The Alabama pro day is annually a must-see event littered with future NFL players. Although not geographically centered, it might as well be a convention for talent evaluators.
There is a lengthy list of key decision-makers in Tuscaloosa Tuesday, including Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Jon Robinson, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Bengals general manager Duke Tobin, Bills general manager Brandon Beane, Broncos general manager George Paton, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, Colts general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith had also RSVPd as attending.
Najee Harris takes on inconvenience to support teammates
The running back has long known that he would not participate in Tuesday's pro day but always had intentions of being there to support his teammates. Harris' Monday night flight from Dallas, where he has been training, to Birmingham was canceled due to lightning, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Rather than accept the easy excuse, the California native jumped in a car and drove nine hours to Tuscaloosa. He is in attendance.
Bright lights shine on quarterback Mac Jones
With so many star players opting not to perform, most of the attention was directed toward Jones, who is widely regarded as the fifth-best quarterback prospect available in the 2021 NFL Draft behind Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Ohio State's Justin Fields, BYU's Zach Wilson and North Dakota State's Trey Lance. Jones waited his turn at Alabama while Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts went on to the NFL.
Rather than walking through a cookie-cutter workout designed to accentuate his strengths, the Florida native worked through a throwing program that challenged him from under center and in a shotgun formation. He incorporated a lot of rollouts and other motion into the session perhaps to address concerns over his lack of athleticism. There were a few missed throws down the right boundary that Jones typically completes but it was an adjustment throwing to tight ends Carl Tucker and Miller Forristall as opposed to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and Devonta Smith.
What are NFL teams going to love about @MacJones_10? 🙌⁰@AlabamaFTBL’s Nick Saban has high praise for his QB's next chapter…
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 23, 2021
“The guy is very committed to being the best player he could be.” pic.twitter.com/BymbRB83qW
The Patriots and Saints stand out as ideal fits for Jones. San Francisco, Chicago, Washington and, perhaps, Carolina could also be in the conversation to select the Alabama product.
NFL legacy impresses with size and talent
Defensive tackle Christian Barmore measured 6-foot-4 1/8 inches, 310 pounds with 10-inch hands, 34 5/8-inch arms and an 81 3/8-inch wingspan. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II measured 6-foot-2, 208 pounds with 10-inch hands, 32 4/8-inch arms and a 78 4/8-inch wingspan. Surtain was under the microscope for most of the day as one of the few true elite talents participating. The son of the longtime NFL veteran is currently the No. 15 prospect overall and the second-ranked cornerback but should rise higher in future updates.
Surtain looked as though he did not have an ounce of fat on his body. He moved well during the on-field drills and showed the elite traits that initially led him to early-round projections. As a junior, the rarely tested cornerback from Florida had 10 pass deflections, one interception and one touchdown.
Devonta Smith measures 170 pounds
Smith is often knocked for his slight frame and the limited history of wide receivers having success at that stature. He weighed in at 170 pounds, which is small by top 10 standards. Teams may question his size but Smith was physical through his routes and his motions are crisp. Creative offensive coordinators will not have any difficulty finding ways to use his skill set and, if used properly, there should be little opportunities to jam him at the line of scrimmage.
Philadelphia and Detroit have been linked to the Alabama receiver in the top 10. He is coming off a Heisman Trophy-winning season that saw him make 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns.
