College Football Championship 2021: Predictions for NFL Draft Prospects

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields captivated NFL personnel with his outstanding performance at the Sugar Bowl.

In Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship, Fields has one more opportunity to impress before he heads for the NFL.

At the moment, Fields is one of a few quarterbacks fighting for the No. 2 spot on draft boards at the position behind Trevor Lawrence of the Clemson Tigers.

Fields will face his toughest test of the season against the Alabama Crimson Tide, who have not been slowed down by any of their opponents this season.

For Ohio State to win, Fields may have to match the output of an offensive unit that includes Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, who could also be a top-10 selection in April.

Predictions for NFL Draft Prospects

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Fields should have two competitors to be the second quarterback off the board. BYU's Zach Wilson and North Dakota State's Trey Lance could also be high first-round picks.

But the current conversation revolves around Fields and Wilson, who both played a set of FBS games in the fall while Lance played a single game for his FCS program.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. said there is not expected to be a consensus No. 2 quarterback behind Lawrence among NFL front office personnel:

"There's not going to be a consensus. Both have NFL-level arm talent; they can make every throw to any part of the field. Both throw intermediate routes with anticipation. Fields is a better athlete, but Wilson has the edge as a decision-maker—he cut down on turnovers this season. The question with Wilson is about the kind of competition BYU played."

Fields posted a season high of six passing touchdowns in the Sugar Bowl. He enters Monday with 21 touchdown throws and only six interceptions.

The junior signal-caller may not throw for six scores, but he could still be effective versus an Alabama defense that has been far from perfect against top opposition.

Alabama allowed 24 or more points to three Top 25 teams in SEC play. The Florida Gators produced 46 points in the SEC Championship Game.

In that contest, the Gators had two players record more than 100 receiving yards and four players caught three or more balls.

Fields could emulate Florida's approach if he combines well with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson and utilizes his tight ends well, as he did in the Sugar Bowl.

If he puts Alabama's defense under pressure, Fields could come close to 300 passing yards and may be responsible for a few scoring plays.

Fields' performance may not be enough to knock off Alabama, but he can at least keep Ohio State in contention for four quarters.

Prediction: 25-of-41, 321 yards, 3 TD

DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

Smith should have plenty of eyes on him after he was awarded the Heisman Trophy on Tuesday.

The senior wideout has attracted plenty of attention all season, but there will be more buzz surrounding him with fans and personnel of NFL teams viewing potential top-10 picks.

Smith delivered in every contest this season, and he produced a total of 314 receiving yards in the SEC Championship Game and Rose Bowl.

He caught at least six passes in all but one game and had seven performances with multiple trips to the end zone.

The season full of dominant performances led to ESPN.com's Todd McShay placing Smith at No. 3 in his latest mock draft.

Smith already has one national title to his name, but he was not a focal point of the offense in the 2018 National Championship until he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa.

Now that he is the primary wideout in the Alabama offense, Smith should see a high rate of targets from Mac Jones.

Look for Jones to throw in Smith's direction early to gain a quick advantage, and if the two get rolling, they could put up mammoth totals.

Prediction: 10 receptions, 145 yards, 2 TD

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.