Our reactions to Alabama players taken in Todd McShay's latest mock draft

On Tuesday, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay put out his latest mock draft. This time around, that mock went for two rounds instead of just one. That gave us the chance to see where McShay thinks more Alabama players will land come the end of April.

In total, McShay selected four Crimson Tide standouts in his 64-pick mock draft. Sure, that’s a bit lower than fans are used to seeing, but it’s still better than a lot of other programs. Below, we reveal who those four players are and what reactions we had to the pick and landing spot.

Enjoy!

OT Evan Neal

Pick: No. 9 – Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)

McShay’s reasoning: “The rebuild is on in the Pacific Northwest, and the list of needs is long. The Seahawks seem ready to lean on Drew Lock at quarterback for a year, but that wouldn’t necessarily take them out of the mix for Liberty’s Malik Willis — though I think they will wait until 2023 to bring in the long-term fix. And the edge rush remains problematic following free agency, meaning Jermaine Johnson II would certainly be on GM John Schneider’s radar. But let’s not forget that Seattle has a void at left tackle (Duane Brown is still unsigned), and successful rebuilds often start there. Neal is tough to get around, dominant in the run game and able to play multiple positions.”

Our reaction: Evan Neal continues to take a slight tumble from where he was being projected to go (No. 1 overall) as recently as six weeks ago. Not only am I not a fan of the mammoth tackle out of Alabama sliding down this far, but I’m also not thrilled with Seattle as the landing spot.

This is a franchise that’s currently undergoing a significant rebuild with Lock, not Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, as the starting signal-caller. Plus, head coach Pete Carroll will be 71 this season, and we’re not sure how much longer he’s going to be around.

Who comes after him? We don’t know. That’s another problem.

Now, I will admit that the Seahawks have a clear need for a new left tackle with Duane Brown still unsigned. That means there will be a clear path to immediate playing time for Neal, but that’d be the case almost anywhere the former five-star ends up. Count me out on this one.

WR Jameson Williams

Pick: No. 17 – Kansas City Chiefs (mock trade with LAC)

McShay’s reasoning: “Williams tore his ACL in the national championship game, and his impact on the Chiefs’ offense wouldn’t come in Week 1. But there isn’t a more explosive wide receiver in the class. He can take the top off the defense and run under any deep ball. Does that sound like a fit for a certain NFL team? Kansas City could feast on a Patrick Mahomes-Williams connection for a long time and keep pace with the AFC West’s other rapidly improving teams.”

Our reaction: Now, here’s a pick that I can get behind.

First off, this would be a nice range for Jameson Williams after some have speculated that his late knee injury could push him down to the late-first, maybe even-early second round. On top of that, he’d be on joining an offense that has coach Andy Reid as the play-caller and a 26-year-old Mahomes as his quarterback.

Another positive is that tight end Travis Kelce will likely take away a lot of the attention from opposing defenses. But Williams will still have every opportunity to become the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. That’s the best of both worlds.

DT Phidarian Mathis

Pick: No. 45 – Baltimore Ravens

McShay’s reasoning: “Signing Michael Pierce doesn’t mean Baltimore should completely check the defensive tackle box just yet. Mathis would provide depth, and his improving interior pass-rush skills are an added bonus. He plays hard and projects as a future starter.”

Our reaction: The Ravens always seem to field impressive defensive linemen, especially in recent years. They also love to draft them on Day 2. Don’t believe me? In eight of the last 10 drafts, Baltimore has selected at least one defensive lineman in the second or third round.

In other words, we shouldn’t be surprised if they do take a player such as Phidarian Mathis early in the second round. The Louisiana native is already considered a quality run-stopper, but it’s his development this past season as an interior pass-rusher that has NFL teams intrigued.

I’m not sure how the coaching staff or front office feels about the long-term outlooks of 2020 third and fifth-round picks Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington, but I do know Mathis would make an excellent addition to that defensive tackle room.

Plus, this franchise just let Bradley Bozeman walk. It’s time to offset that by adding another Alabama player.

WR John Metchie III

Pick: No. 49 – New Orleans Saints

McShay’s reasoning: “Michael Thomas hasn’t spent much time on the field over the past two seasons, and the Saints’ other pass-catching options don’t excite much. quarterback Jameis Winston would really benefit from a reliable target on the outside, and Metchie is a polished route runner with soft hands. He quietly had 1,142 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches last season but suffered a knee injury in December.”

Our reaction: After losing Drew Brees and Sean Payton over the last two seasons, John Metchie landing in New Orleans feels a lot less appealing nowadays. That said, I still believe there are some positives to the former Alabama standout taking his talents to the Saints.

First, he’s a top-50 selection in this mock, which is a good spot considering his knee injury. Second, Winston is at least a serviceable quarterback — or at least he will be once he returns from his own ACL injury. Plus, he’s got an offensive line good enough to give him the time needed to get Metchie the football.

Add in an early opportunity to become the first or second option in the passing game and Metchie getting to play in a dome (a controlled environment for a passing attack), and I like the idea of him in New Orleans. All-in-all, there are a lot worse landing spots out there.