Alabama Crimson Tide Football

Since 2009, a total of 133 Alabama players have been selected in the NFL draft, with 47 of them going in the first round.

The Nick Saban era certainly produced a host of phenomenal pro talents, including running backs Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs and Mark Ingram, wide receivers Julio Jones, DeVonta Smith and Amari Cooper, offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, cornerback Patrick Surtain II, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., safety Xavier McKinney and more.

Now Kalen DeBoer leads the program after Saban's retirement. It's an incredible legacy for DeBoer live up to, and we'll see how things go down the line.

In the interim, the last of Saban's recruits are beginning to find their way to the NFL. A trio of talents stand out.

Linebacker Jihaad Campbell sports eye-popping production. He amassed 119 tackles (55 solo) in 2024 alongside five sacks en route to First-Team All-SEC honors. The 21-year-old has great potential on the next level as a tackling and playmaking machine as well.

On the offensive line, Tyler Booker was a standout with 26 starts at left guard. He was First-Team All-SEC in 2023 and an Associated Press Second-Team All-American in 2024. He's ranked as the second interior offensive lineman in this draft, per the B/R NFL Scouting Department.

At quarterback, Jalen Milroe is taking the leap to the pros. He's run the gamut in college, showcasing incredible highs (legendary performance versus Georgia in 2024) and stark lows (24-3 defeat at unranked Oklahoma in the same season).

But there's no denying both his production (36 total touchdowns, including 20 on the ground) and amazing potential and ceiling (B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson gave a pro comparison of "Shades of Jalen Hurts with a jet pack & stronger arm").

It'll be exciting to see how things will transpire for those former Alabama stars and other ex-Crimson Tide players. Here's where they all ended up after spending time in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama Draft Prospect List

LB Jihaad Campbell: Round 1, Pick 31 (No. 31 Overall): Philadelphia Eagles (After Trade With Kansas City Chiefs)

IOL Tyler Booker: Round 1, Pick 12 (No. 12 Overall): Dallas Cowboys

QB Jalen Milroe: Round 3, Pick 28 (No. 92 Overall): Seattle Seahawks (After Trade With Las Vegas Raiders for QB Geno Smith)

S Malachi Moore: Round 4, Pick 28 (No. 130 Overall): New York Jets (After Trade With Philadelphia Eagles)

EDGE Quandarrius Robinson: Round 4, Pick 32 (No. 134 Overall): Denver Broncos (After Trade With Philadelphia Eagles)

DL Tim Smith: Round 6, Pick 14 (No. 190 Overall): Indianapolis Colts

TE CJ Dippre: UDFA

P James Burnip: UDFA

TE Robbie Ouzts: Round 5, Pick 37 (No. 175 Overall): Seattle Seahawks

Fresh off an outstanding freshman season at Alabama, Ryan Williams has inked a new NIL deal.

The standout receiver, who just turned 18, revealed on his Instagram on Sunday that he's partnering with beauty company Sally Hansen for his nail polish needs this season.

pic.twitter.com/psaL04BUkw

— 1-1-1-1 (@pahrduve) February 10, 2025

According to On3's Pete Nakos, Williams began painting his nails with his younger sister before every game in high school. He's kept the tradition going in college, and it led to an NIL deal.

Nakos also noted that former Duke star and current Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain had an NIL deal with Sally Hansen last year. McCain, like Williams, made painted nails his signature look.

Williams had a tremendous freshman season for the Crimson Tide, recording 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He added a pair of touchdowns on the ground as well. Williams turned heads in Alabama's win over Georgia in September when he had six receptions for 177 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown that helped seal the win in the fourth quarter.

Williams was rated as the No. 3 receiver and No. 4 player in the nation in the Class of 2024, per 247Sports' composite list, leading to lofty expectations. It's safe to say he met those expectations in Year 1, and he's now looking to have an even better sophomore season.

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 243

HAND: 9⅝”

ARM: 33½”

WINGSPAN: 80⅛”

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POSITIVES

— Good height and length for an NFL edge defender.

— Good get-off and speed to win around the edge.

