When Saturday’s Southeastern Conference football championship game between Alabama and Florida kicks off inside the Georgia Dome, it will mark the final league game for many talented Crimson Tide and Gators players.
That should not be confused for the last time they meet on a field of play.
As many as 10 first-round selections in the 2017 NFL draft could be on display in Atlanta, with the bumper crop headed by Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen and Florida cornerbacks Teez Tabor and Quincy Wilson.
“It’s kind of like a minor-league NFL game, if that makes sense,” Gators quarterback Austin Appleby said earlier this week. “There are going to be first-rounders and NFL players all over the field, and this is what it’s all about in the SEC. Between the Alabama and Florida programs, there is talent everywhere, and we know what’s at stake.”
Representing Alabama among the 10 potential first-round picks are Allen, offensive tackle Cam Robinson, linebacker Reuben Foster, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, tight end O.J. Howard and defensive end/outside linebacker Tim Williams. Robinson is a junior who is expected to forego his final season of eligibility, while Humphrey is just a redshirt sophomore who has an interesting decision to make.