Alabama football’s juniors hold all the cards in 2020 NFL draft class

The 2020 NFL Draft class has the potential to be stellar, but it depends on which Alabama football players declare and which ones stay.

Now that we are well into bowl season, the 2020 NFL Draft is just around the corner. While many have been waiting until after the season to keep up with who is turning pro, let me give you a sneak peak: Alabama is going to carry a lot of weight this year.

The Tide‘s junior class was one of the biggest recruiting classes a few years ago, and it looks like they will hold all the cards in this draft class as well. With three of the top receivers, two offensive tackles, and one of the best quarterbacks in all of football, this class has the potential to be dominated by the men in crimson.

That is, if all these stars declare for the NFL Draft. That is yet to be seen. Outside of seniors, the only guaranteed player with eligibility that has declared is Terrell Lewis, who is sitting out of the Citrus Bowl. We’ll have to wait until after that game to hear from the others.

On offense, the biggest question mark is Tua Tagovailoa. Tua was nearly a lock to be the first player selected in 2020, but another devastating injury limits that. He’s still expected to declare, but that’s no guarantee. Without him, there’s only one quarterback that most teams would be confident in drafting.

There’s also the three receiving stars that all have the potential to go in the first round. Jerry Jeudy seems to be a lock to leave, but Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith are not in the same boat. Both will make millions if they declare now, but they might rise up boards if they stay for one more year. It’s a risky gamble, but it’s a decision they have to make. Rumors seem to be swirling more about Smith, but it wouldn’t shock me if both of these receivers are catching passes in crimson next season.

At running back, Najee Harris seems to be certain to declare. He’s got a limited window to make money as a running back, and there’s nothing else he can do to prove himself to be a formidable weapon in the NFL.

The only questions left are with Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills. Out of these two, Wills is clearly the better prospect. He could be the first offensive linemen selected. Leatherwood could possibly do with another season in college after having to play guard as a sophomore. This would double his time in college at his natural position. Right now, his biggest advantage is the weak offensive line class.

Defensively, the two players the most likely to stay are Xavier McKinney and Dylan Moses. Moses’s future is uncertain due to his injury before this season started. He’s a 1st-round lock when healthy, so he might take a year in college to prove himself. Although McKinney seems to be good enough to start in the NFL at safety, he has seen multiple defensive backs from Alabama lose money by going too early. Both Ronnie Harrison and Deionte Thompson could’ve done with one more year at college.

These few players will end up defining both this NFL draft class and next year’s college football landscape. If they leave, this class will have top-level talent and depth at key positions. Without them declaring, the Tide might be the frontrunners for a title in 2020.