— Has the change of direction and quickness to effectively turn speed to power and has shown an impressive one-arm stab move that he can win with.

— Flexible ankles and bendy to corner at the top of the rush.

— Good agility to be effective as the looper in line games.

— Effective as a spy, has the athleticism to mirror quarterbacks and plenty of speed to close for sacks or short gains.

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NEGATIVES

— Very little playing experience despite being a fifth-year player, especially against the run.

— Lean frame, needs to add size and strength to avoid getting widened when setting the edge or washed inside as a run defender.

— Lacks the strength to shed and get off blocks from offensive linemen.

— Has to make the first significant contact as a pass-rusher or offensive tackles will be able to control him due to his slender frame and lack of strength.

— Struggles to play the hands as a pass-rusher, limiting the moves he can win with.

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NOTES

— A 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2024 (left arm, season-ending, missed 4 games), 2019 (Torn ligament in ankle, had surgery in high school)

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OVERALL

Quandarrius "Que" Robinson was a highly rated recruit coming out of high school. However, he suffered an injury during his senior year that required surgery, causing his college career to start slowly. He also didn't see the field much until this season, and an injury cut his final campaign short.

On the field, Robinson can potentially be a problem as a pass-rusher. He's an impressive athlete with a quick get-off to win with speed around the edge and has shown a good one-arm stab move to take advantage of his length when turning speed to power. If his use of hands improves, he can develop a wide range of pass-rush moves at the next level.

The Alabama product does need some work as a run defender, though. He has a wiry frame and lacks strength to hold up at the point of attack against offensive linemen. With some time in the weight room, he could become a serviceable player against the run, as he does have long arms to maximize extension on blocks if he develops the strength to lock linemen out.

Overall, Robinson is a developmental prospect who is a good athlete but lacks on-field experience. He could be a good fit at standup linebacker as a third-down rusher and might have the potential to play off-ball linebacker as well. Alabama used him there occasionally and he proved to be an effective spy and showed decent instincts against the run for not playing the position regularly.

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GRADE: 6.4 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 185

POSITION RANK: EDGE21

PRO COMPARISON: DeAngelo Malone

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

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Prospect workout numbers, measurables (40-yard dash, hand size, etc.) and 2024 statistics will be added at a later date.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe will not be considering a position change as he transitions to the NFL, and he offered a legendary response when asked about the possibility on Wednesday:

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe on if he ever considered switching from QB: “You don’t ask a zebra to be a dog.”

— Chris Simms (@CSimmsQB) February 5, 2025

Right now, Milroe ranks 77th overall and fifth among quarterbacks on the B/R NFL Scouting Department big board's list of 2025 draft prospects.

Quite frankly, Milroe shouldn't be entertaining any teams who want him to switch positions. He's got a fantastic arm and a tremendous amount of potential. B/R NFL scout Dame Parson offered a pro comparison to Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Jalen Hurts "with a jet pack and stronger arm."

Parson had this to say in part about Milroe.

"Overall Milroe's outstanding blend of elite speed/athleticism, physically dense build, and a live arm fits the trend of today's quarterback archetypes. As he has shown this season, there are encouraging flashes of development as a pocket passer," Parson wrote.

"If this continues, NFL decision-makers will be more than intrigued about placing him in their offense and building around his skillset. Milroe projects as a quarterback prospect that should sit instead of being a Day 1 starter in the NFL."

Milroe does have some things to work on, namely his accuracy and work in the pocket. He saw a clear statistical dip as a passer from 2023 to 2024, throwing for 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in the former year before posting a 16:11 TD-INT ratio in the latter year. Milroe had his shares of struggles at times, like on a three-interception evening in a 24-3 road loss at Oklahoma.

At his best, though, Milroe is phenomenal. Of note, he completed 27-of-33 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns and one pick against eventual SEC champion Georgia on Sept. 28 while adding 117 rushing yards and two more scores in a 41-34 win.

So the potential is clearly there at the next level as a quarterback. Milroe has the confidence to produce in the pros, and he deserves that shot.

