Alabama Football: NFL Draft Stock Updates For Trent Richardson, Others

The 2011 college football season is over half complete, and the layout of the 2012 NFL Draft is starting to look a lot more clear.  Once again, Nick Saban has a flourishing crop reading for picking.  

There are certain guys on the team that were sure to be drafted, but just how high, or low would they go? 

Trent Richardson and others have skyrocketed their already plump draft stock, while others have gone down.  

Where do they stand at this point in the season?

Robert Lester, Safety

Stock:  Down

This is a picture of Robert Lester intercepting a pass against Ole Miss in Week 7 of the regular season.  

Total interceptions for 2011:  1.  

Robert Lester's notorious ball-hawking ability launched him to the very top of several draft pundit's safety rankings.  

Many had him higher than Mark Barron.  His zero total interceptions in six games haven't so much hurt his draft stock, but he's certainly been very quiet, both in discussions and on the field.  

To be fair, quarterbacks know Lester's reputation, and they have been extra careful when he's around, often simply throwing away from him.  

Where, exactly, would they throw to though?  Every other Tide defensive back is just as dangerous when the ball is in the air.  

Though he still has the potential to be the first safety taken in the draft, it looks like he'll need a few more big plays to get his name back at the top.  

Robert Lester is still an amazing talent, but the pundits and the fans alike would just like to see some more game changing interceptions.  I expect him to finally make big noise this season on November 5th.  

Dont'a Hightower, Linebacker

Stock:  Up

Dont'a Hightower was called overrated in 2010 by many pundits.  "Slow," and "Sluggish," where some words they used to describe him.  

Well, the knee surgery is well behind him.  This is a picture of him chasing down and tackling none other than Florida's Chris Rainey, one of the fastest players in the league.  

Hightower still has some work to do with improving his speed, but for a guy that weighs almost 260 lbs., he moves pretty well.  

His coverage ability leaves something to be desired, but he is absolutely devastating against the run.  

He's first on the team with 39 tackles, five of those tackles for loss.  He only has half a sack, but he has been instrumental in helping collapse the pocket during blitzes.  

Dont'a Hightower is trying his best to be the first linebacker taken, but he may be overshadowed by the likes of Arizona State's Vontaze Burfict and another Crimson Tide linebacker...

Courtney Upshaw, Linebacker

Stock:  Up

Courtney Upshaw's draft stock took a heavy blow early in the season where his productivity fell well below standards.  

Against weak competition he was not making the huge plays we came to expect from a healthy Upshaw.

Unfortunately, draft pundits are often a bit too cynical.  Nick Saban's game plan was the primary reason for Upshaw not being the sack-machine against inferior opponents.  

Why would he use complex and chameleon-like blitz packages and give opponents film to study just to pad the stats?

Since the SEC grind started, Upshaw has now become fourth in the SEC with 3.5 sacks, and first in tackles for loss with a whopping 10.5.  

Not only does he get to the quarterback, but he is one of the primary reasons for Alabama's No. 1 rush defense.  He sheds blockers at will to consistently stop the ball-carrier in the backfield.  

Von Miller, drafted second overall by the Denver Broncos, is a similar player to Upshaw. With a 100 percent-biased opinion, I boldly say that Courtney Upshaw is better.  

If Upshaw can create some chaos in the backfield on November 5th when the Tide hosts LSU, his already first round quality stock will be unquestioned.  

Mark Barron, Safety

Stock:  Up

Mark Barron's stock took a hit in 2010 when he was out-shined by fellow safety, Robert Lester.  

A torn pectoral in the final game of the regular season and a heartbreaking loss to Auburn prevented the on-the-fence Barron from declaring early.

He has only record one interception on the season. Unlike Lester, he has been around the ball a lot more and is second on the team with 33 tackles.

He is one of the most sure tacklers in the nation, but delivers some jarring hits when he needs too.  

He looks to be a shoe-in to be the eventual successor of aging Pittsburgh Steelers' safety, Troy Polamalu, though he could never replace that million-dollar hair. 

Mark Barron's reliability and lack of blown coverages has moved his stock right back where it should have been:  near the top.  

Dre Kirkpatrick, Cornerback

Stock:  Down

Before the beginning of the 2011 season, many had Dre Kirkpatrick pegged as the best cornerback in the nation.

Dre Kirkpatrick's stock falling was not so much due to his shortcomings.

It had more to do with the advent of LSU's Morris Claiborne, who most pundits are now calling the No. 1 corner, and for a few good reasons.

Kirkpatrick has drawn the painful-sounding "Oooooh!" from the crowds quite a bit lately with his brutal hits on receivers.  Unfortunately, laying the wood isn't enough to make him the big man on the NFL Draft campus.  

