Alabama vs. Georgia: Top 10 NFL Draft prospects to watch in National Championship Game
By Matt Melton
7. Jordan Battle, Alabama safety
The leader of the Alabama secondary for each of the past two season’s, you would find a player on the Crimson Tide defense that is all over the field more on Monday night than Jordan Battle.
A top-ranked safety and Top 50 overall recruit out of high school, Battle has made an impact since day one in Tuscaloosa, a span that has culminated in a career 2021 season for the junior defensive back collecting 81 total tackles with three interceptions.
A likely second round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft if he chooses to go that route, Battle is next in the long line of safeties under Nick Saban at Alabama who not only drop into pass coverage, but also spent a significant amount of time in the box as a run-stopper, a group that features familiar names such as Landon Collins, Mark Barron, and more.
With the 2022 Draft featuring one clear-cut top safety in Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton, you could certainly make the argument that Battle is in the tier right below Hamilton alongside others such as Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker.
A bigger safety at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Battle’s skill-set and style of play alone will be intriguing to NFL front offices, as well as the previous success of former Crimson Tide safeties in the NFL before him not hurting either. Don’t necessarily rule out Battle as a late first rounder either, especially after a strong 2021 junior season.