After being dismissed as Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb reportedly has reunited with a familiar face.

According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, Grubb is set to join Alabama's staff as offensive coordinator under head coach Kalen DeBoer, whom he worked for at Washington prior to being hired by the Seahawks.

Rittenberg noted that Grubb was initially expected to join DeBoer with the Crimson Tide before the Seahawks hired him as part of first-year head coach Mike Macdonald's staff. The two of them had worked together since 2007 at Sioux Falls, and Grubb had also followed DeBoer to Eastern Michigan and Fresno State before landing at Washington.

In their final year together, Grubb and DeBoer helped lead the Huskies to the 2023 national championship game. Star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy that season before going on to be the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Unfortunately, Grubb's stint in the NFL didn't go as well. Under his direction, the Seahawks averaged 332.2 yards of total offense. However, they ranked 28th in the NFL with just 95.7 rushing yards per game. Seattle's 10-7 record tied for the best in the NFC West, but the team finished in second place behind the Los Angeles Rams and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Alabama went 9-4 in its first season under DeBoer and lost to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The team is set to lose quarterback Jalen Milroe to the 2025 NFL draft along with linebacker Jihaad Campbell, offensive guard Tyler Booker and other key players.

Jalen Milroe is one of the more polarizing players in this year's draft, with some placing him as an early pick and others projecting him as a Day 2 or 3 selection.

According to Jim Nagy, there's a wide range for where the Alabama quarterback could land, but he's in a better position than Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts was before he was drafted.

"I think he's ahead of where Jalen Hurts was. We know that now because we have the calls with the teams," Nagy said on Check the Mic. "[Hurts] was a fourth or fifth-round draft pick for most teams, we all know he ended up going in the second [round] to Philly and he's outplayed that even. There's a pretty wide range on Jalen [Milroe]. I think some range from late first to late third, early fourth, depending on what team you talk to. It's a pretty wide range, but he's ahead of where Jalen Hurts was."

"Jalen Milroe's ahead of where Jalen Hurts was." 👀

@JimNagy_SB and @StevePalazzolo_ discuss Milroe's potential draft position ⤵️ https://t.co/V8eKIjeH9E pic.twitter.com/bAS7EzlzyT

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 29, 2025

Milroe, who spent four years at Alabama and two years as the Crimson Tide's starter, threw for 2,844 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season. His passing numbers were fine, but he excelled on the ground, rushing for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024.

While the draft is still a ways away, the Miami Herald's C. Isaiah Smalls reported that Milroe has spoken with the Miami Dolphins about their backup quarterback position and Milroe said those talks "went well." The Dolphins have the 13th pick in the first round.

Milroe likely won't be one of the first players off the board like fellow quarterbacks Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, but being in a better position than Hurts, who is gearing up for his second Super Bowl appearance, is a good indication that it might not take too long for his name to be called.

Nick Saban said on The Pivot Podcast that if he had to choose today, he'd prefer to coach in the NFL over college football because of the sport's changing landscape.

"It was—I love coaching pro ball," Saban said. "I mean, and if I was going to coach today based on circumstances in college and in the NFL, I would coach in the NFL because all those things in college have changed.

"The whole idea of what college used to be is not there anymore. I mean, it used to be you went to college to develop value for your future. Now, people are going to college to see how much money they can make.

"And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but you change the whole dynamic of the importance of getting an education, making good decisions and choices about what you do and what you don't do to create value for your future. You change that whole dynamic and the idea that these guys are free agents twice a year and they can just go wherever they want."

College sports have changed quite a bit since NCAA implemented name, image and likeness policies (NIL) in June 2021. The transfer portal has become an oft-used tool after student-athletes no longer had to sit a year after switching schools beginning in 2021. At first, it was just one-time transfers, but now multi-time transfer no longer have to wait either.

The feelings Saban expressed on the podcast have bubbled to the surface recently, with ESPN's Chris Low providing some insight in March 2024.

According to Low, Saban spoke with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne after the 2022 season about the possibility of leaving.

