🏈 Countdown to Football: 61 Days -- Is Dre Kirkpatrick Alabama's top pro prospect?

[BAMANEWSBOT]

A school-record four Alabama players were selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. Impressed? That was nothing.

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[BamaFan615]

It's always fun to look at these sort of things - and this one is probably pretty accurate at this point in time...atleast for the Bama prospects. I certainly think that Donta has a huge opportunity to make up some ground this season now that his knee seems to be fully healed. He's just so versatile when he's 100%.

 

[Duder]

Barron needs to have a great year to go that high. I'm not saying he won't have a great year but I wasn't all that surprised he came back for this season. At least his injury isn't one that will nag.

Hightower will be one of the best in the country if he regains confidence in that knee. 12-18 months for full recovery from ACL. He SHOULD be back to normal physically this year, it is all a matter of how well his mind allows him to proceed.

I agree with Upshaw and Dre's ranking. I would be a bit hesitant to peg Trent that high when he hasn't had to tote the rock as a full-time starter for an entire season. He clearly has great upside. His blend of power, speed and balance is rare but hasn't he gotten nicked up the last two seasons? I know he had some nagging injuries last year. If he can stay healthy and maintain his performance for the full season I'm sure he will be a first round pick.

If everyone performs as expected, Bama will lose a lot to the NFL. Trent and Dre are under classmen, yes?

 

[TerryP]

Barron needs to have a great year to go that high. I'm not saying he won't have a great year but I wasn't all that surprised he came back for this season. At least his injury isn't one that will nag.

Hightower will be one of the best in the country if he regains confidence in that knee. 12-18 months for full recovery from ACL. He SHOULD be back to normal physically this year, it is all a matter of how well his mind allows him to proceed.

I agree with Upshaw and Dre's ranking. I would be a bit hesitant to peg Trent that high when he hasn't had to tote the rock as a full-time starter for an entire season. He clearly has great upside. His blend of power, speed and balance is rare but hasn't he gotten nicked up the last two seasons? I know he had some nagging injuries last year. If he can stay healthy and maintain his performance for the full season I'm sure he will be a first round pick.

If everyone performs as expected, Bama will lose a lot to the NFL. Trent and Dre are under classmen, yes?

Barron and Upshaw are the only two seniors.

Who didn't have nagging injuries last season? I can't recall the exact number—it was at least in the mid-20's—of how many starters ended up missing games last season due to injury. It wasn't talked about much, but it had a huge impact on the results last season.

IF you think about it...that many starters missing games due to injuries, not to mention the new starters because of the attrition from last season, combined with the fact six of the eight SEC teams we played had an off week before they played us?

Honestly, we are fortunate we only had three losses.

We will lose a good number of kids to the NFL, but I do like the depth behind them.

EDIT: I went back and looked. 22 players out due to injury last year.

 

[JoshB]

Barron needs to have a great year to go that high. I'm not saying he won't have a great year but I wasn't all that surprised he came back for this season. At least his injury isn't one that will nag.

Hightower will be one of the best in the country if he regains confidence in that knee. 12-18 months for full recovery from ACL. He SHOULD be back to normal physically this year, it is all a matter of how well his mind allows him to proceed.

I agree with Upshaw and Dre's ranking. I would be a bit hesitant to peg Trent that high when he hasn't had to tote the rock as a full-time starter for an entire season. He clearly has great upside. His blend of power, speed and balance is rare but hasn't he gotten nicked up the last two seasons? I know he had some nagging injuries last year. If he can stay healthy and maintain his performance for the full season I'm sure he will be a first round pick.

If everyone performs as expected, Bama will lose a lot to the NFL. Trent and Dre are under classmen, yes?

Trent hurt his knee last year, but I dont remember him even hobbling in '09.

 

[TerryP]

Trent hurt his knee last year, but I dont remember him even hobbling in '09.

It was his shoulder. He got hurt before the season started. I can't recall how long/many practices he missed. No game time.

 

[Duder]

Birdman, I may well have made the 2009 thought up; I obviously did!

Barron is a first round talent but he made the right decision in coming back.

