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The start of the college football season is near and scouts from several NFL teams have already paid visit to Alabama fall camp as they work to evaluate the prospects in the upcoming 2027 draft. If there is a theme for this Alabama draft class, it would be some high-level talent but a smaller group of overall players currently on the NFL's radar. In fact, the Tide was not among the 12 schools listed by ESPN last week as "college football teams with most top prospects" -- a jarring concept for a school that has led the nation in total draft picks over the past decade-plus. That is the result of a combination of factors, including having 50 players on its roster this season be non-draft eligible freshmen or sophomores. And of its draft-eligible upperclassmen, many who have yet to emerge as bona fide NFL draft prospects can stay in school past 2026 because of the NCAA's new five-year eligibility rule. Alabama's 2027 recruiting class is smaller than usual because of that math. Even so, Alabama's streak of having multiple first-round picks in every draft since 2017 could continue in 2027. Here is a look at the Tide's top 2027 NFL draft prospects: OUTSIDE LINEBACKER YHONZAE PIERRE Alabama outside linebacker Yhonzae Pierre (0) during practice August 16, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Pierre is the lone returning starter from Alabama's front seven last season and has come quite a ways over the past year. He entered 2025 fall camp buried on the depth chart at WOLF linebacker, but injuries to Qua Russaw and Jah-Marien Latham opened an opportunity for Pierre that he seized. A former five-star prospect, Pierre finished with eight sacks and three forced fumbles to rocket up NFL draft boards before he ultimately decided to return for his senior (fourth) season. He still would have a fifth season of eligibility in 2027 available to him. The Athletic last week ranked Pierre as the No. 3 edge rusher in the 2027 draft class. Wrote Dane Brugler: "Pierre flirted with leaving for the 2026 NFL Draft, where he likely would have been a top-40 pick. Instead, he returned to Tuscaloosa for his fourth season — and a chance to cement his status as a top-20 prospect." ESPN also ranked Pierre as its No. 4 edge rusher in this class. CORNERBACK ZABIEN BROWN Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown (2) during practice August 12, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Like Pierre, Brown was a five-star prospect arriving at Alabama -- in this case from California's Mater Dei High School. But unlike Pierre, Brown quickly earned a starting role as a freshman in 2024. Brown has been on the conveyor belt to the NFL draft ever since, showcasing his play-making ability with game-changing interceptions for touchdowns against Tennessee and Oklahoma (in the College Football Playoff) last season. He enters the 2026 season as a first-team preseason All-SEC selection. But Brown also gave up a 54-yard touchdown to South Carolina's Nyck Harbor last season, a reminder that Brown still has some room for improvement to be considered a top-flight cornerback in the draft. ESPN ranked Brown as its fifth-best cornerback in the draft and The Athletic ranked Brown as its seventh-best among draft-eligible underclassmen. He would have two years of eligibility remaining in 2027 and 2028, but Brown already has 28 games of starting experience and would have more than 40 starts (barring injury) under his belt if he entered the 2027 draft. WIDE RECEIVER RYAN COLEMAN-WILLIAMS Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams (1) during practice August 9, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Coleman-Williams has been one of the most celebrated and scrutinized players in college football over the past two seasons, and the 19-year old enters his draft-eligible junior season among the most-watched NFL prospects. There's no need to rehash everything that's gone right or wrong for Coleman-Williams over his first two years, but the question for NFL teams will be how to balance his natural talent with a need for more consistency and size -- the latter of which he's worked to improve in the weight room. Coleman-Williams was ranked fifth by ESPN but aptly chosen as the "toughest player to rank,", while The Athletic ranked Coleman-Williams as No. 6 among draft-eligible underclassmen. The biggest thing to remember about Coleman-Williams: he does not need to enter the 2027 draft. He still has two years of eligibility remaining in 2027 and 2028, and would have considerable value as a college football player if he remained in school. Even if Coleman-Williams delayed his NFL draft entry to 2028, he would only be 21 years old when picked. SAFETY BRAY HUBBARD Alabama safety Bray Hubbard (18) during practice August 10, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Hubbard was among the players who deeply considered entering the 2026 draft but decided it was best for him to return to school. As he explained earlier this summer, he had only a season-and-a-half of true playing experience after entering the starting lineup midway through the 2024 season, and felt he needed to continue to add experience. Hubbard enters this season on some All-American lists and as a first-team preseason All-SEC selection. ESPN ranked him as the "player to watch" outside of the top five NFL draft prospects at safety, and The Athletic tabbed him as the No. 3 senior safety prospect in the class. Where exactly that could land Hubbard in the 2027 draft remains to be seen. