ESPN projects three Tide players drafted in Top 10 of 2012 NFL Draft

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper projects three members of Alabama's 2011 BCS Championship team will be taken in the first 10 picks of the upcoming NFL Draft. Kiper released his first mock draft projecting all 32 picks in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft and the Crimson Tide feature heavily at the top of Kiper's list with Heisman Trophy finalist Trent Richardson projected to be the first Tide player selected. Kiper projects Richardson to be taken with the No. 5 pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is projected to be taken by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 8 pick. Kirkpatrick was arrested early Tuesday morning for marijuana possession, though Kiper does not address in his analysis whether the arrest is expected to impact Kirkpatrick's draft status.

Kiper projects linebacker Courtney Upshaw to be taken with the No. 10 pick by the Buffalo Bills. The Bills used their first round selection in 2011 on another Tide defender, defensive end Marcel Dareus.

Safety Mark Barron also appears in Kiper's mock draft as the No. 16 selection for the New York Jets. Barron is listed as the top safety by Kiper.

Kiper's mock draft includes a total of nine players from the SEC, including two from LSU (Morris Claiborne and Michael Brockers), two from South Carolina (Melvin Ingram and Alshon Jeffery) and one from Georgia (Cordy Glenn).