Alabama-LSU game could have 20-plus players drafted

Here’s a couple of shocking statistics: 28 and 19.

Twenty-eight is the projected number of scouts expected to sit in the press box of the LSU-Alabama game. The scouts there are representing 19 teams.

Sure seems like those totals are low, right?

Of course, a lot more scouts will be on hand from probably every NFL team in the league when the top two teams play.

And there’s good reason for that: when it’s all said and done, this game may feature more draft picks than any other game the past 10 years.

The teams have arguably the top-two quarterbacks in the upcoming draft in Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and LSU’s Joe Burrows – and both are seen as potential No. 1 overall draft picks.

LSU also has two of the top secondary players in safety Grant Delpit and cornerback Kristian Fulton. Alabama, meanwhile, could see two of its top three wide receivers go in the first round, along with both of its offensive tackles.

Mike Rodak of AL.com does an incredible job of breaking down all the draftable players and recent draft history of games of this magnitude.

You can read his full report here.

The 2014 game between Florida State and Louisville had 21 players drafted the following spring, Rodak writes, adding that this year’s contest could top that mark.

“… AL.com spoke to two NFL executives — a director of player personnel and director of college scouting — from two different teams who estimated there will be between 20 and 25 players on the field Saturday who will be chosen in next April’s NFL draft,” Rodak writes.