2013 NFL Draft: Alabama Loses Dee Milliner, Eddie Lacy to NFL Draft
By Josh Hill
The Alabama Crimson Tide are on the top of the college football world, but they’re losing two key pieces to their championship run as cornerback Dee Milliner and running back Eddie Lacy have both declared for the NFL Draft. The duo join D.J. Fluker as members of the Crimson Tide who have declared for the draft in the last 24 hours.
Hearing news that the three underclassman have declared for the draft comes as no surprise as not only have we had a record number of underclassman declare for the draft, but all three were heavily leaning towards declaring long before their actual announcement.
The only minor surprise would be Lacy, who is deciding to forego his final year of eligibility with the Tide to cash in on his recent success in big games. In both the SEC and BCS Championship games, Lacy eclipsed 100 yards rushing, setting new marks for Crimson Tide runners in both games. In the Tide’s final two games of the season, Lacy combined for 321 yards and three touchdowns to help bring home another trophy to Alabama.
As for Milliner, it’s long been assumed that he’d be entering the draft, and he enters it being the top cornerback prospect in the class. Milliner is expected to be taken as early as fifth overall and will fall no further than No. 13 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Fluker comes off one of the best offensive lines in the country, and while he’s overshadowed by guys like Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack, but with news that Jake Matthews and Tyler Lewan have decided to return for their senior seasons, Fluker will no doubt shoot up draft boards the closer we get to April.
Alabama has long been an NFL factory, and this year’s class of Tide rolling into the NFL will be exception to that rule.