The 2020 NFL Draft could be historic for Alabama. The current record for first round draft picks from the same school in the same draft is six. Miami accomplished that feat in 2004, and the Crimson Tide could be in line to surpass that mark next year.
If the draft pans out this way, safety Xaxier McKinney would be the record-breaking seventh Alabama player selected, and there are still several others who have first round potential as well. Alabama put together a historic 2017 recruiting class, and with that class becoming draft eligible for the first time, along with the rare crop of senior contributors, history could be made next year.
The talk all season in Alabama’s defensive backfield centered around Deionte Thompson, who was long considered to be the top safety in the 2019 draft class. Concerns over a knee issue that wasn’t reported until he began to slide, ultimately saw Thompson fall all the way to the fifth round where the Cardinals scooped him up.
There was some buzz all season though, that the safety NFL teams were most enamored with was actually Thompson’s counterpart Xavier McKinney. The sophomore experienced some growing pains in his first season as a starter, but he really came into his own down the stretch of the season, earning defensive MVP honors in Alabama’s Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma.
McKinney has good size and range for a safety, and has no issues with coming up in the box to make plays against the run. He’ll take over in Thompson’s leadership role back there next season, and will be on the short list of preseason All American candidates.