2017 NFL Draft: Cam Robinson, Marlon Humphrey, ArDarius Stewart enter
By John Buhler
Alabama Crimson Tide left tackle Cam Robinson, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and wide receiver ArDarius Stewart will leave school to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
A blue-blood football powerhouse like the Alabama Crimson Tide can afford to lose players early to the NFL, but head coach Nick Saban can’t be happy to see three starters from his 2016 team leave school a year early.
Saban confirmed on Friday that junior left tackle Cam Robinson, redshirt sophomore cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and redshirt junior ArDarius Stewart will all forgo their remaining years of eligibility to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
Nick Saban confirms that Cam Robinson, ArDarius Stewart and Marlon Humphrey are entering the NFL draft
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 13, 2017
Robinson leaving school a year early is no surprise. He has been considered the best offensive tackle in a particularly weak draft class for the position. Robinson left a lot to be desired in 2016, but still receive several accolades. One could argue that his inability to protect true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blind side was a major reason Alabama didn’t win the national title.
That being said, Robinson projects as the first left tackle to be drafted in 2017. For that reason alone, he will get into the top 10 because he plays a premium position.
Humphrey has the highest upside of the three Alabama early entrants. Seeing him forgo his final two years of eligibility could be concerning, but Humphrey could go as high as the top-five. He will have to overcome the stereotype of being a product of an Alabama defensive back system. However, Humphrey will certainly land with a team that is in dire need for a shutdown corner.
Stewart leaving a year early is a bit strange. He has been in college for four years, but one has to wonder how his game will translate to the NFL. Stewart thrives out of the jet sweep and projects as a Tavon Austin prototype at the NFL level.
That being said, Austin hasn’t exactly set the NFL ablaze with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. Stewart has probably a third-round NFL Draft grade. He could be a good complementary receiver in the NFL if selected by the right organization.
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Losing a lot of elite players is tough, but Saban and his Alabama program are more than capable of offsetting the losses of Humphrey, Robinson, and Stewart to the 2017 NFL Draft. The Humphrey departure probably stings the most because he had up to two more years left to play in the Alabama secondary.