ESPN Draft analyst lists 2 Alabama players among top 50 NFL Draft prospects

Nov 22, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws a pass during the game with Eastern Illinois at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Two Alabama players were listed as top 50 prospects by an ESPN NFL Draft analyst a few weeks ahead of the 2026 NFL Combine and the 2026 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Jordan Reid believes offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor is the 31st-best prospect in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-7, 366-pounder is strong enough to move defensive linemen out of the way on running plays, but Reid highlighted that Proctor is not where he needs to be as a pass protector.

Reid mentioned that Proctor had one of his worst performances of the 2025 season at Florida State, a game where Alabama received an embarrassing whooping from the Seminoles defensive front.

Proctor allowed seven pressures and a sack, but Reid says things got better as Proctor went nine games without allowing a sack and only eight pressures. Reid ultimately thinks Proctor will be given a shot at offensive tackle before a team moves him to guard due to his size.

Reid has quarterback Ty Simpson listed at No. 44 in his prospect rankings. 

In 2025, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. Simpson was a Heisman Trophy contender for most of the season, but his play declined after sustaining a few injuries that bothered him in the back half of the year like a bulging disk for example. 

Reid said that the lack of experience as a starter is not ideal, and he also believes that he does not have the traits or ceiling to uplift a team immediately, making Simpson a Day 2 draftee in his eyes. 

Things could change after Alabama’s Pro Day and the NFL Combine. Some experts think Simpson will go in the first round, and others see him sliding to the second or third round.