This season will be an exciting one for Alabama’s defense.
After having two players taken in this year’s NFL Draft, including one in the first round, the 2022 venue will be stacked with Crimson Tide defensive players. Josh Jobe, a senior from Miami, Fla., is one of those names that is ready for the next step.
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He and Patrick Surtain II both came to Alabama’s in its 2018 signing class. Surtain grew to become an All-SEC and All-American caliber player.
He was selected at No. 9 overall to the Denver Broncos, and now the attention turns to Jobe.
His style has always been aggressive on the field, but Jobe added technique to his passion in 2020.
Contrary to popular belief, the once four-star prospect excelled at keeping marquee wide receivers off balance. He finished second behind Surtain for pass breakups (11) and totaled 55 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one quarterback pressure in 13 games. Jobe started the 2020 campaign with a dominant showing versus Missouri, but the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame took notice of his game against Louisiana State University.
He collected six tackles, one sack, and two breakups at Tiger Stadium. Jobe was awarded Jim Thorpe Player of the Week, and Alabama’s coaching staff honored him four times for Defensive Player of the Week during the season.
As marquee as Surtain was, Jim Nagy sees Jobe as the Tide’s next early-round defensive back.
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Nagy, the executive director for the Reese’s Senior Bowl, was an NFL scout for 18 years.
He was on six Super Bowl teams and helped win four Vince Lombardi trophies. Nagy is an NFL Draft analyst for ESPN, and he works with general managers and personnel directors at the Senior Bowl. In studying Jobe’s tape, Nagy said he is ‘efficient in recovery and rarely panics.’
He looks at the Alabama cornerback as a ‘competitive finisher.’
.@AlabamaFTBL had only 2 defensive players drafted this year but that number will spike in 2022. Josh Jobe (@JoshuaMJobe) is the next early-round DB. Efficient in recovery & rarely panics. Competitive finisher routinely makes late-in-catch-process PBUs. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/PYf2FsVmfR
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) May 16, 2021
Jobe will get an invitation to the Senior Bowl if he has a strong year. Since 2010, Nick Saban has placed five cornerbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft. Names such as Kareem Jackson, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeMarcus “Dee” Milliner, Marlon Humphrey, and Patrick Surtain have gotten the call. Jobe has an opportunity to be No. 6, and he is prepared to make sure it happens.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
