NFL waits on national champs as draft clock ticks … There’s a reason Alabama is again national champions after last night’s thrilling overtime win over SEC rival Georgia to win their 5th national title in the last 9 years and that’s talent. They recruit and then they send it to the pros. and while this Alabama team is probably not as strong as some of the recent Tide squads, Alabama will still be a force at the 2018 draft especially if, as expected, all, or at least most, the the program’s top underclassmen opt to enter the upcoming draft. Indeed, the NFL is eagerly awaiting word from over a half dozen Alabama juniors as to whether they intend to turn pro this winter including CB/FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, a potential top 5 pick for this year’s draft, along with fellow safety Ronnie Harrison, RBs Damien Harris and Bo Scarborough, WR Calvin Ridley, OG Ross Pierschbacher, NT D’ron Payne, and OLB Christian Miller. Meanwhile, the NFL is also waiting word from several Georgia underclassmen including OLB Roquan Smith and CB Deandre Baker, both of whom are considered to be first round prospects. To date, over 90 underclassmen have indicated in one or another that they will be entering the upcoming draft. And while most of the top names other than those from Alabama and Georgia have already announced, there are still a number of top prospects who have yet to declare including RBs Derrius Guice of LSU and Stanford’s Bryce Love, Clemson DEs Clelin Ferrell and Austin Bryant, LSU C Will Clapp, Ohio State DT Dre’Mont Jones, Virginia Tech OLB Tremaine Edmunds, Southern Cal MLB Cam Smith and Stanford FS Justin Reid. Here’s the full list of who’s in and who’s out in terms of underclassmen declaring for the upcoming draft.
