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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Four Alabama subclasses have announced their intention to forgo their college eligibility and list their names in the 2021 NFL Draft Thursday afternoon.
Defensive lineman Christian Barmore, quarterback Mac Jones, defensive back Patrick Surtain II and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle announced they were turning pro at a press conference.
“I’m very proud of how these four young men have contributed to the program here, winning two SEC championships and one national championship, extending seasons by 10 wins for 13 years and finishing in the top 10 for 13 years,” said head coach Nick Saban. “All of these guys have made a great contribution to the team, not only in their performance on the pitch, but also in the way they have adhered to the principles and values of the program, to the leadership they have shown through the example they set and the work ethic they had, and the production they were able to play with.
“Each of these guys is on their way to graduation. Each of them made a promise to me that they would complete their degree program. Mac already has a master’s degree. But we’re very proud of the fact that these guys- There have been some great people in the organization, they have been great students, they are all career oriented and they have made a huge contribution to the development of their footballing careers, we are really proud of each of these guys. , and they’ll still be a part of the University of Alabama and the program here. “
Barmore is actually a sophomore in a red shirt, but after spending three years in college, he’s eligible to take part in the draft. The defensive lineman has recorded 37 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, six quarterbacks, three breakouts and three forced fumbles this season. Barmore led the Alabama defense in the sacks and placed second in the SEC in the statistics category, as he tied for sixth in tackles for loss and the league lead for forced escapes.
Jones, a junior redshirt, just completed his first full season as a starting quarterback with Tide and what a year it has been. The Jacksonville, Fla. Native threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 77.4 percent of his passes. Jones led the nation in passing yards, completion percentage, passer rating (203.06) and yards per attempt (11.2) and was also second in passing touchdowns and third for passing yards per game (346.2). The signalman won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Davey O’Brian Award this fall.
Surtain was a locking corner for the Crimson Tide as a junior. The former 5-star rookie had 38 total tackles, 22 solo saves, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 12 breakage passes, three quarterback accelerations and one interception, which he returned for a touchdown. Surtain led the SEC in breakouts and was tied for the championship lead in passing defended (13). He was a unanimous All-American and the defensive MVP of Alabama’s victory over Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl.
Finally, Waddle will give up his final year and declare himself for the draft despite missing eight games with a fractured ankle. In six appearances this season, the electric receiver and returner caught 28 passes for 591 yards and four touchdowns and averaged 21.11 yards per reception. He was able to play in the college football playoff title game earlier this week and caught three passes for 34 yards even though he struggled to cut his injured ankle.
Earlier Thursday, junior Redshirt defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis announced he would return to Alabama for one more season. The deadline to declare the NFL Draft is Monday, January 18.
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Contact Charlie Potter by personal message or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).
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