"Greg, this is getting more and more difficult on me," Saban told Byrne, per Low. "I'm not ready to do it now, but we're going to have to start evaluating this more on a year-to-year basis."

One year later, Saban was gone, telling Low:

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?

"Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

"So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."

The 73-year-old Saban has enjoyed a lengthy and phenomenal five-decade coaching career that includes a 292-71-1 collegiate record at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama. He won seven national titles—one with LSU and six at Alabama.

It appeared that Saban could have had something left in the tank in the pre-NIL era, but the changing landscape was perhaps the final straw.

In another life, Saban is perhaps a longtime NFL coach then. He does have some experience in the pros, first with the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator from 1991-1994 under Bill Belichick and then later as the Miami Dolphins' head coach from 2005-2006.

He'll forever be a legend for his time in college, though, particularly in Alabama, which went 201-29 under his watch.

Ty Haywood, a 5-star offensive tackle, has decommitted from the Alabama Crimson Tide, per On3 Recruits.

The move comes amid growing speculation that Haywood favors the University of Michigan.

🚨BREAKING🚨 5-star OT Ty Haywood has decommitted from Alabama.

More from @ChadSimmons_: https://t.co/s0QRHxkJtg pic.twitter.com/x0EcfleuUw

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) January 13, 2025

Speculation about Haywood's recruitment started swirling after he opted not to sign with the Crimson Tide during the early signing period, according to Sports Illustrated's Andrew Nemec.

Michigan quickly emerged as the front-runner for Haywood, despite finishing the season 8-5 and placing seventh in the Big Ten.

Standing at 6'5" and 285 pounds, Haywood is ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect and the No. 4 offensive tackle in the 2025 class, per the 247Sports' composite rating.

The Denton, Texas, native also received offers from Florida State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon, among several others.

Gabe Brooks, a 247Sports scouting analyst, projected Haywood as a future NFL first-round draft pick and compared him to Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith.

"Imposing offensive tackle with impressive length relative to height. Long-armed with a huge reach," Brooks wrote. "Gradually improved quickness off the ball throughout junior year and performed well on the elite camp circuit prior to senior season to ascend a loaded 2025 OT board."

With Haywood's decommitment, Alabama's 2025 recruiting class drops from No. 2 to No. 3, while Michigan's class is projected to rise from No. 9 to No. 6 if Haywood commits to the Wolverines, per Nemec.

Following his legendary tenure as Alabama's head coach, Nick Saban will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.

A Legacy of Excellence🏆

Congratulations, Coach Nick Saban, on your induction into the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame!#RollTide pic.twitter.com/0LlhizqX31

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) January 10, 2025

Saban, who now serves as a college football analyst for ESPN, was surprised with the news during an appearance on College GameDay.

Nick Saban will be joining the College Football Hall of Fame‼️

Well-deserved 👏 pic.twitter.com/fCWcpYWkNI

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) January 10, 2025

Saban retired at the end of the 2023 season after spending 17 years at Alabama, winning six national championships with the Crimson Tide.

The 73-year-old also won a seventh national title with LSU in 2003. He finished with an overall record of 297-71-1 as a college head coach with Alabama, LSU, Michigan State and Toledo.

"Thank you so much but anytime anything like this happens, it's because you had a lot of great people in your organization," Saban said on College GameDay after the news was revealed. "A lot of great players, a lot of great coaches, lot of support staff and they made a great team. I was happy to drive the bus but we had some great people on it, so thank you so much."

He opened his head coaching career with Toledo in 1990, leading the team to a 9-2 record before joining the NFL to become the Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator. Saban stayed in the role for four years before returning to the college level, taking over as head coach of Michigan State from 1995-99 until starting at LSU in 2000.

He returned to the NFL for two years as the Miami Dolphins head coach in 2005 and 2006 before beginning his impressive tenure at Tuscaloosa. After compiling a modest 7-6 record during Saban's first year with the Tide, they reached double-digit win totals in every subsequent season that he spent with the program.

He'll now be part of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class, which will be officially inducted on Dec. 9.

The rest of the 2025 class will be announced on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET.