Josh Chapman, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Overview:
By the numbers, Josh Chapman was one of the least productive Crimson Tide players this season. He was only able to collect 23 tackles, one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. None of his numbers will stick out as anything worth drafting. However, Chapman’s ability is probably better determined by looking at some peripherals, rather than his raw numbers.
Even with those statistics, Josh Chapman was voted second team All-SEC, a conference that boasts many of the very best defensive players the nation has to offer. He also was the interior anchor to the number one defense in the country. Alabama finished first in every relevant defensive statistic outside of turnover differential. They were historically great. One of the reasons they managed to only allow 72 rushing yards and eight points per game was because of Chapman clogging the middle and allowing his teammates to make plays unabated.
Final Projection:
Although there are many talented defensive tackles that could be drafted within the first couple rounds of the draft, not all of them have the size and strength to play nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Even with Josh Chapman’s relatively low production on the year, his ability to play this position and his experience jamming up opposing offenses in such a successful defense, should have him off the board by round three at the latest.
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