NFL prospects everywhere in Alabama-Ohio State title game

Former LSU linebacker Patrick Queen is a good example of how a huge performance in a national championship game can help a player boost his NFL draft stock. Queen was a rising prospect throughout last season and capped it by being defensive MVP of College Football Playoff championship victory against Clemson. About three and half months later, Queen was selected in first round by Baltimore Ravens at . 28 overall.

. 1 Alabama and . 3 Ohio State head into national title game Monday night with a slew of future NFL players. matchups will t only determine who wins a championship, but could also influence where some of ir stars are drafted.

“You do want to look into a player's ability to play in clutch and in big moments because obviously when you're putting toger a football team, an NFL roster, your goal is to be playing in playoffs," said Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl executive director and a former NFL scout. "So you want to look at consequential games. games that really matter."

Alabama center Landon Dickerson, who is out with a knee injury, and guard Deonte Brown have already accepted invitations to Senior Bowl on Jan. 30, Nagy said. Heisman Trophy-winning receiver DeVonta Smith, star running back Najee Harris and tackle Alex Learwood have also been invited.

For Ohio State, center Josh Myers, running back Trey Sermon, linebackers Tuf Borland and Barron Browning, and defensive end Jonathon Cooper plan to take part in Senior Bowl, Nagy said. Invitations have also been extended to defensive tackle Haskell Garrett and linebacker Pete Werner.

re are perhaps 20 players who could potentially be drafted in April after playing for Crimson Tide and Buckeyes.

QUARTERBACKS

Ohio State's Justin Fields was amazing against Clemson, throwing six touchdown passes and showing off accuracy and arm strength all over field. He also displayed poise and toughness, playing most of game after taking a nasty hit to his side.

That came after an inconsistent and truncated season that has called into question Fields' status as best available QB behind Trevor Lawrence.

“re’s a lot of buzz around league about (BYU's) Zach Wilson being . 2 pick in draft behind Lawrence,” said Dane Brugler, a draft analyst for Athletic. “Fields, with what he did, it changed that a little bit. He’s making teams kind of go back and reconsider.”

Alabama defense has had some bumpy moments, but it is still most talented group Ohio State has faced, starting with SEC defensive player of year Patrick Surtain III. junior will probably be first cornerback drafted if he declares.

Plus, Fields will be tested by Alabama schematically.

“Give (Tide coach) Nick Saban 10 days to figure you out and to find your weaknesses, that's terrifying,” said Matt Miller of NFL Draft Scout.

Alabama quarterback Mac Jones is among second tier of quarterbacks in upcoming draft that includes Florida's Kyle Trask and maybe SMU's Shane Buechele.

Jones has been superb, but he doesn't have athletic traits comparable to Fields and Lawrence. Jones is surrounded by top-end talent, and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian has done a good job of scheming receivers open and creating mismatches.

“He’s a very, very difficult evaluation because how do you separate him from just an elite situation,” Brugler said of Jones.

Especially on heels of former Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie NFL season, which was solid but far from spectacular.

WADE'S WORLD

Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade made All-America team, but that was a generous evaluation based on reputation and last year's play when he was a nickelback and slot corner.

His move to outside this season has been spotty at best and indicative of Ohio State's cornerback play in general. w, he gets to face Smith, a sure first-rounder, and gemstone of Alabama's prolific passing game.

“If I’m Alabama and Steve Sarkisian, I’m getting DeVonta Smith on (Wade's) side of field as much as humanly possible because one has been able to stop him,” Miller said.

Brugler said Wade's future might still lie at safety.

"At same time, if he goes out re and performs at a high level against Smith, n all of a sudden that’s a different conversation,” Brugler said. “But based on what we’ve seen from Shaun Wade this year, it just doesn’t seem like a realistic possibility.”

IN TRENCHES

Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore is a third-team All-American and a third-year sophomore, so he is sure thing to enter draft.

310-pounder has t played at a consistently high level that would make him a lock first-rounder. Still, Brugler said defensive line class is thin at top of this draft and Barmore has a chance to be best of bunch.

Barmore will face a good test in Ohio State's interior line. All-America guard Wyatt Davis and Meyers are likely Day 2 draft picks with bottom of first-round potential.

SERMON DELIVERS

Ohio State running back Trey Sermon has gone on a remarkable late-season tear with 636 yards rushing in his last three games. He should expect to see a lot of linebackers Dylan Moses and Christian Harris, top two tacklers for Crimson Tide.

Nagy said Sermon looked like a potential starting NFL running back before injuring his knee last season while at Oklahoma. “He's gotten his opportunity se past few weeks re for Ohio State and he's taken full advant of those, but to do it against a Nick Saban defense in a national championship game would just be that next level for him,” Nagy said.