John David Mercer – USA TODAY SPORTS
According to several reports this morning, the Alabama Crimson Tide trio of Eddie Lacy, Dee Milliner, and D.J. Fluker have all declared themselves eligible for the 2013 NFL Draft and will bypass any additional eligibility remaining to play at the college level.
Lacy was a breakout star at running back for the Crimson Tide as the 2012 season wore on, finishing with 1,322 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on the season, and drawing comparisons to another former Alabama star and Cleveland Browns starter, Trent Richardson. Lacy’s ability to hit holes with authority and truck opposing defenders will make him a very valuable NFL commodity next season.
Milliner was arguably the top cornerback in all of college football in 2012, and is projected to go in the first few rounds of the NFL draft by all credible sources. His outstanding instincts and football IQ make up for a general lack of cover skills, but the latter will quickly be learned under the right coaching staff.
Fluker is a massive right tackle, who at 6’6″, 335 is as imposing as they come in the trenches. Rated as one of the top 10 tackles in the country, Fluker is sure to fly off the board along with fellow first-tier tackle Luke Joeckel, who declared himself eligible for the draft in the past few days.
While losing three stars of this caliber would be devastating to most teams, for Alabama it just provides an opportunity for guys one slot down the depth chart to step up and show what they can do in 2013.
For the Crimson Tide, it’s never about panic due to attrition, it’s about seeing new faces step forward and take on the challenge of preserving what is becoming college football’s newest and shiniest dynasty.
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Kris Hughes is the College Football Network Manager for Rant Sports. You can follow Kris on Twitter, Google Plus and Facebook
