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SB Nation Draft Profile: Alabama DE/LB Courtney Upshaw

By Josh Kirkendall
Feb 25, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Courtney Upshaw who is projected to be a top ten draft pick speaks at a press conference during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE
Feb 25, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Courtney Upshaw who is projected to be a top ten draft pick speaks at a press conference during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

The connections are out there. Alabama linebacker (and/or defensive end) Courtney Upshaw could be as realistic as any when the Cincinnati Bengals select at No. 17 and No. 21 during his year's NFL draft. Well if you're buying the whole "Marvin Lewis is holding his breath for Upshaw to fall to No. 21, y'all" (we felt a need to rhyme that sentence). And in truth it's someone that makes sense, considering that the Bengals only have two linebackers (Dontay Moch, Roddrick Muckelroy) signed through 2012. Not that it matters because of the whole hybrid thing, which intensely confuses our fragile peace of mind (will Upshaw even play linebacker?).

Now some are saying that Upshaw could fall to the second-round, but it says something to us when a player is well-thought of during the football season, only to be dissected into second-round status after months of non-football activities. In other words he played football very well, but non-football stuff reduced his stock? There is such a thing as over-analysis.

SB Nation is doing a series draft profiles (with their own flavor as it is), one of which includes Upshaw.

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