2020 NFL Draft: 9 Intriguing prospects from college football Week 9

1. Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

Big plays and touchdowns don’t happen without the big boys up front. The game is won in the trenches. When the offensive line is bad, it shows. One of the better offensive lines in college football is the Alabama Crimson Tide’s and one of the better offensive tackle prospects is Alex Leatherwood.

The Crimson Tide quarterbacks have stood upright thanks to the athletic prowess of Leatherwood. Mac Jones, who replaced Tua Tagovailoa at the end of Week 8 and in Week 9, has only been sacked once in 54 pass attempts.

Leatherwood moved from guard to tackle where he’s shined this season. MSN reported that Leatherwood was named to the Outland Trophy watchlist. The 6-6, 310-pound tackle isn’t just a gifted athlete, he has a powerful punch at the line of scrimmage. While he’s light, he has shown to have a solid base and to not give up ground on bull rushes.

There are legit concerns about his technique but that’s fixable over time. He also does a solid job in the run game. And he’s good enough to play in either gap or zone scheme.

With teams looking to give their franchise quarterback a franchise tackle, he could hear his name called inside the top 10. It’ll be interesting to see if a team can pair Leatherwood with one of his Alabama teammates.