Bama getting hammered by the draft again

[MetEdDawg]

Calvin Ridley, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Da'Ron Payne, Bo Scarbrough, and Ronnie Harrison all opting to go to the draft.

Question is will this ever matter? They are losing 5 guys early, 4 of which will for sure go first round. Bo is the only one I don't think goes day 1. But will this ever affect Bama? Currently 5th in the recruiting rankings, it looks like they will still get top talent, but maybe not finish with Top 3 talent. Is that going to matter next year?

I know they have a lot of talented youth, but at some point you have to think losing 12-15 juniors over the course of 3 years to the draft will affect them even with the talent they have coming back. The entire starting secondary will be gone. Evans is gone and two starting DL gone. So that's 7 starters on defense. Offense loses 2 OL and a couple WR's that weren't huge impact. But with a hard 25 signing now at some point you have to think that many losses will hurt.

So they are losing some valuable pieces, but I guess everyone thinking plug and chug again next year for them? No real competition in the west, especially since we have to travel there?

[HoopsDawg]

They had 5 true freshman on offense making plays in the national title game. I don't think it matters at all. Scarbrough is no loss at all.

[Dallas_Dawg]

Unfortunately no. I will miss some here but Rolando McClain was the best LB in the country who was replaced by Donte Hightower who was replaced by CJ Mosley who was replaced by Reggie Ragland who was replaced by Reuben Foster who was replaced by all those MFers that they had this year that got hurt.
Wasn?t Ben Davis supposed to be the next one? Is he still around?

[Commercecomet24]

Naw it doesnt matter, they just plug and play, at least until Saban leaves.

[Pinto]

Alabama is an NFL Farm Team. Players are just getting processed. Business as usual.

[msstate7]

They had 5 true freshman on offense making plays in the national title game. I don't think it matters at all. Scarbrough is no loss at all.

They have the best QB they have had under saban. If there is a little drop in defense, it will not matter bc tua is gonna destroy the sec

[HoopsDawg]

They have the best QB they have had under saban. If there is a little drop in defense, it will not matter bc tua is gonna destroy the sec

They did lose their entire starting secondary. I hope Piershbacher goes pro. That dude is a beast.

Hopefully, they sign Patrick Surtain, JR so we can sign Eddie Smith.

[5049]

Yes, they will be hit. They will still be good but not national championship good. We will have our chance to beat them with our defensive line. Teams will also have plenty of tape on Tua by then.

[Coach34]

LSU losing a bunch also- with the guys declaring this year- makes 31 early departures the last 6 years. They had only 8 in the previous 6 before that

[ShotgunDawg]

Yes, they will be hit. They will still be good but not national championship good. We will have our chance to beat them with our defensive line. Teams will also have plenty of tape on Tua by then.

They’ll still be natty good.

Agree on Tua. 6’0” 212, doesn’t have Hurts speed, and isn’t an elite thrower.

He’s a good player and may make Bama’s offense more explosive, but I won’t be shocked if they also have more 3 and outs due to not being the runner Hurts is and also turn the ball over more due to airing it out more.

[TUSK]

Calvin Ridley, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Da'Ron Payne, Bo Scarbrough, and Ronnie Harrison all opting to go to the draft.

Question is will this ever matter? They are losing 5 guys early, 4 of which will for sure go first round. Bo is the only one I don't think goes day 1. But will this ever affect Bama? Currently 5th in the recruiting rankings, it looks like they will still get top talent, but maybe not finish with Top 3 talent. Is that going to matter next year?

I know they have a lot of talented youth, but at some point you have to think losing 12-15 juniors over the course of 3 years to the draft will affect them even with the talent they have coming back. The entire starting secondary will be gone. Evans is gone and two starting DL gone. So that's 7 starters on defense. Offense loses 2 OL and a couple WR's that weren't huge impact. But with a hard 25 signing now at some point you have to think that many losses will hurt.

So they are losing some valuable pieces, but I guess everyone thinking plug and chug again next year for them? No real competition in the west, especially since we have to travel there?

Save the 2ndary, Bammer will be fine. The huge amount of injuries we had this year should really help us out going forward.

The number of guys leaving (early) isn't a huge outlier...

Additionally the '18 slate is (apparently) easier than this year... If Saban can get some DBs to "do it right", it'll be (in 'Gun's words) boring, again...

[TUSK]

Yes, they will be hit. They will still be good but not national championship good. We will have our chance to beat them with our defensive line. Teams will also have plenty of tape on Tua by then.

No.

[Commercecomet24]

Save the 2ndary, Bammer will be fine. The huge amount of injuries we had this year should really help us out going forward.

The number of guys leaving (early) isn't a huge outlier...

Additionally the '18 slate is (apparently) easier than this year... If Saban can get some DBs to "do it right", it'll be (in 'Gun's words) boring, again...

