The NFL Draft is a little more than two weeks away, and several Alabama stars are expected to hear their names come off the board early.

Bryce Young is in contention to become the first Crimson Tide player to be selected No. 1 overall since 1948 while Will Anderson Jr. is hovering around the top five in most mock drafts. Brian Branch is also projected to land in the first round and could be joined by Jahmyr Gibbs, giving Alabama the possibility of having four or more first-round selections for the fifth time in seven years. There should be several Tide players taken after Day 1 as well with Jordan Battle, Henry To’oTo’o, Eli Ricks, Byron Young and Emil Ekiyor Jr. all expected to hear their names called in the middle rounds.

In lieu of projections, which will populate several times a day between now and April 27 when the first round kicks off in Kansas City, Tide Illustrated is assigning each Alabama draft hopeful their ideal destination based on fit and where they are expected to fall in the draft. Here’s what we came up with.

Alabama hasn’t had a player selected No. 1 overall since Washington took Harry Gilmer in 1948. The Panthers traded into the top spot this year with the intention of taking a quarterback. The question is whether they will take Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Regardless, Young shouldn't have to wait too long as Houston is expected to select a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick. Still, ending Alabama’s slump of top selections would be the ideal way to begin his NFL career.

As far as Anderson is concerned, the Cardinals hold the first pick of the draft. With Carolina and Houston both expected to take quarterbacks, Anderson could become the first non-passer off the board at No. 3 overall. Arizona lost its top pass rusher, J.J. Watt, to retirement this offseason, so a move for Anderson would make sense.

The Eagles hold two first-round picks at No. 10 and No. 30 overall. While Branch is widely projected to be taken in the middle of the first round, Philadelphia would be a nice fit for the Alabama safety. Fresh off a trip to the Super Bowl, the Eagles lost both of their starting safeties as Marcus Epps signed with the Las Vegas Raiders while Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is joining the Detroit Lions. If Branch does end up in Philly, he’ll team up with an Alabama-friendly roster that already includes Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson and Josh Jobe.

Unlike Young, Anderson and Branch, Gibbs isn’t a certain Day 1 selection. However, the good news for the Alabama back is that if he does find his way into the first round, he’ll likely go to a contender. Buffalo would be an ideal fit as Gibbs would serve as an upgrade over Devin Singletary and could possibly be the piece the Bills need to take the next step as an organization.

Cincinnati needs to bolster the backend of its secondary after losing Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell to free agency. While it’s unlikely the Bengals pounce on Battle with their first pick at No. 28 overall, he could still be on the board when they select again at No. 60. While Battle would like to hear his name called earlier, ending up with a contender in Cincinnati wouldn’t be a bad alternative.

San Francisco has one of the deepest rosters in the league but lost a solid backup linebacker in Azeez Al-Shaair to free agency. The 49ers don’t pick until the end of the third round, where they hold the No. 99, No. 101 and No. 102 overall picks. Most mock drafts have To’oTo’o still on the board at that point. If he is, he’s the type of athletic linebacker that would do well in a stout San Francisco defense.

Could the Texans end up with two Youngs from Alabama? Byron Young is looking to make his way into Day 2 of the draft, and Houston holds two picks in the third round. Former Alabama standout DeMeco Ryans could turn to his alma mater with one of them as he looks to strengthen his defense in his first season as the Texans’ head coach.

New England has a need at the cornerback position but might opt to use its first two picks to provide Mac Jones with a bit of help on the offensive side of the ball. Assuming the Patriots don’t address their secondary with their first two picks, Ricks might make sense as one of their middle-round selections. The Alabama cornerback has nice size at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and would provide great value later in the draft. The connection between Nick Saban and Bill Belichick could also come into play here.

How about a hometown reunion? The Colts need to beef up at the guard position, and Indianapolis native Emil Ekiyor could provide value in the middle rounds. If Ekiyor does end up in Indy, he’ll join an offensive line that features former Alabama standout Ryan Kelly.