Upshaw shouldn't have a problem going in the first. Hightower is the best of the bunch IMO. If he bounces back stronger than last year, he will be a monster. Dre is ranked higher, and for obvious reasons, but I have an unhealthy need to see Hightower produce, ha ha.

Terry, there were a rash of injuries last year. My point about Trent was as an NFL team looking for a first round running back I'd have concerns taking someone that was nicked up almost all year and shared carries. The Bucs ignored Carnell's injury woes and look where that got them...

I think of this list, Trent is the most volatile. If he doesn't have a breakout year, you'll have him back in 2012. I look at him similar to Ingram and Mark almost fell out of the first. Truthfully, I think Mark saved himself at the combine.

I know most here will disagree but I need to see Trent as THE man for a full season before I project him as a 1st rounder.

My gut tells me Barron falls into the second, Dre has a huge season and is next year's Patrick Peterson. Upshaw will consistently be a beast, I hope Hightower is a damn All-American. I will not project Trent until a few games into the season. I know you guys will be uber-anxious to see my analysis.

 

[Duder]

Trent hurt his knee last year, but I dont remember him even hobbling in '09.

It was his shoulder. He got hurt before the season started. I can't recall how
long/many practices he missed. No game time.

He didn't miss a game but he certainly should have. He didn't even look like the same dude against us. That screen pass he dropped at the goal line looked like he was trying to avoid contact. He was a shell of the back he usually is.

Given that he was hurt all year, it is impressive that he didn't miss any games. I hope he's healthy this year. He is fun to watch, I just hope he plays well 11 out of your 12 games

 

[TerryP]

He didn't miss a game but he certainly should have. He didn't even look like the same dude against us. That screen pass he dropped at the goal line looked like he was trying to avoid contact. He was a shell of the back he usually is.

Given that he was hurt all year, it is impressive that he didn't miss any games. I hope he's healthy this year. He is fun to watch, I just hope he plays well 11 out of your 12 games

Shoulder injury (TR) was in fall camp of 2009 if you missed that.
Now, you might have TR and Mark confused. In Mark's true frosh year he was hurt.

Not a big deal to me if he doesn't perform well against Kent State. Heck, I'll be surprised if we see him in the second half.

 

[JoshB]

He didn't miss a game but he certainly should have. He didn't even look like the same dude against us. That screen pass he dropped at the goal line looked like he was trying to avoid contact. He was a shell of the back he usually is.

Given that he was hurt all year, it is impressive that he didn't miss any games. I hope he's healthy this year. He is fun to watch, I just hope he plays well 11 out of your 12 games

Yeah you got that mixed up, it was last year Richardson was hurt last 3 games and didnt look like himself until the Bowl Game. '09 he was still truckin dudes at the end of the year.

 

[Tider27]

I also wouldn't be shocked if Barrett Jones leaves early either, especially if he plays LT for use this season. Talk about being versatile, the NFL would love that...

 

[TerryP]

I also wouldn't be shocked if Barrett Jones leaves early either, especially if he plays LT for use this season. Talk about being versatile, the NFL would love that...

Flip of a coin there.

IF he were staying at guard there is no doubt he'd leave early and likely be a first rounder. (He would be our fourth OL taken in the first round in five years.) One year at LT? I think he'd be drafted but further down the chart. My preference would be McCullough out there. He's done pretty well at the LT spot in practices and scrimmages. But, knowing if that's the best combination of talent on our line...still left to be answered.

 

[shipley00]

Kirkpatrick has improved alot. Heck, he improved greatly from game one till the bowl game. If he keeps that steady improvement, he has the size and raw talent to go with it to make a top 10 pick. That said, he still has to keep improving to make that happen. His technique is good, and getting better, but he was burned a few times being out of position last year, and until he got injured, I thought Barron was the best DB. Kirkpatrick has more upside. Let's hope he keeps improving this season, and he does have the potential to be a top 10 pick.

 

[ElephantStomp]

If Dre has even a decent year he'll be gone I think. As for Trent I see him leaving early. I don't see any difference in him and Ingram. Mark shared carries as soon as Trent got here and Mark was drafted early.

With the talent that CNS has brought to UA people will be calling UA LB U, RB U, DB U, etc