Alabama offensive lineman D.J. Fluker will enter the 2013 NFL Draft, and could announce his decision as early as Thursday.
Alabama lineman D.J. Fluker to enter 2013 NFL Draft, forgo senior season
D.J. Fluker will go pro after winning back-to-back national titles as a part of the most dominant offensive line in the country. Fluker had started at right tackle for three years for the Crimson Tide.
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The junior had started three years at right tackle, earning first-team all-SEC honors in 2012 alongside a second-team all-American nod. The 6'6, 335-pounder was part of easily the most talented offensive line in college football: center Barrett Jones won the Rimington Trophy a year after switching from left tackle, where he had won the Outland Trophy, while left guard Chase Warmack is considered a top pick at his position. Behind those three, Alabama established an extremely successful power run game, with Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon both rushing for over 1,000 yards. Alabama's athletic website reports Fluker was successful on 98.6 percent of snaps at right tackle, missing only 11 assignments on the year.
Jones and Warmack will also be gone next year. They are both seniors, and both are considered the top players at their respective positions in the upcoming draft pool. Meanwhile, NFLDraftScout.com considers Fluker a likely late-first, early-second round pick and the No. 4 offensive tackle in his class.
Lacy and top cornerback Dee Milliner are also both considering skipping their senior seasons to go pro after winning back-to-back titles with the Crimson Tide. Milliner is likely to be a first round pick, while Lacy's stock has improved as a result of huge performances in the SEC Championtship game and BCS National Championship game. A pair of key juniors in linebacker and all-American C.J. Mosley and quarterback A.J. McCarron have announced they won't go pro.
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