Kirkpatrick has recently revealed his flaws in man coverage, often having trouble sticking to his receivers.  

He plays outstandingly in zone-coverage schemes, but until he can prove he can do it all and do it all the time, Kirkpatrick will have to settle for "great" rather than "amazing".  

Regardless of what draft jokers are saying about Dre, he should still be considered Alabama's best cornerback.  

Josh Chapman, True Nose Guard

Stock:  Up

Josh Chapman wasn't a big name people were talking about in 2010, but as the most important piece of a team's run defense in 2011, he is making a case for himself.

Alabama ranks first in the nation in rush defense, and as a true nose tackle, Chapman is playing his part to the letter.  

He is the primary reason for the Tide allowing less than 40-net rushing yards per game.  

Unfortunately, his stock can't really get much higher as a true nose tackle.  Washington Husky, Alameda Ta'amu, has that No. 1 spot all but locked down.  

Chapman has not accrued a lot of tackles, but that's not his job.  He takes on the double teams and plugs holes so hard even a 55-gallon drum of Drano couldn't get him out.  

Runners naturally, don't even try to run through his plugs and someone else gets the tackle.  Mission accomplished.  

Josh Chapman's only shortcoming is his lack of ability as a pass rusher.  Undersized Nick Gentry fills in for Chapman during pass rushing situations.  If Chapman is to get his stock any higher he would need to prove he can be more than a two-down nose tackle.  

Regardless, Josh Chapman is doing what Nick Saban needs of him.  A college team with a bloated roster can easily afford to swap players often, but a 53-man NFL roster doesn't have that luxury.  

Marquis Maze, Wide Receiver, Kick Returner

Stock:  Up

Marquis Maze's stock has shot up since the beginning of the season, now that he is out from under the shadow of Julio Jones.  

Unfortunately, Maze's stock looks to stagnate from here on out.  

He may make some amazing plays in the future, but the draft is stuffed with prototypical receivers this year with competition from Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

The other reason for his idle stock from here on out is the punt return game.  

After his amazing zig-zag punt return for a touchdown, teams have been shutting him down with those silly rugby-style punts, giving him no chance to return.  

Maze just isn't getting the opportunity to give further credibility to his ability as a return man.

Florida tried it first, and Vanderbilt and Ole Miss followed.  It has proven to shut down Maze's ability to get the big return, as the Tide's special teams don't seem capable of countering it.  

Maze may be the No. 1 guy for Alabama, but he's just about peaked as a mid/late round guy in the NFL Draft.  

But who knows?  Maybe Bill Belichick is looking for a successor for 30-year old Wes Welker.

Barret Jones, Offensive Guard

Stock:  Up

Barrett Jones may be filling in at left tackle, but his true position is playing guard.  

Fortunately for Jones, his shuffling around on the line has proven his versatility.  He is playing left tackle in the SEC after already proving he can play as a guard.  

His decision making and athleticism are unrivaled on the Crimson Tide's front-five.  

He won't get a consideration for playing left tackle in the NFL, but his stock as an unbeatable lineman has many coaches giving him the once-over.  

William Vlachos, Center

Stock:  Down

William Vlachos may be one of the best centers in the nation, and he's a serious candidate for the Rimington Trophy.  

He has played well this season, but he has whiffed on a few blocks that he shouldn't have.  

He has also had an uncharacteristically high amount of holding calls, including two against Ole Miss.  

His stock remains high, however, and he will correct his past mistakes in the near future.  

He doesn't have a shot at overshadowing Ohio State's Michael Brewster, but Vlachos will be one of the best and most reliable centers in the draft.

A three-year starter on Nick Saban's offensive line keeps William Vlachos held in high regard.  

Trent Richardson, Running Back

Stock:  Up?

Can Trent Richardson's stock get any higher?  He's already the consensus No. 1 running back in the upcoming draft.  

After his 10-plus yards-per-carry performance and a "Heisman Run" (video) against Ole Miss, Trent Richardson made the endangered species of doubters extinct.  

Speed, power, vision, and so forth are the things people are saying about Richardson.  He has the true qualities of an every-down back in the NFL.  

His stock can't get any higher, even if he wins the Heisman Trophy.   

All the Rest

There are many other players on the Crimson Tide roster that have a chance to make it into the NFL, but I can't really make an argument for any of them yet.  

Guys like Brad Smelley, Nico Johnson, Darius Hanks, DeQuan Menzie, and many others all have that NFL potential.  

As the season comes to a close, we'll get a much better look at them all.