Who to watch when #2 Dawgs play #4 Tide … Every once in a while there’s a college football that just has a national championship feel and Saturday’s titanic SEC match-up between 2nd ranked Georgia and #4 Alabama which kicks off at 7:30 PM ET on ABC Saturday evening has all that feel. And why not as the two schools have combined to win three of the 4 previous national titles as well as 5 of the last 9 and 8 of the past 15. As well, as if there wasn’t enough drama surrounding this game already it also features a head-to-head match-up between two of the top QB prospects for the 2025 draft in the Bulldogs’ Carson Beck (#15, 6-3, 220) and Jalen Milroe (#4, 6-2, 220). Beck, for example, could ultimately get some consideration to be the first player selected next April, while Milroe, an athletic dual-threat type, is currently one of the hot prospects in this year’s draft class.
Not surprisingly, though, both teams are loaded with prospects at other positions. Georgia, in particular, appears to be on pace to be one of the dominant teams at the 2025 draft as Beck could be joined in next year’s opening round by safety Malachi Starks (#24, 6-0, 205), one of the most dynamic impact defenders in college football, while the Bulldogs best prospect could actually ultimately be DE Mykel Williams (#13, 6-5, 265), who has all the tools to be the next great pass-rusher in the NFL; Williams, though, has been dealing with a foot injury and likely will be a game-time decision. The Bulldogs also feature one of the best offensive lines in the country anchored by LT Earnest Greene (#71, 6-4, 320), another possible first rounder next fall, while OG Dylan Fairchild (#53, 6-4, 315) and RT Xavier Truss (73, 6-6, 320) have mid-round potential. Same for RB Travis Etienne (#1, 5-9, 205), DT Nazir Stackhouse (#78, 6-3, 320), LB Smael Mondon (#2, 6-2, 235), WR Dominic Lovett (#6, 5-10, 190) and TEs Oscar Delp (#4, 6-4, 245) and Ben Yurosek (#84, 6-4, 245).
Unlike Georgia which is actually a relatively experienced team, Alabama is relatively young with just a handful of seniors. And truth be told, 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 this coming April as no one on the roster is considered to be a lock at this time to be selected in the opening round in 2025. Even QB Milroe, who is clearly the Tide’s best prospect at this time isn’t quite yet a lock. 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), DTs Jaheim Oatis (#10, 6-5, 325) and 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 as he’s averaging almost 30 yards a catch thru the Tide’s first three games.
