🏈 2017 NFL Draft Thread

Well, to be fair, those who have criticized Saban for "abusing" his players have done so with RB in mind on offense and defense more generally. I wonder if (a) the supposed complexity of Saban's defense is to blame for him "overusing" his starting defensive personnel, and if so, if (b) Pruitt's attempt to simplify the defense is an intentional effort to spread more defensive reps around to the reserve players, especially given the prominence of the HUNH.

Not sure the assumptions ever verify the reality. What running backs should we consider to have been overused? Derrick Henry's Heisman year is just about where the argument would start and end. And even then what did he do his freshman and sophomore year in actual reps? Is this abuse we're looking at an actual one-year sample size? Give me a program that features a strong pro set running game that ran their backs any less than Bama? LSU, Arkansas, Wisconsin? 2008 it was Coffee, Ingram, Upshaw and Grant. 2009, it was Ingram, Richardson, Upchurch, Grant, Goode. 2010 it was Richardson, Ingram, Lacy, Goode. You know who's been here. Except for Henry's junior campaign, which is only a one-year sample size, what are we doing with our guys at running back that's causing so much attrition at the next level?

On defense, I can only hope we continue to simplify the concepts and it probably has helped us get more guys on the field. Again, it's hard to over react when so many of our defensive guys have gone in the first and second rounds of the draft and more than a few have reached all-pro level. Hightower, Mosley, Collins, Clinton-Dix, Barron, Johnson, they don't look burned out to me.
 
Not sure the assumptions ever verify the reality. What running backs should we consider to have been overused? Derrick Henry's Heisman year is just about where the argument would start and end. And even then what did he do his freshman and sophomore year in actual reps? Is this abuse we're looking at an actual one-year sample size? Give me a program that features a strong pro set running game that ran their backs any less than Bama? LSU, Arkansas, Wisconsin? 2008 it was Coffee, Ingram, Upshaw and Grant. 2009, it was Ingram, Richardson, Upchurch, Grant, Goode. 2010 it was Richardson, Ingram, Lacy, Goode. You know who's been here. Except for Henry's junior campaign, which is only a one-year sample size, what are we doing with our guys at running back that's causing so much attrition at the next level?

On defense, I can only hope we continue to simplify the concepts and it probably has helped us get more guys on the field. Again, it's hard to over react when so many of our defensive guys have gone in the first and second rounds of the draft and more than a few have reached all-pro level. Hightower, Mosley, Collins, Clinton-Dix, Barron, Johnson, they don't look burned out to me.

To your point, does this writer even make sense?

How playing at Alabama may have actually hurt Jonathan Allen's draft stock

So..... Allen won't do as well in the PROs because of all the talent around him in COLLEGE?????!!!!!

Yeah, uh, recruits, don't come to 'Bama, it hurts you getting to the League in the long run.

SHEESH!!!!
 
To your point, does this writer even make sense?

How playing at Alabama may have actually hurt Jonathan Allen's draft stock

So..... Allen won't do as well in the PROs because of all the talent around him in COLLEGE?????!!!!!

Yeah, uh, recruits, don't come to 'Bama, it hurts you getting to the League in the long run.

SHEESH!!!!

I don't believe I've heard that one put just that way before. It may be hard to double team our guys, but if a GM believes what he see's on game day, I don't see how Allen would be punished for that. At best, I think the writer dude was sharing one of his pet theories with us. :-)

One thing that will be evident again when the draft is over, Alabama will be dominating this thing and has done so for a number of years. It's not going to stop anytime soon. The pecking order can change from year to year, but our players are going to the NFL and they will continue to do better than most because they are talented, well-coached guys. Some folks find that hard to live with.
 
Not sure the assumptions ever verify the reality. What running backs should we consider to have been overused?

I didn't make those assumptions. I just clarified since OJ was mentioned. I am however sympathetic to the view that our defensive starters have generally played more than necessary. But I think I get Saban's MO:

1. I can recruit and sign virtually anyone I want.
2. So I can make my scheme more complex and demanding than most.
3. Tell every blue chip that while they may not get many reps as a Fresh, the players ahead of them will likely be gone after their Jr year.
4. Thus, Saban gets a higher % of reps from experienced players than most other coaches who sub more often.
5. Quality recruits + scheme complexity + less subbing + an emphasis on offensive ball control = best defense.

But again, I think Saban and Pruitt are tweaking this a bit, due in large part to the trending offenses.
 
Haven't heard much talk....do we expect Eddie Jackson to be drafted?

If so, and assuming Tim Williams and Ardarius Stewart will certainly go, that would give us 10. Miami holds the all time record with 11 players taken.
 
We could tie the record if Deiter somehow goes in the 7th or the long snapper. If Hamilton would have came out we would have had 11. Hand, Evans, or Bozeman could have entered the draft and been taken to tie the record or surpass it. We definitely will get 10. Jackson, Stewart, Williams will all go.
 
I didn't think Stewart would get a call the first 3 rounds. Thought Eddie would. And what the heck with Tim?! Kiper had him in the top 5 and even the top pick at one point. And not that long ago. Dude still hasn't even gotten the nod. We've got to clean up the drug use, in my opinion.
 
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