Bama fans have reason to dream about the 2020 team's roster

Another year older, another year of experience and another year better. Based on mock draft reports and some intrepid reporting from Sports Illustrated's Chris Walsh, it looks like the 2020 Crimson Tide football team could come back loaded with talent, experience and a hunger maybe not seen since the 2009 season.

First, the mock drafts. CBS has seven Tide players going in the first round, as does USAToday. Fox Sports also has seven Alabama players going on Day One. Not all of these guys are Juniors with a year of eligibility remaining. Raekwon Davis, Anfernee Jennings and Trevon Smith are all done at Alabama. But there are Juniors who are still on the fence about jumping early.

We've already talked about Tua Tagovailoa's prospects, but what about others with a season of eligibility left? That's where SI's Chris Walsh pencils in some of the blanks.

There are a LOT of names not mentioned yet who seem at this point to be leaning toward staying. Among those I’m hearing are least 75 per cent certain to remain on the Crimson Tide roster are quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III, offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood and linebacker Dylan Moses.

That last paragraph may seem like a too good to be true fantasy – and perhaps it is in part – but Nick Saban is emphasizing to his underclassmen, as evidenced by recent remarks by Tagovailoa, how important it is to not just be a first-round pick but to be in the top 15 players chosen when the NFL Draft takes place April 23, 2020 in Paradise, Nevada. ...

The situation remains fluid, and a lot could change, but there is strong evidence that much of it may not and that Alabama’s 2020 team may be much deeper and experienced than initially thought.

A lot of what could change depends on how the remainder of the NFL season and playoffs pan out. Coaching changes in the league don't start until Black Monday, which is December 30 this year. Some more of what could change will play out during the college football bowls and playoffs. Both college seniors and underclassmen could see their draft prospects change according to who's expected to bolt after this season and who else in the country is expected to come back in 2020. 'There are lots of moving parts' is not wrong.

One thing we can count on is that Alabama players considering the move are getting sound advice. Counsel is coming from real grownups with no reason not to shove a Junior in the right direction.

“A lot of guys, man, they got it in their mind that they’re gonna go out for the draft no matter what, and I think you all know my philosophy on that: If you’re a first-round draft pick, you should go. If you’re not, you should stay in school and try to graduate. I think it’s getting tougher and tougher, and more and more guys are making the decision to go out early.

“And at least 50 percent of those cases, it’s not a good decision, and a lot of those guys don’t make a team. What people don’t understand, and everybody should know, is professional football is the only sports league, professional sports league, that doesn’t have a minor-league system. Baseball has a minor-league system. Aaron Judge, he’s a pretty good baseball player, right? He spent a couple years in the minor leagues developing. Well, you don’t do that in football. The only development you can do is in college. So where you enter the league is of utmost importance.

“And I just think that gets overlooked by a lot of players, because it’s all or nothing, and if they don’t make the team, there’s no place else for them to play, and they can’t go back to college and play. I think the road we’re going down right now is not always best for the players that are making decisions to go out early.”

And Coach Saban is not shy about how their decisions affect them as well as how their mindset affects his program.

“I’m sure that guys are going to make individual decisions based on their circumstance and their situation, and what we want to focus on is the guys who want to look to the future and look to trying to improve themselves as players and improve our team in getting back to the standard that we want to play to. This has been something that has been a bit of an issue in the past with other programs and other teams. We haven’t experienced it for a while, but we’ll see what happens with this group. We will have those conversations, and we’ll let you know if any of those decisions are imminent to the players that we have on our team.”

Ten Tide Players Invited to NFL Combine

A staggering 330 former college football players have been invited to the 2013 NFL Combine. The list is heavy on linemen and defensive backs. Ten former Alabama players were invited.

See the full list here.

The list:

1. Quinton Dial
2. DJ Fluker
3. Nico Johnson
4. Barrett Jones
5. Eddie Lacy
6. Robert Lester
7. Dee Milliner
8. Damion Square
9. Chance Warmack
10. Jesse Williams

Lacy and Milliner are Alabama’s only underclassmen.

NFL Combine workouts will be held from Feb. 20-26 in Indianapolis and will be broadcast on the NFL Network.

Last year, Alabama sent nine former players to the Combine.

It’s numbers like this that explain how Nick Saban and Alabama are able to consistently haul in jaw-dropping recruiting classes like the one signed yesterday. When players can see how successful this program is in getting guys into the NFL, it makes The Process that much more attractive.

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Scouts: AJ McCarron wise to return for senior year

Alabama’s junior quarterback AJ McCarron made the right move in deciding to return for his senior season, according to most NFL draft scouts and analyses of his 2013 draft prospects.

