A Few Thoughts About The Alabama Draft Class.....

[Bill from NYC]

This is just a post to express my views on the Alabama players. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to present myself as any sort of expert. There ARE experts posting here. I have however watched every game that the following players participated in while they were in Tuscaloosa, so I do feel qualified to make a few observations to those who it might interest. These players are listed in random order:

 

1) Landon Dickerson (OC)

    Landon was hurt late in the season. This of course makes him harder to rate, so I'm basing my comments about a presumably healthy LD. He was a transfer from FSU, and wound up being a leader and team captain. He is VERY smart and works very hard. His teammates love him (I'm not sure how many saw him go in for the last 2 plays in the title game). He is a brute and isn't afraid of any defender. Imo, he will be available when we draft, maybe even in round 2 (only due to the injury). Imo he would be a HUGE asset to the Buffalo Bills.

Comparison: Nick Mangold

 

2) Jaylen Waddle (WR)

    If he didn't get injured, he was supposed to be the Tide's #1 receiver. He has clean breakaway speed, very good hands, and some of the best moves you will ever see. Before his injury, some of his teammates were calling him the best receiver in the world. Jaylen was impossible to cover, and could not be caught from behind. I saw a race between him and Henry Ruggs. He lost by less that a step. If he recovers from his injury, this kid will be shockingly good. I can't say enough about his moves, and all around ability.

 

3) Dylan Moses (ILB)

    Very smart player who called the signals in an extremely complicated Saban defense. He sat out 2019 due to injury and started slowly this season. He did get better as the year went on. He might be able to play all 3 LB positions, but I like him most in the middle. He's a physical player who can cover. He might slip into later rounds for health reasons. I don't know, but if he does drop, he would be an interesting selection.

 

4) Christian Barmore (DT)

     I consider him to be by far the most interesting player in this draft. This kid is a flat out beast. He is a predator and gives 100% on every play. For a kid his size he is extremely quick with his initial burst. He was impossible to run on and a very good pass rusher. Saban actually red shirted him as a freshman. He also suspended him for the 1st quarter of a game this year and wouldn't say why. Christian improved week to week and despite his paunch, seems to be in great condition. His ceiling is sky high. Could there be some risk? Maybe, but I truly hope not.  He plays angry and seems very emotional. I cannot stress enough how tough this kid is.

Comparison: Warren Sapp

 

5) Deonte Brown (OG)

    Weighed in at Senior Bowl at 364 pounds. You can imagine how effective he is on 4th and goal from the 1. Deonte is much improved from 2019. I thought that he would need to drop weight to do so but he actually got bigger. He looks like a player, but as a Bills Fan I have a case of Mike Williamsitis. My signature on this board was "Draft McKinney"  years ago, and as many of you recall, TD drafted Mike Williams, a 700 pound RT with an ankle injury, but I digress. Would he be a good pick in the mid rounds? Probably. 

 

6) Davonta Smith (WR)

    Absolutely GREAT hands, great moves, and deceptive speed with his long strides. Can grab anything near him, he's great at everything. He even blocks. Is he a diva? No way. He is a quiet, humble kid. Obviously, he is as good as it gets and he will go very early.

 

7) Alex Leatherwood (OT)

   This has to be a STACKED class for OTs. I think that AL would be at least a top 10 pick in many drafts. He is a smart offensive lineman with long, strong arms and is about equal on running and passing downs. He has all the agility he needs to be a fine NFL LT, and also has experience at RT. He too is  quiet kid and i can't picture him getting into trouble. Btw, he threw the key block on Tua's game winning TD pass in 2018, while filling in at LT due to injury. He will be an asset to any team, to include the Bills.

Comparison: Dion Dawkins

 

8 Mac Jones (QB)

    Another very smart player. VERY good ball placement, and great at determining who is covered and looking off him. He is calm, and focused. His teammates love him. As a freshman, he looked like a 15 year old skinny kid and sure did come a long way. He isn't the greatest athlete but he moves very well in the pocket. Not the best arm strength either but he gets the job done. The Bills have a great QB so there isn't a need, but if he drops WAY down (I doubt it), he would make a great backup.

 

9) Najee Harris (RB)

    Great vision, perfectly coordinated, strong as a bull! The kid is in fantastic condition, and is another very smart player. Developed into an exceptional receiver and he's a great blocker. Breakaway speed? No but he is everything else and would be an asset to any team, including the Bills. 

