BamaCentral 22 for '22: How many First-Round Picks will Alabama have in the 2023 NFL Draft?

After a 2022 draft that saw just two Crimson Tide players taken in the first round, we take a look at just how many players could head to the NFL in 2023.

Joey Blackwell | Jun 15, 2022

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Alabama Crimson Tide

After falling one win short of adding a 19th national title last season, Alabama will look to rebound and take the next step this year. The Crimson Tide returns a loaded roster, including reigning Heisman winner Bryce Young and a rebuilt offense as well as one of the most talented defenses in the Nick Saban era.

Alabama will open its season on Sept. 3 when it hosts Utah State inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. To help pass the time, BamaCentral’s Joey Blackwell, Tony Tsoukalas and Katie Windham will discuss 22 topics and questions concerning the 2022 season.

Today we continue our series by taking a look at the future while predicting how many first-round picks the Crimson Tide will have in next year’s NFL Draft.

Blackwell's take

Some might consider it a little too early to be discussing the 2023 NFL Draft, but with the 2022 season quickly approaching, it’s time to highlight some Alabama players that will no doubt have their time in the world of professional football.

When looking at way-too-early mock drafts for next year, I was able to find some that projected as few as two Alabama players going in the first round while some had as many as seven — a new record for most players drafted in the first round from a single school. While I don’t think the Crimson Tide will have quite that many players taken next year in the first 32 picks, I think it’ll certainly be more than two.

Let’s start with a given: should both players decide to move on from Alabama (and they likely will), both quarterback Bryce Young and outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. are locks to go in the first five picks. That brings the number to two so far.

On offense, running back Jahmyr Gibbs is expected to make waves for the Crimson Tide, as well as wide receiver Jermaine Burton. I see both of them being Alabama’s third and fourth players off the board, in no particular order. Offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor Jr. is an honorable mention, but he would likely have to have a monster season to leap up into the first 32 picks of the draft.

Regarding defense, I see cornerback Eli Ricks at the likely fifth player, but it’s close between him and safety Jordan Battle. I think they are both likely to depart to the NFL next season, but only one will likely be taken in the first round. Malachi Moore is also a solid option.

So there you have it. Five players taken in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft. That number could likely increase to six or maybe even seven players, but five is a safe bet. If you’re a betting individual, though, I’d pick the over.

Tsoukalas' take

Early mock drafts tend to overshoot when projecting first-round picks from major universities. Alabama might have tied the NFL draft record with six first-rounders in 2021, but that total is a bit of an anomaly. Not only were those players part of one of the greatest teams in college football history, but that particular draft occurred in the midst of a pandemic that made it more difficult to scout players from smaller schools.

History tells us to bet on Alabama producing four first-round selections. The Crimson Tide reached that total in the 2017, 2018 and 2020 drafts while seeing three of its players selected in the first round in 2019. The 2021 class delivered a spike in production, but Alabama’s two first-round selections in this year’s class brought the average back down to around four per year.

So who will make up Alabama’s first-round quartet?

A lot can change between now and next April, but it’s a pretty safe call to project Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. to be two of the top 10 names called next year. It gets a bit more interesting after that.

Given Young’s projected production and the league's emphasis on receivers, it's safe to assume the quarterback’s leading target will experience a spike in draft status. That’s good news for Jermaine Burton, who appears poised to take on Alabama’s leading receiver role ahead of what should be a breakout season.

Alabama’s defense also has a few worthy candidates. Jordan Battle and Henry To’o To’o returned for their senior seasons looking to improve their draft stock. Both players have first-round talent if they can demonstrate more consistency on the field.

Malachi Moore and Eli Ricks have also seen their names mentioned in early mock drafts. However, my favorite prospect in Alabama’s secondary is Brian Branch, who has the athleticism to remain at slot corner in the NFL as well as the tackling ability to drop back to safety.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on the defensive line. Quinnen Williams saw his draft stock skyrocket following his breakout year in 2018. Could a talented interior pass rusher such as Jamil Burroughs break onto the scene this year?

Windham's take

There are two players that already have enough film on them to essentially lock them up as first round picks almost regardless of what happens this season. And those two are of course Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. Not only are they viewed as first round locks, but they will both be high in the first round with the possibility of one of them being the first overall selection.

Alabama has had at least one receiver taken in the first round of four of the last five drafts, but the Crimson Tide’s not bringing back a ton of experience at the position this year. It will take someone having a phenomenal season to move up into the first round, which is a possibility for a guy like Jermaine Burton with Young at quarterback.

The two most likely candidates behind Anderson and Young to go in the first round are Eli Ricks and Jordan Battle. Ricks was a highly touted recruited and had a breakout freshman season at LSU before suffering an injury setback last year, but has all the physical abilities and talent to be a top defensive back in the NFL. By the end of this season, Battle will have spent four years learning under Nick Saban and two years managing the back end of the Alabama defense. The safety could have headed for the draft after his junior season, but came back to Tuscaloosa to handle some unfinished business. I think this sets him up for a stellar senior season that can vault Battle into the first round.

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Published Jun 15, 2022

JOEY BLACKWELL

Joey Blackwell is an award-winning journalist and assistant editor for BamaCentral and has covered the Crimson Tide since 2018. He primarily covers Alabama football, men's basketball and baseball, but also covers a wide variety of other sports. Joey earned his bachelor's degree in History from Birmingham-Southern College in 2014 before graduating summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in 2020 with a degree in News Media. He has also been featured in a variety of college football magazines, including Lindy's Sports and BamaTime.

Blackwell's take

Tsoukalas' take

Windham's take

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