Alabama WR John Metchie declares for NFL draft

Alabama will send two injured wide receivers to the draft. Following Jameson Williams‘ Thursday declaration, teammate John Metchie indicated Friday he will pass on his senior year to enter the draft, per ESPN.com’s Chris Low.

Metchie entered last season with a higher profile than Williams, having played extensively alongside DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle in 2020. After a 916-yard season alongside the two first-round talents, Metchie became a bigger part of the offense as a junior. He finished this season with 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. However, the ACL tear the 6-foot pass catcher suffered in the SEC Championship Game kept him out for the Crimson Tide’s final two contests and will affect his draft stock.

With Metchie not viewed as highly as Williams going into the draft, this injury may solidify him missing out of a first-round selection. Still, Scouts Inc. has the two-year Crimson Tide contributor as the No. 6 wideout in this upcoming class and the No. 42 overall prospect. Williams has graded out as the ESPN scouting service’s top receiver available. Injuries to each may cloud their stock going into the April draft, although ACL tears are obviously not as damaging as they once were to careers.

Alabama has seen four wideouts — Waddle, Smith, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy — be drafted in the first round since 2020. Williams and Metchie’s statuses will be less certain, considering the likelihood neither will be available for full work until at least training camp. But each will almost certainly be an early selection.