   

 

In summary, I'm very interested in Dickerson, Leatherwood, and yes....Barmore, knowing that DT is usually not the way to go. My thing is that if Barmore stays focused and out of trouble, he is a total game changer. He's THAT good imo but again, there MIGHT be risk.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by Bill from NYC

[atlbillsfan1975]

Bama has a ton of talent. I wonder if they get dinged a little because they are playing next to studs? Like, are you that good or is he that good? 
For some reason Beane hasn’t touched the Bama well in his previous 3 drafts, he has steered clear of OSU and Clemson players too. I’m trying to think who we have drafted since Beane has been here and what big time schools he has picked a player from. Who am I forgetting?

 

[Bill from NYC]

7 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Bama has a ton of talent. I wonder if they get dinged a little because they are playing next to studs? Like, are you that good or is he that good? 
For some reason Beane hasn’t touched the Bama well in his previous 3 drafts, he has steered clear of OSU and Clemson players too. I’m trying to think who we have drafted since Beane has been here and what big time schools he has picked a player from. Who am I forgetting?

 

Point well taken, yet Bama players have been contributing quite a bit lately at the pro level. 

[atlbillsfan1975]

32 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said:

Point well taken, yet Bama players have been contributing quite a bit lately at the pro level. 

Agreed. Saban is a master at evolving as times change. Look at the skill players he recruits now. He would always have one stud WR like Julio, now he has 3-4. 

[JimmyNoodles]

Picks at center and defensive tackle are intriguing for the Bills. Davonta Smith scares me becasue of his size.  He's a twig.    

[Southern_Bills]

Dickerson and Moses would be the 2 I'm most interested in. I think Dickerson could transform the whole attitude of the OL. Big dude that likes to be a brute, also does very well getting opponents to play emotional and lose composure.

[dorquemada]

I'm a huge Bama fan (also went to grad school there!  '92 team ftw!) so consider that in context of me being a fanboy.  Having said that, I think because of the near-NFL scale roster, and probably the best college coach of all time, Bama players tend to get over-drafted.  I'd take ANY of the players listed above, but several of them wont even be available at pick 30, much less in latter rounds. 

 

I would like to see Najee in a Bills uni though, we need a RB like we were told Moss was going to be, someone we can grind in the 2nd half and pick up clock moving 1st downs

[GunnerBill]

Waddle - good player. Lightening speed. Need to watch more of his tape but still 50/50 on whether he can play outside in the NFL. 

 

Smith - good all-around receiver. First round talent. Will go earlier than he should because of the class. I'd put him behind Jeudy, Ruggs and Waddle (if I conclude Waddle can play outside..... if I conclude he is a slot guy in the NFL then that puts Smith ahead on positional value). 

 

Moses - not watched much of. Strikes me as a late day 2 / early day 3 guy.

 

Dickerson - love him. Watch out for Baltimore late in the first and with a huge need at center. The definition of plug and play. 

 

Barmore - I like but not done a deep dive on him yet.

 

Harris - RB1 in this class. I have him graded similarly to Josh Jacobs a couple of years ago. I don't have a 1st on him because of positional value. I have to think a back is potentially elite to give him a first and I think Najee is very good but not elite. 

 

Brown - wouldn't draft if he was the last guard on earth. 

 

Leatherwood - would draft but not to play left tackle. He might be able to do get you out of a game there but to me he is Cody Ford. I am drafting him and trying him at RT first of all and if it doesn't quite work I think he can slide inside and play guard in a zone scheme.

 

Jones - I don't see a first rounder there though I suspect he might sneak into round 1 late. Somewhere on day 2 is where his talent level belongs.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by GunnerBill

[JohnC]

2 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

This is just a post to express my views on the Alabama players. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to present myself as any sort of expert. There ARE experts posting here. I have however watched every game that the following players participated in while they were in Tuscaloosa, so I do feel qualified to make a few observations to those who it might interest. These players are listed in random order:

 

1) Landon Dickerson (OC)

    Landon was hurt late in the season. This of course makes him harder to rate, so I'm basing my comments about a presumably healthy LD. He was a transfer from FSU, and wound up being a leader and team captain. He is VERY smart and works very hard. His teammates love him (I'm not sure how many saw him go in for the last 2 plays in the title game). He is a brute and isn't afraid of any defender. Imo, he will be available when we draft, maybe even in round 2 (only due to the injury). Imo he would be a HUGE asset to the Buffalo Bills.

