Loser: ‘Bama players take a collective tumble
Heading into the draft, it was thought three Alabama players had a chance to be drafted in the top half of Round 1. In the end, only one of them got into that group (No. 16 overall to Baltimore), and it wasn’t the one most expected — cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
These three — Jonathan Allen, a big-time performer up front for ‘Bama’s defense, O.J. Howard, seen as a potential top-10 pick due to his incredible athleticism and ability to stretch the field vertically and linebacker Reuben Foster, at one point considered as a potential fit for San Francisco at No. 2 overall — slid much further than anyone anticipated.
Allen went No. 17 to Washington. He slid that far because teams had fears about his arthritic shoulders, an issue that showed up during his combine medical. If he can stay healthy, then Allen has a chance to be an instant impact player playing under Jim Tomsula.
Howard went No. 19 overall to Tampa Bay. It’s a great fit for the Buccaneers (more on that in a few), and he’s going to be a tremendous weapon for Jameis Winston. But he went far lower than he was projected.
Foster, as we mentioned talking about the 49ers, ended up falling all the way to No. 31.
Cam Robinson was also a guy many thought would be a first-round player. He didn’t even hear his name called on Thurday night.
All in all, it was a disappointing night for the Alabama program.