The University of Alabama could have five players picked in the first round. Here is what ESPN’s Todd McShay has to say about the Alabama Five –
“(RB) Trent Richardson is not going to last long. If not four to the Browns, five to the Buccaneers, and after that point the next five or six picks, the team would take him out of absolute value.
“(S) Mark Barron, I haven’t heard any team I’ve talked to say they’re concerned about the hernia surgery. He’s the best safety in this class, and I’d be shocked if he fell out of the first round somewhere in the middle to later first round range.
“(LB) Courtney Upshaw is not an elite athlete, but a great football player. I keep watching the tape, and I know that he doesn’t have the great explosiveness off the ball. I know he’s not an elite athlete. I know he
doesn’t really have that burst around the edge, but the guy is always around the ball. He’s tough, he’s physical, and he’s strong versus the run. I think he’s a top 20, 25 pick.
“(CB) Dre Kirkpatrick, I know some teams are concerned about ‑‑ it’s not character baggage as much as the personality and is he going to fit. Obviously, he has short arms and not great ball skills. I could see him dropping a little bit out of the top 20, maybe. But I still think he’s a first round pick.
“To be honest, the guy I’m most surprised with finally finishing up tape study in the past weeks is Dont’a Hightower. I think he’s a top 20 player in this draft. I know he had the knee injury, and he doesn’t have elite speed, but he’s 265 pounds, somewhere in that range, great versus the inside run. Pass rusher that can get off the edge, which was an addition to his game this past year. He’s got great hands, quick, can swim, can get off the line. There are times he looks more explosive than Upshaw coming off the edge. So I think it’s legitimately something he can do at the next level. Pittsburgh Steelers to me would be a perfect fit for him if he lasts that long. Steelers pick at 24.”
