ESPN.com staff 12y

Big draft looming for Alabama

In Todd McShay's latest mock NFL draftInsider, he has five Alabama players going in the first round.

He's not the only draft analyst, either, predicting that many Crimson Tide players to be selected in the first round on April 26.

It would be an historic night for the SEC. That's because no SEC school has ever produced five first-rounders in the same draft. Miami has the record nationally when the Hurricanes produced six first-rounders in 2004.

McShay has running back Trent Richardson going No. 4 overall to the Cleveland Browns, safety Mark Barron going No. 15 to the Philadelphia Eagles, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick going No. 20 to the Tennessee Titans, outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw going No. 23 to the Detroit Lions, and inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower going No. 24 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alabama had four players go in the first round last year. LSU produced four first-rounders in the 2007 draft, and Auburn had four go in the first round in 2005.

McShay projects 11 SEC players to be taken in the first round, which would tie an SEC record.

Here's his rundown of SEC players:

  • No. 4, Cleveland Browns -- Alabama RB Trent Richardson

  • No. 5, Tampa Bay Buccaners -- LSU CB Morris Claiborne

  • No. 7, Jacksonville Jaguars -- South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram

  • No. 9, Carolina Panthers -- Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox

  • No. 15, Philadelphia Eagles -- Alabama S Mark Barron

  • No. 18, San Diego Chargers -- Georgia OT Cordy Glenn

  • No. 19, Chicago Bears -- South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore

  • N0. 20, Tennessee Titans -- Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick

  • No. 23, Detroit Lions -- Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw

  • No. 24, Pittsburgh Steelers -- Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower

  • No. 25, Denver Broncos -- LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers

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