[FONT="]Though there has been some flux due to transfers, the Tide is still has a couple of all-star head-busters in the middle of the secondary[/FONT]
[FONT="]Alabama defeated Auburn in Tuscaloosa for the first time in series history, 36–0, in Tommy Tuberville's last game as Auburn's head coach.[/FONT]
[FONT="]1. Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama[/FONT]
[FONT="]Nicknamed "The Predator" by one NFL personnel man, Williams has tremendous get-off after the snap and can explode up the field to challenge the edge of the saltiest offensive tackle. What makes Williams particularly lethal is his combination of hand usage and cornering around the edge. Like most Alabama defensive linemen, he's excellent with his hands and plays with a mega-motor. His sack every 18.2 snaps he played in 2015 bodes well for his 2016 season and subsequent draft stock.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2. Jonathan Allen, DT/DE, Alabama[/FONT]
[FONT="]Allen's game might be more conducive to a higher draft slot than former teammates A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, who both went in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. While he's a little smaller than you like on the interior, he has the quickness and technique to be a disruptive gap shooter from the three-technique spot or a sturdy base end for a 4-3 team looking for bulk on the edge. Allen's talent and ability to rush the quarterback should make him a first-rounder, but he's not necessarily a clean fit from a positional standpoint.[/FONT]
rbr op[FONT="]"The Predator", eh?[/FONT]
[FONT="]Sounds good, as does the fact that Alabama has four of the top six seniors in the country with O.J. Howard and Reuben Foster joining Williams and Allen. Add in Eddie Jacksonwho didn't make this list, and the Tide has key senior leadership at DL, ILB, OLB, and DB.[/FONT]
[FONT="]By placing some years’ semis on the Saturday before New Year’s but remaining locked in to Mondays for the championship, the gap between rounds will get considerably longer in some instances. In 2019-20, for example, the semis are now slated for Dec. 28. The championship game in New Orleans is not until 16 days later, on Jan. 13.[/FONT]