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Ranking the NFL prospects in the national championship game
By John Brasier
Published:
Many of the top players in Monday’s national championship game will go on to an NFL career.
Alabama and Clemson could combine for as many as seven first-round selections in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft.
Here’s a ranking of the draft-eligible players who will be on the field — Clemson QB Deshaun Watson won’t be eligible until next year.
1. Shaq Lawson, DE/OLB, Clemson (6-foot-3, 270 pounds, Jr.): A big, fierce pass rusher, Lawson is a force on the edge. The only real question is where will he play? He’s big enough to play end in a 4-3, but some teams may be interested in trying him at outside linebacker.
2. Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama (6-2, 252, Sr.): Ragland is especially tough against the run. His size, strength and ability to get off blocks, make it difficult for opponents to run up the middle. His pass coverage improved this season, helping him move up in the draft.
3. Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson (5-11, 195, RS Soph.): Physical and capable of playing man-to-man coverage against top receivers, he’s aggressive and often gets in the face of receivers. Some scouts rate him among the first six picks while others place him in the middle of the first round.
4. A’Shawn Robinson, DE/DT, Alabama (6-4, 312, Jr.): The huge and powerful defender plugs the middle and stops the run better than any other lineman in the nation, according to pro scouts. He’s not a great pass rusher, so that will drop him down into the middle of the first round.Allen 29, Reed 30
5. Jarran Reed, DE/DT, Alabama (6-4, 313, Sr.): Another massive, strong defensive lineman, Reed can play anywhere on the defensive line. Like Robinson, he’s tough against the run and exceptionally difficult to move out of the hole.
6. Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson (6-1, 195, Jr.): An excellent pass defender who can fight for the ball with tall receivers, Tankersley is also tough against the run.
7. Jonathan Allen, DE/OLB, Alabama (6-3, 283, Jr.): While Robinson and Reed clog the middle, Allen gets to the quarterback. He has the size and strength to play tackle, but he makes a bigger impact on the end rushing the passer. His amazing quickness allows him to make tackles in pursuit.
8. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama (6-3, 242, Jr.): The Heisman Trophy winner has a unique combination of size, power and speed. He runs over and through defenders. When Henry breaks free, he has breakaway speed. He has proven his durability, but many teams are hesitant to use first-round picks on running backs. Most mock drafts list him as a late first-round or early second-round pick. As a Heisman winner, he’s likely to go earlier than expected.
9. Jordan Leggett, TE/H-back, Clemson (6-5, 255, Jr.): The Tigers tight end is valuable as a blocker and a receiver. Though his size might indicate otherwise, Leggett can also be effective lining up wide. He has very good hands and provides a great third-down target. Most scouts project him in the second round.
10. Tim Williams, 3-4 OLB, Alabama (6-4, 230, Jr.): Though some scouts believe Williams is a raw talent with untapped potential, his speed on the edge makes him a threat to opposing quarterbacks.
11. Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson (6-1, 215, RS Soph.): What many scouts like most about Gallman is his ability to pull away from defenders. He’s got the size and shiftiness to gain yardage inside. Give him an opening and he can burst through it for big yardage. If he enters the draft, he could go as high as the second round.
12. Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson (6-5, 220, Jr.): Very aggressive, sometimes taking risks, Kearse is big enough to take on the biggest ball carriers. He also has good speed for his size to help out on deep routes and makes consistent plays on the ball.
13. Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama (6-0, 194, Jr.): A former cornerback, Jackson has superior coverage ability for a safety — he makes it extremely difficult for opponents to get behind the Tide defense. He’s also an excellent open-field tackler.
14. O.J. Howard, TE/H-back, Alabama (6-6, 242, Jr.): Though he’s never had great pass receiving stats, Howard has tremendous athletic ability and could be an excellent target over the middle.
15. Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama (5-10, 196, Sr.): A playmaker on defense and special teams, Jones’ small size makes his run defense a question in the NFL. Though he’s been outstanding in college, he could have trouble with tall receivers.
16. Reuben Foster, 4-3 OLB, Alabama (6-1, 240, Jr.): Another athletic Tide defender, Foster has also proven himself as a ferocious special teams contributor. He’s eligible for the draft, but expected to return as the leader of the Tide defense. The knock on Foster is his lack of height.
17. Jake Coker, QB, Alabama (6-5, 232, Sr.): Coker has NFL size and a strong arm. There’s a sense he hasn’t lived up to his potential, fueled by his inability to beat out Blake Sims after transferring from Florida State. Some NFL teams are likely to believe he has potential to develop his skills further.
18. Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama (6-1, 210, Sr.): Fast and versatile, Drake can be a featured runner or an outstanding receiver out of the backfield. Playing behind the Heisman Trophy winner shouldn’t hurt his stock with NFL scouts, though he hasn’t shown that he’s durable enough to handle a full workload.
19. Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama (6-5, 297, Sr.): Kelly’s intelligence and leadership are unquestioned. It’s his size and strength that worry some NFL scouts.
20. Geno Smith, S/Nickel, Alabama (6-0, 196, Sr.): Another former cornerback, he’s versatile and was third on the Tide in tackles if suspect in tackling in the open field.
21. Dominick Jackson, T, Alabama (6-6, 315, Sr.): Though his technique has been criticized, Jackson has enormous size and forces pass rushers away from the pocket.
