College Football Championship 2021: NFL Draft Prospects to Watch

Last season, Joe Burrow led LSU to the national championship and went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. There is unlikely to be a repeat situation this year, as Trevor Lawrence, the probable top pick in the draft, won't play in the College Football Playoff National Championship after Clemson lost in the Sugar Bowl.

However, there will be plenty of players on the field at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night who are likely to be selected during the NFL draft, including quite a few who could be first-round picks. Alabama and Ohio State both have rosters loaded with top players, which is how both teams have reached this point, and several of them could become stars at the next level.

Before that, either the Crimson Tide or Buckeyes players will be celebrating following the final game of the 2020 college football season.

Here's a look at several of the standout players in this matchup who are also considered top 2021 NFL draft prospects.

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

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Fields is unlikely to be the first quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL draft (that should be Lawrence), but he could be the second to come off the board.

He improved his already-high stock with an incredible showing against Clemson in the Sugar Bowl, going 22-of-28 for 385 yards and a career-high six touchdowns. Not only did that come against a solid Tigers defense, but he kept playing after suffering a rib injury on a hard hit late in the second quarter. That showed Fields not only has a ton of talent but also that he's tough and resilient.

The quarterback has another tough matchup Monday, but it's also a final opportunity for him to prove himself to NFL teams (assuming that he doesn't elect to return to school next season). And if he plays well against the Crimson Tide, it could solidify him as the second-best signal-caller in the draft.

It's possible the New York Jets, who own the No. 2 overall pick, could decide to draft a quarterback if they want to move on from Sam Darnold. Fields or BYU's Zach Wilson would likely be whom they consider taking in that scenario. If that doesn't happen, a team like the New England Patriots (who own the No. 15 pick) will likely be in the market for a quarterback and could be a landing spot the Buckeyes junior.

Fields should be one of the key players in the CFP National Championship because if Ohio State is going to take down Alabama, it's likely going to need a big game from its quarterback.

DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Smith won the Heisman Trophy because of his consistently great showings during Alabama's 12-0 season. And the senior wide receiver has shone brightest on the big stages.

In the SEC Championship Game against Florida, Smith had a season-high 15 receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns. He followed that up by recording seven catches for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against Notre Dame.

Although Smith is 6'1" and 175 pounds, he's developed into one of the top college football players in the country. The Crimson Tide's offense has been nearly unstoppable during the 2020 season, and Smith's playmaking skill is a big reason why.

ESPN's Todd McShay brought up an intriguing possibility for where Smith could go in the NFL draft. The Miami Dolphins own the No. 3 overall pick, and they could be looking to add a top wide receiver to their offense. That would be interesting because Miami's quarterback is former Alabama standout Tua Tagovailoa, who not only played with Smith but connected with him for the game-winning overtime touchdown pass in the 2018 CFP National Championship against Georgia.

Smith may not put up the same ridiculous numbers at the NFL level, but he's likely to go on and have a successful career considering his big-play ability.

Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

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Patrick Surtain II's father was a second-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, going on to have a solid 11-year professional career. Not only is the younger Surtain poised to follow in his father's footsteps by going to the NFL, but he may even end up being more successful.

Assuming he doesn't decide to return to school, Surtain is likely to be a first-round selection in the 2021 draft. This season, he was a unanimous All-American, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl.

Surtain has 35 tackles, 11 pass deflections, one interception and one touchdown, and he's consistently provided strong coverage against some of the top receivers he's faced. And according to ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., Surtain is similar to another former Crimson Tide defensive back.

"His frame reminds me a little bit of Marlon Humphrey, another Crimson Tide corner who went in Round 1 (2017)," Kiper wrote.

It's also possible that Surtain, like Humphrey, is going to turn out to be a strong NFL cornerback.

Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Surtain isn't the only probable first-round cornerback set to play in the CFP National Championship. On the other side, Wade is being projected by many to be selected early during the 2021 NFL draft.

Wade, an All-American who won the Big Ten's Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award, is going to have a difficult matchup in the national title game, though. He's already made it known that he wants to cover Smith, and if he can't find a way to at least slightly slow down the Heisman winner, it could make for a long night for Ohio State's defense.

"DeVonta is a great player, quick and shifty and fast," Wade said, per Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch. "You see it on his highlights. He can do everything in the book as a receiver, and just really looking for that matchup."

But Wade is also a great player, one who has 29 tackles, three pass deflections, two interceptions and one touchdown during the Buckeyes' 7-0 campaign. So if there's any cornerback who can limit Smith's production, it could be Wade.

If Wade has a strong showing against Alabama's high-powered offense, it would boost his draft stock and perhaps see him selected close to the start of this year's draft.