Dont'a Hightower, Junior, Linebacker, Alabama
Overview:
Dont'a Hightower was a regular starter as a true freshman in 2008. He earned a dozen starts and finished with 64 tackles on the year, ranking fourth on the team. That is pretty impressive for a freshman on a talented Alabama squad. As a result, Hightower was named to a variety of All-Freshman teams. His sophomore season started fine, but a torn ACL ended his season after just four games. Hightower did earn a medical redshirt for 2009, but it is unlikely he will use it.
As a redshirt sophomore in 2010, Hightower was back to his old ways of leading the Alabama linebacker corps. Hightower earned second-team All-SEC accolades and ranked second on the team with 69 tackles. And Hightower emerged as more than a sure handed tackler. He also tallied 3.5 tackles-for-loss and a team high nine quarterback hurries and also broke up and three passes.
Final Projection:
At 6-4 and 250 pounds Hightower is a big inside linebacker. He is not that fast, but he can use his strength to battle through the mess in the trenches. Hightower is quick enough to drop back into coverage. Whatever speed he lacks, he more than makes up for it with his instincts. Few players will test out better than Hightower leading up to the draft and he is a pretty safe top ten pick.
1/16/12 Update:
Like many of his teammates, Hightower has opted to leave Alabama on top of the college football world and look towards the next level. Hightower led the Crimson Tide in tackles during his junior campaign and was a huge part of the run to the national title. He is a good leader, a smart player and certainly a first round draft pick. He should start garnering more buzz and moving up draft boards once the scouts get a good look at him during the NFL Combine.
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