How Alabama Will Replace Its Top 5 2015 NFL Draft Prospects

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With the 2015 NFL draft underway, the focus in Tuscaloosa turns toward the holes left by Alabama’s departed players.

Where do the Crimson Tide go with no Amari Cooper or Landon Collins? Who will step up in their absence.

Luckily for us, spring practice gave us a glimpse of who may be playing where when the 2015 season gets underway.

Here’s one player to replace Alabama’s top five draft prospects. (Note: draft rankings based on Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller’s final big board.)

Amari Cooper

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Replacement: Robert Foster

Amari Cooper will not be replaced by just one player, but this spring, Robert Foster was as close to a No. 1 receiver as Alabama has right now and should be able to step in and fill some of Cooper’s lost production.

In three spring scrimmages, including A-Day, Foster caught 15 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. He, along with fellow wide receiver ArDarius Stewart, was named A-Day MVP after a big spring game.

Foster and Stewart should be the top two options for whomever Alabama’s quarterback ends up being. If you had to pick who the No. 1 receiver will be at this point, it looks like Foster will get that job.

Landon Collins

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Replacement: Eddie Jackson

Nick Saban has had success with position changes in the secondary, most notably and recently moving Cyrus Jones from receiver to cornerback, where he became Alabama’s No. 1 option there.

He may have found another switch that will work for the better.

Eddie Jackson moved from corner to safety this spring, which gave the Crimson Tide some breathing room on the outside and shored up a need at safety.

He won’t be the hard-hitting machine that Landon Collins was, but maybe that will be a good thing for Alabama, which got torched over the top regularly last season. Having someone who can play man-to-man while still being physical enough to play against the run next to Geno Smith at free safety could take the Crimson Tide secondary to the next level.

T.J. Yeldon

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Replacement: Derrick Henry

There won’t be just one running back carrying the ball for Alabama in 2015. There never is.

But in terms of the Crimson Tide’s workhorse, No. 1 back, that role will fall unquestionably to Derrick Henry, who could be set for a monster season.

Henry has wowed in bursts throughout the first two years of his career so far and will now have a chance to step into the spotlight and show that he can carry a team throughout the season.

He also should be a major leader for the team off the field.

"I accept that role as being a leader,” Henry said at the beginning of spring. “I just want to make everybody better around me and just get them to push themselves because I'm going to give it my all every time I'm out there and just try to make the team better."

Austin Shepherd

Photo courtesy 247Sports

Replacement: Dominick Jackson

The No. 1 JUCO offensive tackle a year ago suffered an ankle injury in last year’s fall camp that prevented him from jumping right into the mix on the offensive line. Now healthy, Dominick Jackson played right tackle all spring and should be primed for a big year.

The year off may have been good for Jackson, who played in a run-heavy, triple-option offense at College of San Mateo. He was able to take the time to grow as a pass-blocker and was given a shot at the starting right tackle spot, which he held for the duration of spring practice.

Jalston Fowler

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Replacement: Ty Flournoy-Smith

Jalston Fowler may be the hardest to pin down for a single replacement since he played so many roles. He carried the ball, lined up as an H-back and played out of the backfield as a fullback.

Ty Flournoy-Smith should cover the majority of those roles—minus the carries—more than anyone else on the team. With O.J. Howard playing exclusively tight end, Flournoy-Smith could be one that plays all over the field in a multiple role.

Bo Scarbrough was a candidate to play an H-back-type role too before he went down with a knee injury. Michael Nysewander, who was recently put on scholarship, played some fullback last year and could see an increased role too.

Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes and reporting were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.