Comparison: Nick Mangold

 

2) Jaylen Waddle (WR)

    If he didn't get injured, he was supposed to be the Tide's #1 receiver. He has clean breakaway speed, very good hands, and some of the best moves you will ever see. Before his injury, some of his teammates were calling him the best receiver in the world. Jaylen was impossible to cover, and could not be caught from behind. I saw a race between him and Henry Ruggs. He lost by less that a step. If he recovers from his injury, this kid will be shockingly good. I can't say enough about his moves, and all around ability.

 

3) Dylan Moses (ILB)

    Very smart player who called the signals in an extremely complicated Saban defense. He sat out 2019 due to injury and started slowly this season. He did get better as the year went on. He might be able to play all 3 LB positions, but I like him most in the middle. He's a physical player who can cover. He might slip into later rounds for health reasons. I don't know, but if he does drop, he would be an interesting selection.

 

4) Christian Barmore (DT)

     I consider him to be by far the most interesting player in this draft. This kid is a flat out beast. He is a predator and gives 100% on every play. For a kid his size he is extremely quick with his initial burst. He was impossible to run on and a very good pass rusher. Saban actually red shirted him as a freshman. He also suspended him for the 1st quarter of a game this year and wouldn't say why. Christian improved week to week and despite his paunch, seems to be in great condition. His ceiling is sky high. Could there be some risk? Maybe, but I truly hope not.  He plays angry and seems very emotional. I cannot stress enough how tough this kid is.

Comparison: Warren Sapp

 

5) Deonte Brown (OG)

    Weighed in at Senior Bowl at 364 pounds. You can imagine how effective he is on 4th and goal from the 1. Deonte is much improved from 2019. I thought that he would need to drop weight to do so but he actually got bigger. He looks like a player, but as a Bills Fan I have a case of Mike Williamsitis. My signature on this board was "Draft McKinney"  years ago, and as many of you recall, TD drafted Mike Williams, a 700 pound RT with an ankle injury, but I digress. Would he be a good pick in the mid rounds? Probably. 

 

6) Davonta Smith (WR)

    Absolutely GREAT hands, great moves, and deceptive speed with his long strides. Can grab anything near him, he's great at everything. He even blocks. Is he a diva? No way. He is a quiet, humble kid. Obviously, he is as good as it gets and he will go very early.

 

7) Alex Leatherwood (OT)

   This has to be a STACKED class for OTs. I think that AL would be at least a top 10 pick in many drafts. He is a smart offensive lineman with long, strong arms and is about equal on running and passing downs. He has all the agility he needs to be a fine NFL LT, and also has experience at RT. He too is  quiet kid and i can't picture him getting into trouble. Btw, he threw the key block on Tua's game winning TD pass in 2018, while filling in at LT due to injury. He will be an asset to any team, to include the Bills.

Comparison: Dion Dawkins

 

8 Mac Jones (QB)

    Another very smart player. VERY good ball placement, and great at determining who is covered and looking off him. He is calm, and focused. His teammates love him. As a freshman, he looked like a 15 year old skinny kid and sure did come a long way. He isn't the greatest athlete but he moves very well in the pocket. Not the best arm strength either but he gets the job done. The Bills have a great QB so there isn't a need, but if he drops WAY down (I doubt it), he would make a great backup.

 

9) Najee Harris (RB)

    Great vision, perfectly coordinated, strong as a bull! The kid is in fantastic condition, and is another very smart player. Developed into an exceptional receiver and he's a great blocker. Breakaway speed? No but he is everything else and would be an asset to any team, including the Bills. 

   

 

In summary, I'm very interested in Dickerson, Leatherwood, and yes....Barmore, knowing that DT is usually not the way to go. My thing is that if Barmore stays focused and out of trouble, he is a total game changer. He's THAT good imo but again, there MIGHT be risk.

 

 

Great capsule summary on the players. I don't know if Najee Harris will be there in the first round for us but he would be a terrific value and need selection. I would also be happy with OT Leatherwood as our first selection. 

 

For those who believe that because Gotham Bill is a devoted Bama fan that his evaluations are skewed toward over-evaluating that is a wrong. His assessments of Bama players as pro prospects are usually very accurate. When the Bills drafted OT Cyrus Kouandijo in the second round in 2014 he stated that it was a bad pick. He pointed out that he had slow feet and wasn't athletic enough. He proved to be correct.  

