BCS title game loaded with future pros

tirk · Jan 8, 2012

By Todd McShay
Scouts Inc.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that this year's Allstate BCS Championship Game features a good many future NFL players. However, a look at the numbers reveals just how loaded Alabama and LSU are.

No fewer than 22 players who will take the field in the title game are draft-eligible and grade out (30 or higher) as possible selections in the 2012 draft. Of those 22, seven are first-round prospects who rank among our top 32 overall.

The Crimson Tide have 12 draftable prospects, seven of whom are seniors, and five of LSU's 10 draftable prospects are seniors.

Following is a look at how we evaluate prospects in the game who carry at least a late-round grade, along with a listing of other seniors who rank as fringe/free-agent prospects.
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Defense rules for LSU, too

CB Morris Claiborne* (6-0, 173; 96)
The best cover corner in college and a likely top-10 pick in 2012. It's Claiborne's ability to hold up on an island that allows teammates such as Tyrann Mathieu to freelance and be aggressive trying to create big plays.

DE Sam Montgomery* (6-4, 245; 92)
An athletic prospect with lots of potential, Montgomery has a chance to become a dominant NFL player when he pulls it all together. It's tough to tell a likely first-round pick he should return to school, but, after a redshirt sophomore season in which he had nine sacks, Montgomery is positioned to become a top-10 overall pick in 2013 if he comes back and continues to improve.

DT Michael Brockers* (6-6, 306; 92)
Brockers was a huge problem for Alabama the first time around, consistently blowing up plays in the middle. He's a powerful, dominant force at the point of attack when he plays with leverage.

DE Barkevious Mingo* (6-5, 242; 86)
He's also a third-year sophomore and the least prepared of the non-seniors on this list for the NFL, but Mingo does show an explosive first step, good athleticism and relentlessness as a pass-rusher. He leads the team with 13.5 tackles for loss heading into the title game.

WR Rueben Randle* (6-4, 208; 74)
A junior who had a very productive season, but not an elite route-runner and lacks suddenness out of breaks. However, Randle has good size and body control that give him the chance to develop into a solid No. 2 or 3 receiver at the next level. He got open at times against Kirkpatrick in the first meeting, and, this time around, LSU will be looking for more than the two catches and 19 yards he had in that game.

TE Deangelo Peterson (6-3 1/4, 229; 64)
A middle-rounds prospect who has shown toughness and is stronger than his frame indicates. Peterson flashes some straight-line speed and the ability to hit creases and get up field after the catch, but he's extremely undersized and will never be more than an H-back in the NFL. He needs to prove he can get open and catch the ball with more consistency.

S Brandon Taylor (5-11 3/8, 196; 35)
CB Ron Brooks (6-0, 177; 31)
ILB Ryan Baker (5-11 5/8, 232; 33)
G T-Bob Hebert (6-2 7/8, 296; 31)
S Karnell Hatcher (6-1 3/8, 211; 30)
G Will Blackwell (6-4, 303; 30)
G Josh Dworaczyk (6-5, 303; 30)
OLB Ken Adams (6-4 3/4, 248; 30)
QB Jordan Jefferson (6-3 7/8, 216; 30)
QB Jarrett Lee (6-2, 208; 30)
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McShay also had Sam 17th overall. He should be a top 10 pick in '13-'14.

I left Bama's list off.

2012 NFL Draft Buzz -- BCS title game is loaded with pro talent - ESPN

StaceyO · Jan 9, 2012

tirk said: ↑

I left Bama's list off.
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Thank you for your common decency.

sm5o4 · Jan 9, 2012

I'm extremely surprised that Brandon Taylor and Ron Brooks are rated so low. If either one falls past the 3rd round I'd say that's a steal. I think Brooks has HUGE sleeper potential. He would be the starter on any team that didn't have two All-American corners.

WT716 · Jan 9, 2012

This should be quite an exciting game with NFL ready players. I think Tyrann Mathieu will have one hell of a game.

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BCS title game loaded with future pros

tirk im the lyrical jessie james

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