Alabama vs. Florida: The 5 Best NFL Prospects

There are a ton of future players on the field for Saturday night's prime-time matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators. Florida has a ton of future talent while most argue that Alabama has some NFL-ready players today.

Had Janoris Jenkins still been on the team, he would have cracked the list, but are there any Florida Gators who made the cut? Who are the best NFL-ready players on this Crimson Tide team? 

I break it all down, dissecting the best players on the field between the Gators and the Tide!

5. Josh Chapman: Defensive Tackle

Mr. Chapman could play in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme in the NFL because of how gifted he is. Standing large and in charge at 6'1", 310 pounds, this senior has turned into one of the top linemen in the country.

Surely a top five tackle, Chapman has a chance to make the first round of April's upcoming NFL draft if he can remain consistent with his technique. There is also hope that his endurance will continue to improve and develop in time under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.

He is surrounded with talent around him on the line, which makes him tough to double team since the Tide are loaded with depth and have a solid front four.

The defensive line might be considered the weakness of the defense, but that just goes to show you how amazing this defense really is. Chapman has not seen huge success from a production standpoint since he has been behind a few studs up front (Mount Cody, among a few others). 

However, in their 3-4 defense the majority of the tackles are from the linebackers, and though nothing is wrong with that, Chapman only makes fifth on my list since he has not officially reached the bonkers stage like some of his teammates already have.

4. Dre Kirkpatrick: Cornerback

Though Dre Kirkpatrick is just a junior, he ranks among my top five corners in the nation. Kirkpatrick is one lanky athlete that covers a ton of ground. Be aware if you throw towards him that he may take you back to the house for six points.

He is that electric and has the ability to out-muscle you for a ball that is thrown up for grabs. Kirkpatrick is a legit 6'2", 193 pounds, where his frame has some room to grow and develop. Fluid hips is something all corners need to have, and DK certainly possess more than just that.

Kirkpatrick also is extremely fast, with a quick burst where he can lose a step on a receiver and regain that lost step in the drop of a hat.

Going up against the likes of Deonte Thompson could certainly raise his stock if he were to limit the big plays against John Brantley and the rest of his receivers. 

3. Mark Barron: Safety

If you wonder why this defense is tenacious, you do not have to look any further than Mark Barron. After being unable to perform in the teams' Capital One Bowl obliteration over Michigan State due to injury (pectoral muscle), he has come back for a crack at another BCS national championship. 

Barron hits like a ton of bricks and is teamed up with one of the most talented secondary's in BCS history. The safety duo alongside Robert Lester enables him to come and make significant plays behind the line of scrimmage. 

The safety makes his fair share of bone-jarring hits on receivers who have the lack of brains to take a big lick across the middle of the field. This playmaker is as aggressive as they come in the SEC and beyond.

At 6'2", 218 pounds, Barron has a 4.55 40-yard dash, but he is well known for being one of the hardest hitters in America who could be a surefire first-round pick in next April's NFL draft.

2. Courtney Upshaw: Defensive End/Linebacker

Courtney Upshaw is a freak off the edge who has harassed SEC quarterbacks for the past few years. He might just be the best 3-4 edge rusher and outside linebacker in the country.

The Tide's best defensive player is a high-motor player who is unblockable since he can line up anywhere on the field. He has legit NFL size at 6'2", 265 pounds, and he is often stronger and faster than any player he lines up against.

He will chase down the Gators' Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey with ease, roaming sideline to sideline all game long. It helps to play with the best set of linebackers in the nation as well as one of the best coaches in college football, Nick Saban.

Saban has enabled his best defensive playmaker to wreak havoc on the opposition this season by throwing a ton of different looks every single down and possession. Upshaw is very versatile since he is stout against the run and he can drop back in coverage as well.

He can play defensive end and outside linebacker with his deceptive 4.7 speed. His seven-sack season last year was solid, but he is looking to upstart his 2011 season by demolishing John Brantley at the "Swamp" where there will be a bevy of future Sunday players.

1. Trent Richardson: Running Back

Sorry, Gator fans, but you just got shut out by the Alabama Crimson Tide. That is because the "freak" known as Trent Richardson is atop the list.

Considered by many to be an even better NFL talent than his former Heisman-winning teammate Mark Ingram, Richardson is the total package.

Blocking, catching and running—he can flat out do it all. Picking up blitzes is often a crucial role early on in a young player's career at the collegiate and NFL levels, and clearly that is something Richardson is going to thrive at because of his huge upper body of a frame.

He can take on defenders in his sleep because of how huge he is. The guy is just impossible to tackle in the open field—not necessarily because of how fast he is, but because of how easily he can bounce off of would-be tacklers.

This future All-American already helped the Tide win a BCS national championship and there is a great chance he can do it again. He is one tough guy to bring down, and he is so special that I have not even had a chance to talk about his deceptive speed (4.4).

Is it really deceptive? The guy can flat out scoot and hailing from Pensacola, Florida makes the Gators hate this kid even more. The scary part about his game, you ask? He is only a junior and is just scratching the surface of what he eventually should become!