Alabama Takeaways From Day 1 of the NFL Draft

For the second straight yr, Alabama tied an NFL Draft file. Whereas the Crimson Tide didn’t match final season’s six first-round choices, Evan Neal and Jameson Williams each heard their names known as Thursday night time. That prolonged Alabama’s streak to 14 straight years with a first-round decide, matching Miami’s file set from 1995 by 2008.

After being projected because the No. 1 general decide earlier this yr, Neal ended up at No. 7 to the New York Giants, whereas Williams went to the Detriot Lions 5 picks later. These two choices have been upstaged by a blockbuster commerce that ought to arrange Jalen Hurts for achievement subsequent season.

Right here’s a breakdown of how Thursday night time went from an Alabama perspective.

Hurts will get one other big-time goal

Hurts could have one of many NFL’s high receiving corps at his disposal subsequent season. The largest storyline Thursday night time got here because the Philadelphia Eagles traded for A.J. Brown, buying the star receiver from the Tennessee Titans for the 18th and a hundred and first general picks.

Throughout his three seasons within the NFL, Brown has recorded 185 receptions for two,995 yards and 24 touchdowns. The previous Ole Miss standout was within the remaining yr of his rookie contract and can signal a four-year, $100 million cope with the Eagles.

Final yr, Philadelphia paired Hurts with former Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith, drafting the Heisman Trophy winner with the tenth decide of the draft. Smith didn’t disappoint, recording 64 receptions for 916 yards and 5 touchdowns throughout his rookie season.

Hurts is getting into his third yr with the Eagles after being chosen as a second-round decide in 2020. Throughout his first full season because the beginning quarterback final yr, he accomplished 61.3% of his passes for 3,144 yards and 16 touchdowns with 9 interceptions whereas including 784 yards and 10 extra scores on the bottom. He’ll be anticipated to enhance these passing numbers this season after being supplied with what needs to be one of many league’s high receiving tandems.

Neal suffers a slight slide

Following reviews that some groups have been nervous about potential points along with his hip and knee earlier this week, Neal slid out of the highest 5 picks, falling to the Giants at No. 7 general. The Alabama lineman was the second deal with to return off the board, following N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu, who went one decide earlier to the Carolina Panthers.

Later within the night time, Giants normal supervisor Joe Schoen addressed Neal’s harm issues, stating that 8% of the league had issues with him but that team doctors felt fine with his status moving forward.

Schoen also said the plan is to play Neal at right tackle as 2020 first-round decide Andrew Thomas is at present manning the left deal with place for the Giants. Neal has current expertise on the proper deal with place, taking part in there throughout Alabama’s title-winning season in 2020.

Apply reps in New York can be attention-grabbing

Earlier than selecting Neal, the Giants chosen Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux with the No. 5 general decide. That figures to make for a couple of attention-grabbing rookie conversations transferring ahead.

Thibodeaux made headlines in January when he defined his resolution to choose Oregon over Alabama within the 2019 class. The five-star defender went on to incorrectly use the phrase “stigmatism” when making an attempt to check with the destructive notion of schooling at Alabama. That wasn’t all. Thibodeaux additionally spoke about previous reps in opposition to Neal throughout their recruiting days, stating that he received the higher of the five-star lineman.

“After I’m seeing the O-line D-line battles, Nolan Smith and Evan Neal, these are the identical battles we had at The Opening,” Thibodeaux mentioned in January. “And personally, I used to be killing them. I’m simply speaking details. You possibly can look this up. I don’t make this up.”

Video highlights of these camps present a special story. Nonetheless, the 2 will now get the chance to settle the rating on the sphere in New York. It looks as if they’re already planning to placed on a present.

Williams goes behind former Ohio State teammates

Williams noticed his former Ohio State vast receiver teammates Garrett Wilson and Chis Olave come off the board earlier than him on the No. 10 and No. 11 picks respectively. Nonetheless, the Alabama receiver didn’t have to attend too lengthy after that as Detroit traded again into the primary spherical to pick out him at No. 12 general.

After taking Michigan edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson No. 2 general, the Lions gave the thirty second, thirty fourth and 66th picks to the Minnesota Vikings for the No. 12 decide and the No. 46 decide.

“I see myself being an enormous a part of this offense,” Williams informed reporters through MLive following the choice. “Clearly, they took an opportunity on me, they’ve religion that we are able to do massive issues. I’m simply right here to indicate my playmaking capacity and we are able to change issues round, for certain.”

After transferring to Alabama from Ohio State final summer time, Williams completed as a Biletnikoff Award finalist, main the Crimson Tide with 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns by the air. The speedster may need been the primary vast receiver off the board had he not suffered an ACL harm through the nationwide championship sport in January.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Williams can be cleared to run full velocity by July. Williams has beforehand said that he’s aiming to be able to return to the sphere for coaching camp. The Lions may additionally elect to play issues secure and place him on the physically-unable-to-perform checklist earlier than bringing him again after Week 6 of the season.

At any time when Williams will get on the sphere, he ought to kind a gifted younger receiving duo with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who recorded 90 receptions for 912 yards and 5 touchdowns throughout his rookie season final yr.