Lather, rinse, repeat. New year, same results. Saban's just a freaking terminator. Can't kill him lol

[TUSK]

Unfortunately no. I will miss some here but Rolando McClain was the best LB in the country who was replaced by Donte Hightower who was replaced by CJ Mosley who was replaced by Reggie Ragland who was replaced by Reuben Foster who was replaced by all those MFers that they had this year that got hurt.
Wasn?t Ben Davis supposed to be the next one? Is he still around?

Hasn't even seen a play on STs as far as I can recall... word is he's "soft" or "doesn't get it"....

I don't expect him to be on the 2 deep next year, either...

[Coursesuper]

LSU losing a bunch also- with the guys declaring this year- makes 31 early departures the last 6 years. They had only 8 in the previous 6 before that

LSU is getting hurt more than Bammer, LSU looks to be backing up.

[Ari Gold]

Fitzpatrick and Payne are big loses . Both Top 5 nfl picks . Talent at least

[TUSK]

Fitzpatrick and Payne are big loses . Both Top 5 nfl picks . Talent at least

Minkah is a HUGE loss... we don't have anyone (right now) remotely as good as him (especially when you consider leadership)....

Payne will be a loss, as well, but we've guys that can take up some of that slack... Same with Ridley.

[HoopsDawg]

Fitzpatrick and Payne are big loses . Both Top 5 nfl picks . Talent at least

They lost 10 draft picks last year. 7 in the first two rounds.

[5049]

They lost 10 draft picks last year. 7 in the first two rounds.

They also were not as good as they were in 2015 and 2016.

[TUSK]

They lost 10 draft picks last year. 7 in the first two rounds.

this is correct.. 4 in the 1st round, 3 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd, 1 in the 4th....

2017 was as close to a "rebuilding" year as I can recall...

This year (draft-wise) will be close to that, I think (I'm not an NFL Draft guy, though)...

[Ari Gold]

The first non QB taken in the draft will be Fitzpatrick.. and Payne won’t be far behind.
That’s my prediction.

[msstate7]

The first non QB taken in the draft will be Fitzpatrick.. and Payne won’t be far behind.
That’s my prediction.

I think Barkley goes top 4

[Ari Gold]

I think Barkley goes top 4

I can see that.. Hell Barkley may go 1 or 2 overall
But there are LOTS of RB that have a chance to be really good in the league that you can get later in first round or 2nd
There arent many if any Fitzpatrick’s out there.

[msstate7]

I can see that.. Hell Barkley may go 1 or 2 overall
But there are LOTS of RB that have a chance to be really good in the league that you can get later in first round or 2nd
There arent many if any Fitzpatrick’s out there.

I love Fitzpatrick. Wish the saints could land him, but no shot

[TUSK]

I love Fitzpatrick. Wish the saints could land him, but no shot

Jeesh, 7. How many former Bammers y’all got, now (Outside of Kamara & Ingram)?

[msstate7]

Jeesh, 7. How many former Bammers y’all got, now (Outside of Kamara & Ingram)?

Believe that is it. You claiming kamara? Lol

[TUSK]

Believe that is it. You claiming kamara? Lol

Nah, he wasn’t good enough to play at Bammer... I was just fishin’��

[Apoplectic]

Will the 25 limit affect them eventually?

[Todd4State]

Will the 25 limit affect them eventually?

It will change their strategy some and it won't give them the leeway that they used to have. They'll still be National Championship caliber though. They just won't be able to screw over as many players.

[TUSK]

Will the 25 limit affect them eventually?

Apop, I dig it when you post... I don't understand what this means, however...

What am I missing? Expand, please.

[Apoplectic]

Apop, I dig it when you post... I don't understand what this means, however...

What am I missing? Expand, please.

Not be able to maintain 85 on s/s with many leaving early

[ababyatemydingo]

Also, if they miss on some (yes, they have misses), they can't just bury them in the depth chart. They'll eventually have to pay for those misses. Those misses will eventually have to play. Or a lot of freshmens will be seeing playing time. And they'll play with walk-ons. The 25 hard cap on signing each year WILL have an effect on their strategy. Previous strategy was bury the misses in the depth chart and process them. Then replace on the roster in next signing class by signing 30 or 35 4 and 5 stars, greyshirting, blueshirting.

[MetEdDawg]

Will the 25 limit affect them eventually?

This was initially what I was getting at. I think the hard 25 will hurt. Numbers say if you max out every year you get 100 players. You can only keep 85. If you on average lose 5 per year early to the draft (which Bama routinely does) that?s max of 75-80 kids on roster by year 4. Then regular attrition drops you to around 65-70 if you lose 1-2 kids per year.

Does a Bama roster with 70 kids hurt them? Over the last 4 years Bama averaged signing only 1 kid per year over 25 (signed 29 last year). Might free up a couple kids per year. Could be the difference between us getting a Lashley or not.