This another one of those SEC elimination type games as both teams have a loss, each would have a long way back to get to the CFP playoff with a second one and still close to half the season to play. And speaking of QBs under pressure this weekend, that’s where the Tide’s Jalen Milroe (#4, 6-2, 220) will be this weekend playing against a quality SEC opponent on the road. Milroe, an athletic dual-threat type, has been one of the hot prospects in this year’s draft class, but last weekend against South Carolina looked more like a great athlete playing the position rather than necessarily a poised passer as he threw a couple of picks. And truth be told, if Milroe were to slip out of this coming April’s opening round, Alabama’s record streak of having at least one player selected in the first round for 17 straight years could very well be in some jeopardy as no one on the roster is considered to be a lock at this time to be selected in the opening round in 2025. However, what Alabama does have is a solid group of early to mid second-day type prospects including OG Tyler Booker (#52, 6-4, 325), C Parker Brailsford (#72, 6-2, 290), MLB Jihaad Campbell (#11, 6-2, 245), ER Deontae Lawson (#0, 6-2, 240), safeties Keon Sabb (#3, 6-1, 210) and Malachi Moore (#13, 6-0, 205), DT Tim Smith (#50, 6-3, 315), and TE CJ Dippre (#81, 6-5, 265). Booker, Brailsford, Campball, Sabb and Moore are each among the top prospects at their respective positions; however, they all play positions that are not usually considered high-value at the draft. Meanwhile, scouts will also be keeping an eye on freshman WR Ryan Williams (#2, 6-0, 175), who won’t be draft eligible for several more years, but has already shown some big play ability.
For its part, Tennessee has at least one elitish prospect in DE/ER James Pearce (#27, 6-5, 245), who was considered to be one of the top 2-3 non-QB prospects for 2025 entering the season after posting 10 sacks last year as a largely situational pass rusher, but is off to something of a slow start this fall with just a couple. The Vols also feature one of the better OGs in the country in rugged Javontez Spraggins (#76, 6-3, 330), who has at least some second-day potential, while WRs Bru McCoy (#5, 6-3, 230) and Squirrel White (#3, 5-9, 170), C Cooper Mays (#63, 6-3, 310), and RT John Campbell (#74, 6-5, 330) all have mid-round possibilities. Of course, the Vols are also led by sophomore QB Nico Iamaleava (#8, 6-3, 220) one of the best young QBs in the country, although he won’t be draft eligible until 2026.