[Purplebulldog]

I live down here and have numerous contacts inside . Barmore is bad news, could be another lazy Dareaus, trust me on this. Rest of those guys are NFL ready. Id like Najee, but hope Beane could  work some magic and grab him in the 2nd. Still not a big fan of drafting RB in round 1.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Re Waddle, are the comps to Tyreek Hill accurate, or a stretch?  I don't watch much college football, but I have read that he compares favorably to Hill.  

[BillsShredder83]

2 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Re Waddle, are the comps to Tyreek Hill accurate, or a stretch?  I don't watch much college football, but I have read that he compares favorably to Hill.  

I cant exactly give my opinion on Waddle in this regard, but i think kedarius toney compares pretty well to hill.... likely a unpolished version, but i think he brings that skill set

[dave mcbride]

54 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

I'm a huge Bama fan (also went to grad school there!  '92 team ftw!) so consider that in context of me being a fanboy.  Having said that, I think because of the near-NFL scale roster, and probably the best college coach of all time, Bama players tend to get over-drafted.  I'd take ANY of the players listed above, but several of them wont even be available at pick 30, much less in latter rounds. 

 

I would like to see Najee in a Bills uni though, we need a RB like we were told Moss was going to be, someone we can grind in the 2nd half and pick up clock moving 1st downs

You know far more than I do about Bama, but in the bits I've seen of Harris, he looks a little ... slow. Am I wrong about that? 

[DCOrange]

2 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

I cant exactly give my opinion on Waddle in this regard, but i think kedarius toney compares pretty well to hill.... likely a unpolished version, but i think he brings that skill set

I think Toney will probably be a 4.45ish kinda guy though, whereas Hill is just a freak of nature speed guy. Toney is so damn good after the catch though.

2 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

You know far more than I do about Bama, but in the bits I've seen of Harris, he looks a little ... slow. Am I wrong about that? 

I would guess just from watching him he'd run somewhere in the 4.5's if there were an NFL Combine this year.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

1) Landon Dickerson (OC)

    Landon was hurt late in the season.

 

2) Jaylen Waddle (WR)

    If he didn't get injured

 

3) Dylan Moses (ILB)

    He might slip into later rounds for health reasons.

 

Thanks, Bill

 

Do you have any information on the injuries/health reasons?

 

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Re Waddle, are the comps to Tyreek Hill accurate, or a stretch?  I don't watch much college football, but I have read that he compares favorably to Hill.  

 

No I think there is something to that. It is whether he is as good outside as Hill. He can definitely do the slot and and motion plays similar to Hill. He could run bubble screens, sweeps, little pop passes, he can run downfield out of the slot, he can run those switch releases where he starts inside and then runs up the outside..... I think at this point Hill is a better outside receiver.... that is the one question I have on Waddle. I'm still digging into his tape. If I think he can do that well enough then I think he is a top 10/12 player in this class. 

Edited February 11, 2021 by GunnerBill

[RyanC883]

3 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

This is just a post to express my views on the Alabama players. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to present myself as any sort of expert. There ARE experts posting here. I have however watched every game that the following players participated in while they were in Tuscaloosa, so I do feel qualified to make a few observations to those who it might interest. These players are listed in random order:

 

1) Landon Dickerson (OC)

    Landon was hurt late in the season. This of course makes him harder to rate, so I'm basing my comments about a presumably healthy LD. He was a transfer from FSU, and wound up being a leader and team captain. He is VERY smart and works very hard. His teammates love him (I'm not sure how many saw him go in for the last 2 plays in the title game). He is a brute and isn't afraid of any defender. Imo, he will be available when we draft, maybe even in round 2 (only due to the injury). Imo he would be a HUGE asset to the Buffalo Bills.

Comparison: Nick Mangold

 

2) Jaylen Waddle (WR)

    If he didn't get injured, he was supposed to be the Tide's #1 receiver. He has clean breakaway speed, very good hands, and some of the best moves you will ever see. Before his injury, some of his teammates were calling him the best receiver in the world. Jaylen was impossible to cover, and could not be caught from behind. I saw a race between him and Henry Ruggs. He lost by less that a step. If he recovers from his injury, this kid will be shockingly good. I can't say enough about his moves, and all around ability.

 

3) Dylan Moses (ILB)

    Very smart player who called the signals in an extremely complicated Saban defense. He sat out 2019 due to injury and started slowly this season. He did get better as the year went on. He might be able to play all 3 LB positions, but I like him most in the middle. He's a physical player who can cover. He might slip into later rounds for health reasons. I don't know, but if he does drop, he would be an interesting selection.

