2021 NFL Draft Prospects from the State of Alabama

Year in and year out, the State of Alabama is well represented on NFL Draft night. The Yellow Hammer state is home to some of the best programs in College Football. Obviously there is the Alabama Crimson Tide who needs no introduction and the Auburn Tigers who produce no shortage of next-level talent. But the state is also well represented in College Football’s “mid-major” division, with UAB and Troy consistently being towards the top of Conference USA and the Sun Belt Conference respectively. Despite the crazy circumstances College Football programs had to play through this year, it has been business as usual in Sweet Home Alabama.

The Alabama Crimson Tide had as good of a season as you can hope for: going 13-0, winning the SEC Championship, and then going on to win the National Championship for the 18th time in school history. This success clearly highlights the level of talent that the Tide had on the field this year. Let’s take a look at some of the highest rated prospects coming from Tuscaloosa this year:

Devonta Smith:

Devonta had one of the best seasons a wide receiver has ever had: 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also is only the fourth wide receiver to ever win the Heisman Trophy. Despite Smith’s size, he put on a clinic for every defense he played against.

Jaylen Waddle:

Despite missing a good chunk of the season due to an ankle injury, Jaylen still made a mark this season. He recorded 28 receptions for 591 yards and four touchdowns. Waddle is also one of the best punt/kick returners in this year’s draft. His speed makes him lethal in the open field.

Najee Harris:

Najee is arguably one of the best running backs in this class. His combination of speed and power makes him hard to bring down and he was such a weapon for Alabama and a big part of their success on offense this season. Harris put up 251 attempts for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns this season. He also showed his abilities as a dual-purpose back recording 43 receptions for for 425 yards and four touchdowns.

The Auburn Tigers season could have been better. The Tigers finished with a 6-5 record that left many Auburn fans wondering what the future looks like for the program. Despite the disappointing showing from the team this season, the Tigers still had some guys who will be playing on Sundays when next fall rolls around.

Jamien Sherwood:

Jamien is a terrific run defender and has a pop in his tackle. His size makes him a good matchup against tight ends. Sherwood is a good low-hole player in the zone.

Seth Williams:

Seth was Auburn’s best option when passing the ball this season. He recorded 47 receptions for 760 yards and four touchdowns. Williams does not get as much attention as he deserves due to all of the other big name receivers in this class, but has shown next level potential duri ng his time with the Tigers.

It will be interesting to see how many guys who played out their College Football careers with Alabama programs get drafted this season. There will be a lot of interest in the 2021 NFL Draft throughout the state.