should he choose to declare early (which he should, if he’s healthy).

1. DE Raekwon Davis

Davis is a truly special talent given his athletic ability and size (6-7, 310). The way he moves simply doesn’t seem possible given his stature, and he carries his weight exceptionally well on a staggering frame. He has a nice first step and plays with good leverage against the run and pass — not easy for a man of his length. His hands are already well above average and it’s scary to think how effective he’ll be as he continues refining his rush technique.

He has the power at the point of attack to neutralize the biggest and strongest OTs, gets good placement and extension with his long arms and can shed off to the ball gap after reading the play. His versatility is a strength as he can literally play anywhere along the line in nearly any scheme. He’s a physical specimen who I think will warrant top-10 consideration next April, and should be considered one of the best defensive line prospects in a historically talented defensive line class for the 2019 NFL Draft.