Author: Ely Allen

Three Alabama Underclassmen Declare For NFL Draft

By Ely Allen | at January 5, 2024 10:08 pm

The Crimson Tide are certainly well-known for their ability to develop NFL talent. As of an article from US News a month ago, the University of Alabama had the most active NFL players of any university with 57, and it wasn’t particularly close with Georgia trailing them by eight players. The Tide are set to add several more to that total this year, but at least four are expected to be selected in the first round after the declarations of right tackle JC Latham and cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold.

Latham is currently projected to go the highest of the three underclassmen. After transferring from Catholic Memorial HS (WI) to the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, Latham signed to the Tide as a consensus five-star, a top-five player in the country, and the top tackle recruit of the class. Latham came off the bench mostly as a true freshman, sometimes subbing in for right tackle Chris Owens or right guard Emil Ekiyor, both of whom would go undrafted. Latham would take hold of the starting job at right tackle the following year and hold on to it for the next two years.

After making 27 starts in the past two seasons, Latham lays claim to a 2023 All-SEC First Team selection and a Pro Football Focus ranking as the 11th-best offensive tackle in the country (subscription required). Using the offseason to cut fat and gain good weight, Latham became a monstrous lineman with agility. He’s explosive off the line and can use a powerful drive in the run game, but while he lacks the technique necessary to find his way to a top-10 selection, he has nearly cemented himself as a top-five tackle. He announced his plans to declare earlier this week, per ESPN. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Latham ranked as the fourth-best tackle prospect and the 24th player overall, while Dane Brugler of The Athletic placed him as the third-best tackle and the 10th overall player in his midseason rankings.

McKinstry, born Ga’Quincy, was an in-state prospect who also ranked at the top of his position as a consensus five-star recruit coming out of Pinson Valley HS (AL). McKinstry started his freshman year coming off the bench but quickly earned a starting role down the stretch in a deep Bama secondary. He would retain that starting role in each of the next two seasons earning first-team All-SEC honors in both and first-team All-American honors this year.

McKinstry has all the measurables with excellent length on a 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame and a great ability to recover in rare scenarios that he loses coverage. These attributes just haven’t turned into statistical production as he leaves Tuscaloosa with only two interceptions and 23 passes defensed. Whether that’s the result of a lack of ball skills or just opposing quarterbacks refusing to throw his way, seeing McKinstry show more aggression could prove valuable at the next level.

Arnold found his way out of Tallahassee as a consensus top-three safety out of John Paul II Catholic HS (FL). Unlike Latham and McKinstry, Arnold didn’t see the field at all in 2021, redshirting his true freshman year. Still, he came in as a starter as a redshirt freshman the following season. Alabama didn’t try him at safety at all, immediately seeing his potential as a cornerback. He missed a few games in 2022, starting seven of 11 appearances, but would start every game in 2023. He ended up joining Latham and McKinstry on the All-SEC first team in 2023.

Unlike McKinstry, Arnold had no issue with production at the college level. In just two seasons as a starter, Arnold recorded six interceptions (five this year) and 20 passes defensed. While perhaps quarterbacks were tempted to force the ball in Arnold’s direction to avoid McKinstry, Arnold proved to be formidable in his own right. Arnold is slightly smaller than his counterpart but boasts tremendous footwork and hip mobility to blanket opposing receivers. The ball-hawking cornerback paired with McKinstry to serve as the nation’s deadliest duo by far.

The two were announced as planning to enter the draft this week, according to Chris Low of ESPN. McKinstry and Arnold are back-to-back in many rankings. Kiper has McKinstry as the final player in his top-25 but lists McKinstry and Arnold as his third- and fourth-best cornerback prospects this year, respectively. Brugler’s midseason rankings had McKinstry as the third-best cornerback (18th overall) with Arnold coming in as the fifth-best cornerback (28th overall) before four of his five interceptions this year had even occurred. PFF agrees with how closely the two rank, grading them as the country’s eighth- and ninth-best cornerbacks this year, with McKinstry just edging out Arnold.

Following Monday’s declaration by outside linebacker Dallas Turner, the Tide are now set to add four first-round picks to the NFL in the upcoming draft. It’s a little surprising not to see any Alabama players flirting with a top-five or even a top-10 selection, but the school continues to dominate with four Day 1 picks and likely several more in the rounds to follow.