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Ranking NFL prospects: Clear to see why Tide is heavily favored over Gators
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Just look at the top NFL prospects from both schools and you’ll see why Alabama is a prohibitive 18-point favorite to defeat Florida in the SEC Championship Game Saturday in Atlanta. Granted, the best player on the field arguably will be wearing a Gators jersey, but in the big picture, the Crimson Tide have a sizable advantage.
Here’s a breakdown of future NFL stars in Saturday’s game:
The best: Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves III
Florida junior CB Vernon Hargreaves III is not only regarded as one of the elite players on the field Saturday, but in the nation as well. Hargreaves is a no-doubt high first-rounder. He can do it all, from quickness and balance off the line of scrimmage to blanket coverage and the physical ability to tackle in the open field.
But Hargreaves also provides run support with an aggressive and uninhibited path to the ballcarrier. He was first-team All-SEC as a freshman and has only gotten better from there, earning many publications’ first-team All-American status as a sophomore.
The best group: Studs all over Alabama’s defense
Studs? They’re everywhere on that Crimson Tide defense, which ranks No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 in the country.
Junior DL A’Shawn Robinson (6-4, 315) is a beast up front. With 39 tackles this season and seven for losses, Robinson bolsters perhaps the top defensive line in the country. We wasted little time making his presence felt at Alabama, being named first-team freshman All-American in 2013.
He is one of two Alabama defenders projected to go in the first round of the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft. The other is senior LB Reggie Ragland. A 6-2, 250-pounder, Ragland far and away leads the Tide in tackles this season with 90, including a team-high 51 solo tackles. He has recorded 6.5 tackles for losses, including 2.5 sacks and forced two fumbles.
Some feel that senior DL Jarran Reed (6-4, 313) could go in the first round as well. He posted 55 tackles a year ago, which was the most by an Alabama defensive lineman since 2007. He has at least one more game to surpass that this season. Entering Saturday’s SEC Championship Game, Reed has 50 tackles, including 3.5 for losses. He has one sack this year and also recovered a fumble.
Rounding out the quartet of elite defenders on Alabama’s side of the field is junior DL Jonathan Allen. At 6-3, 290, Allen is a 2014 first-team All-SEC selection has done nothing but get better. He leads the Tide in sacks (9) and tackles for loss (11.5) and approaches every snap of the ball with bad intentions. Junior LB Ryan Anderson and senior CB Cyrus Jones also get the attention of NFL scouts.
The likely Heisman Trophy winner
What more needs to be said about Alabama RB Derrick Henry? All he’s done this season is lead the nation in rushing with 1,797 yards. The Heisman Trophy frontrunner leads the SEC with 22 rushing touchdowns and 132 points scored, which is also second in the nation. He’s rushed for 200-plus yards in four games this season, including a season-high 271 yards last week in the Iron Bowl game against Auburn. To say he will be a factor on Saturday would be a huge understatement.
In addition, Alabama boasts another handful of potential high-round draft choices on offense. Among them are junior TE O.J. Howard, as well as senior RB Kenyan Drake and senior C Ryan Kelly.
Gators to keep an eye on
A couple of Florida prospects could play a factor on Saturday, however their status remains uncertain. Senior DE Jonathan Bullard is a potential first-rounder. At 6-foot3 and 283 pounds, Bullard has piled up 52 tackles this season. He is the team leader in tackles for losses (16) and sacks (5.5). Bullard had suffered a knee injury but is probable for Saturday’s game.
NFL prospect WR Demarcus Robinson was suspended for last week’s game with Florida State but has been reinstated. Robinson leads the Gators with 46 pass receptions and is second on the team with 503 yards.
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
