Have Bama players value been inflated in these past few drafts? Good and Bad. Good because it helps in recruiting and makes players dreams come true, bad, it can be a nightmare balancing recruiting with who might leave early. Example, AJ leaving early would leave a big gap that would not exist the following year.
My observations suggest to me that synergy with other players, the coach Saban factor, and coach Smart on the sidelines has inflated the value of many drafts picks the last 3 years, and that a few underclassman would have been better off with another year. I am not trying to be critical, my main point is that the early exodus of Juniors being inflated has hurt the team. Imagine our defense with Donta' and Kilpatrick this year, instead we were the No Name defense (who kicked butt)? The suggestions of AJ leaving early seemed a little over the top to me, and I now believe he will stay. He needs another year for his development! Donta' and Dre' may be the exception though.
It is well known that it is harder for a player on a losing team to get the attention of those on a dominating team, and I believe this is what helped with some of the inflation. I am only suggesting that some players were either overrated, or where rated too high too soon. Or best linebacker in the NFL is still one from the Fran-Shula era and was vastly underrated in Demarco Ryans.....a second round pick with 2 pro bowls. No doubt he would have been a top 5 pick on a coach Saban team.
My predictions is that we will not see nearly as many early departures as we have the past 3 years. Before coach Saban we had maybe 5 players leave early total. Seems like Chris Samuels, Dwayne Rudd, Saleem Rasheed and maybe 2 more. But very rare.
This is not a knock on coach saban but a compliment for getting the most out of his players and maybe making them appear better through synergy than individuals.
Just my opinion. We should start seeing less juniors leave early in the 2nd half of the Coach era.
My observations suggest to me that synergy with other players, the coach Saban factor, and coach Smart on the sidelines has inflated the value of many drafts picks the last 3 years, and that a few underclassman would have been better off with another year. I am not trying to be critical, my main point is that the early exodus of Juniors being inflated has hurt the team. Imagine our defense with Donta' and Kilpatrick this year, instead we were the No Name defense (who kicked butt)? The suggestions of AJ leaving early seemed a little over the top to me, and I now believe he will stay. He needs another year for his development! Donta' and Dre' may be the exception though.
It is well known that it is harder for a player on a losing team to get the attention of those on a dominating team, and I believe this is what helped with some of the inflation. I am only suggesting that some players were either overrated, or where rated too high too soon. Or best linebacker in the NFL is still one from the Fran-Shula era and was vastly underrated in Demarco Ryans.....a second round pick with 2 pro bowls. No doubt he would have been a top 5 pick on a coach Saban team.
My predictions is that we will not see nearly as many early departures as we have the past 3 years. Before coach Saban we had maybe 5 players leave early total. Seems like Chris Samuels, Dwayne Rudd, Saleem Rasheed and maybe 2 more. But very rare.
This is not a knock on coach saban but a compliment for getting the most out of his players and maybe making them appear better through synergy than individuals.
Just my opinion. We should start seeing less juniors leave early in the 2nd half of the Coach era.