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound converted high school quarterback could see time in a linebacker-like role in the box this season, and some NFL teams could view him as best suited for that type of role. But his four interceptions made him among the SEC's top ball-hawkers last season and he remains a vital part of Alabama's secondary -- and a likely team captain in 2026. Because of the NCAA's new eligibility rule, Hubbard would have a fifth year available to him in 2027 if he desired to use it. DEFENSIVE LINEMAN DEVAN THOMPKINS Alabama defensive lineman Devan Thompkins (1) during practice August 6, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Thompkins was Alabama's top-rated addition through the transfer portal this offseason after he spent his first four seasons at USC. The former three-star prospect played in only three games over his first two seasons in Los Angeles before expanding his role to make six starts in 2024. He became a full-time starter last season, finishing with 31 tackles and three sacks -- and not a widely-discussed player for the 2026 draft. Thompkins enters his fifth and final season of eligibility in a new home (Tuscaloosa) and a new role, playing some "Bandit" defensive end for the Tide as well as three-technique defensive tackle. He is up to 300 pounds after being listed by USC at 285, and reviews have been positive for Thompkins' fall camp so far. If the momentum continues on the field this fall and leads to increased production, Thompkins could move up NFL draft boards. He is currently ranked No. 8 among senior defensive tackles by The Athletic. SAFETY KEON SABB Alabama safety Keon Sabb (3) during practice August 9, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) After winning a national championship at Michigan in 2023 and then transferring to Alabama, Sabb's tenure in Tuscaloosa began with him intercepting two passes in the first quarter of his first game -- a blowout win over Western Kentucky. But his 2024 season ended prematurely by a foot injury, and the effects of the injury lingered in 2025. Even so, Sabb played the most defensive snaps (788) of any Alabama player last season and finished with a career-high 52 tackles plus a sack and interception. There is talent and depth behind Sabb (and Hubbard) at safety, led by sophomore Ivan Taylor, who could play an increased role this fall. But defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was quick to point out last week that Sabb remains a leader of the team and a member of the unity council, and signs continue to point toward him playing a major role in the secondary. Sabb currently ranks as The Athletic's No. 12 senior safety in the 2027 draft. This is his fifth and final year of eligibility. OTHER DRAFT-ELIGIBLE PLAYERS Alabama linebacker Caleb Woodson (7) during A-Day scrimmage, April 11, 2026 in Tuscaloosa. (Photo: University of Alabama) Beyond Thompkins and Sabb, there is a short list of other players out of eligibility after this season: seventh-year outside linebacker Jah-Marien Latham, seventh-year defensive tackle Kedrick Bingley-Jones, fifth-year tight end Danny Lewis, Jr. and fifth-year edge rusher Fatutoa Henry. None are currently among The Athletic's extensive rankings of senior prospects. Alabama's group of fourth-year seniors is also eligible for the draft. Beyond Hubbard and Pierre, that group most notably includes linebacker Caleb Woodson, a transfer from Virginia Tech. He is currently ranked No. 14 among senior linebackers by The Athletic. Other seniors are quarterback Austin Mack, running back Khalifa Keith, wide receiver Noah Rogers, center Racin Delgatty, guard Ethan Fields, offensive tackle Jayvin James, defensive tackle Terrance Green, defensive lineman Edric Hill, linebacker Desmond Umeozulu and kicker Conor Talty. All of those players have a fifth year of eligibility remaining in 2027, making them unlikely to enter the 2027 draft based on current evaluations. Beyond Brown and Coleman-Williams, Alabama's group of juniors is headlined by defensive back Red Morgan. After seeing his role increase in the second half of the 2025 season, Morgan is the presumed starter at Husky and could move onto the NFL radar with a full-time role in 2026. Other draft-eligible juniors -- a group of all third-year players that includes players formerly known as redshirt sophomores -- are running backs Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley; wide receiver Rico Scott and Tyler Henderson; tight ends Josh Ford, Jay Lindsey and Jack Sammarco; offensive linemen William Sanders, Tyrell Miller and Casey Poe; defensive tackles Jeremiah Beaman, Isaia Faga and Steve Bolo Mboumoua; linebacker Cayden Jones and QB Reese; cornerbacks Carmelo O'Neal and Nick Sherman; and safeties Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and Zavier Mincey. All of those players would forfeit two years of eligibility if they entered the 2027 draft.