 

4) Christian Barmore (DT)

     I consider him to be by far the most interesting player in this draft. This kid is a flat out beast. He is a predator and gives 100% on every play. For a kid his size he is extremely quick with his initial burst. He was impossible to run on and a very good pass rusher. Saban actually red shirted him as a freshman. He also suspended him for the 1st quarter of a game this year and wouldn't say why. Christian improved week to week and despite his paunch, seems to be in great condition. His ceiling is sky high. Could there be some risk? Maybe, but I truly hope not.  He plays angry and seems very emotional. I cannot stress enough how tough this kid is.

Comparison: Warren Sapp

 

5) Deonte Brown (OG)

    Weighed in at Senior Bowl at 364 pounds. You can imagine how effective he is on 4th and goal from the 1. Deonte is much improved from 2019. I thought that he would need to drop weight to do so but he actually got bigger. He looks like a player, but as a Bills Fan I have a case of Mike Williamsitis. My signature on this board was "Draft McKinney"  years ago, and as many of you recall, TD drafted Mike Williams, a 700 pound RT with an ankle injury, but I digress. Would he be a good pick in the mid rounds? Probably. 

 

6) Davonta Smith (WR)

    Absolutely GREAT hands, great moves, and deceptive speed with his long strides. Can grab anything near him, he's great at everything. He even blocks. Is he a diva? No way. He is a quiet, humble kid. Obviously, he is as good as it gets and he will go very early.

 

7) Alex Leatherwood (OT)

   This has to be a STACKED class for OTs. I think that AL would be at least a top 10 pick in many drafts. He is a smart offensive lineman with long, strong arms and is about equal on running and passing downs. He has all the agility he needs to be a fine NFL LT, and also has experience at RT. He too is  quiet kid and i can't picture him getting into trouble. Btw, he threw the key block on Tua's game winning TD pass in 2018, while filling in at LT due to injury. He will be an asset to any team, to include the Bills.

Comparison: Dion Dawkins

 

8 Mac Jones (QB)

    Another very smart player. VERY good ball placement, and great at determining who is covered and looking off him. He is calm, and focused. His teammates love him. As a freshman, he looked like a 15 year old skinny kid and sure did come a long way. He isn't the greatest athlete but he moves very well in the pocket. Not the best arm strength either but he gets the job done. The Bills have a great QB so there isn't a need, but if he drops WAY down (I doubt it), he would make a great backup.

 

9) Najee Harris (RB)

    Great vision, perfectly coordinated, strong as a bull! The kid is in fantastic condition, and is another very smart player. Developed into an exceptional receiver and he's a great blocker. Breakaway speed? No but he is everything else and would be an asset to any team, including the Bills. 

   

 

In summary, I'm very interested in Dickerson, Leatherwood, and yes....Barmore, knowing that DT is usually not the way to go. My thing is that if Barmore stays focused and out of trouble, he is a total game changer. He's THAT good imo but again, there MIGHT be risk.

 

 

 

Thanks.  Dickerson seems the most interesting to me.  Can  he play guard?  Brown is also intriguing.   

 

Wouldn't mind Harris, but I think he's gone by 30, same with Waddle.  Barmore seems like he will get picked too high for me relative to the risk and the other DT's available in the draft.  

Edited February 11, 2021 by RyanC883

[Albany,n.y.]

Back in the days when Mike Williams was playing RT I used to go to every game with Petrino & every time fat Mike messed up I'd turn to John & say to him "Should have drafted Mckinney"  

[Bill from NYC]

1 hour ago, Southern_Bills said:

Dickerson and Moses would be the 2 I'm most interested in. I think Dickerson could transform the whole attitude of the OL. Big dude that likes to be a brute, also does very well getting opponents to play emotional and lose composure.

Dickerson practiced against Barmore. That says something too.

[Bill from NYC]

2 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

Re Waddle, are the comps to Tyreek Hill accurate, or a stretch?  I don't watch much college football, but I have read that he compares favorably to Hill.  

If Waddle recovers 100% from his ankle injury, there is not a doubt in my mind that he will be a flat out star in the NFL. Again, he looks impossible to cover. He fakes people out of their shoes, is super fast, and has some of the best moves I have ever seen in my life. I'm not exagerating.

Edited February 11, 2021 by Bill from NYC