Evan Neal, a former Alabama offensive lineman, talks about the possibility of being the top pick and how quickly he can make an impact. (0:30)
Evan Neal, a former left tackle for the Alabama football team, has a chance to be the first pick in the draft if he goes first.
Neal is one of a few prospects who could hear their names called when the Jacksonville Jaguars open the NFL draft on April 28. Alabama has not had the top pick in the draft for 74 years.
The last time it happened was 1948, when Washington selected quarterback/halfback Harry Gilmer, and for Neal to be the player to snap that streak, with all the elite talent the program has produced in its history, would be monumental.
The New York Jets took Alabama quarterback Joe Namath in the first round of the 1965 draft.
Neal said it would mean everything if he was the top pick. The whole state of Alabama would be proud. The University of Alabama would be proud.
Alabama has had 39 players taken in the first round of the past 13 drafts, but nobody has gone higher than third. Buffalo and Cleveland both picked running back Trent Richardson.
The past two drafts, the Tide have had 10 first-round picks.
Since the start of the draft in 1936, the Alabama Crimson Tide have had over 300 players selected, and only one was taken first overall: quarterback Riley Smith by Boston in 1936.
Neal is going to be taken in the mock draft by Todd McShay. Neal will go third to the Houston Texans in the latest mock draft, which was released on Tuesday.
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