In a media conference call last October, ESPN’s Todd McShay estimated that if McCarron bolted early, he’d probably land somewhere in the third round. In another conference call about a month later, McShay’s partner Mel Kiper didn’t even mention McCarron as a 2013 prospect. Finally, BleacherReport.com’s Matt Miller (a legit BR writer) provides an objective evaluation of McCarron’s attributes and estimates that he’s probably a third-rounder.

Part of the reasoning behind speculation that McCarron might jump is that the 2013 is an allegedly weak QB class. There are no Cam Newtons, RGII’s or Andrew Lucks in this class. But don’t buy this weak class meme completely.

Geno Smith, Matt Barkley and Tyler Wilson are all graduating seniors. All three are likely first round draft picks. EJ Manuel and potential early entry Aaron Murray could also sneak into the first round, depending on how the draft order shakes out after the NFL season ends.

It’s doubtful that McCarron would have edged out any of the above and gotten first round money. That likely pushes him into the second or third round, which is where McShay and Miller have him.

Draft gurus like Kiper, McShay and Miller don’t always get it right when it comes to who is taken by which teams in the draft. There are always surprises because only the teams’ coaches and front offices know exactly what they need. But when there’s consensus among the talking heads about what round a certain player is taken, they’re right more often than they’re wrong.

Head Coach Nick Saban has earned a reputation for getting his players ready for the NFL and it’s a major selling point on the recruiting trail. Part of the plan includes counseling players and getting sound advice on draft status. Saban has said he uses contacts in the league to get a fair assessment of an underclassman's prospects. If their is a strong chance that the player will be drafted in the first round, he advises them to forego their senior season and enter the draft. If there is a high likelihood that he falls to the second or third round, he recommends that they return for another year.

That is almost certainly what took place since the SEC Championship Game on December 1. Saban asked his contacts for information about current underclassmen and got solid assessments. He then shared those assessments with the players and made his recommendations on jumping early or returning. We’ll learn what other underclassmen decide in the weeks to come. But for AJ McCarron, the draft evaluation works best for both him and Alabama. Assuming something special happens on January 7, he’ll have the opportunity to make history again next season and go down as one of the best and most successful quarterbacks in the game of college football.

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Alabama QB AJ McCarron to return for senior year

It’s as official as it gets—Alabama Quarterback AJ McCarron will bring his tattoo and signal calling skills back to Tuscaloosa, foregoing an opportunity to enter the 2013 NFL Draft. He made his announcement via his Twitter account:

There was a lot of speculation that he might go ahead and make the jump, regardless of the outcome of the January 7 BCS Championship game against Notre Dame. However, his decision makes sense. This is actually a pretty rich quarterback class and AJ probably wasn’t a lock for a first round draft pick.

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Jesse Williams Has a New Tattoo

By: @LivingCrimson

Prior to the Alabama vs. LSU beatdown re-match in New Orleans, we wrote that the Tide’s resident inked-up Aussie wanted a new tat.

After Bama won the BCS National Championship, we wrote about the entire Williams family proudly sharing in the celebration with their new title tattoos.

Finally, courtesy of BamaOnline, we now have a photo of Jesse’s own championship salute. We like that he left additional space on the other side of the A logo for 2013…

Jesse is the only signee from the 2011 Bama signing class to earn a starting spot in every game, particularly impressive that it was a starting position on the Tide’s history-making defense.

“Williams arrived in January of 2011 from Western Arizona Community College, went through spring practice and grabbed a starting spot right away. He started all 13 games in the national championship season and had his three best games against Alabama’s three best opponents.

He had five tackles each in regular-season contests against Arkansas and LSU and then two tackles in the BCS National Championship Game rematch with the Bengal Tigers. His ability to clog the line is considered an important reason Alabama led the nation in rushing defense.” – Mark Edwards

This season, Jesse moves from defensive end to nose tackle. He has been named to the preseason watch lists for the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland Trophy awards. He has also been named to the preseason All-SEC list and several preseason All-American lists. He is projected to go in the 1st-2nd round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Oh, and you might have heard, he bench presses 600 POUNDS!!

It’s going to be fun watching him work towards Alabama’s 15th national championship.

Roll Tide!

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Will the Richardson pick pay off for Cleveland?

The Birmingham News’ Will Grant weighs in with a popular opinion among sportswriters, citing a well worn mantra that a change in offensive philosophy in the NFL has made the tailback position almost irrelevant. Grant goes out of his way to note Trent Richardson’s abilities. No one disputes that Richardson was by far the best player at his position. Indeed, most observers recognize that Richardson may be the best tailback to come along in a very long time.

He joins an offensive team that will be led by either former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy or former Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden. Both players came from pass happy spread attacks.

The game of football is cyclical. Over the last decade, the argument made by Grant et al is valid. Teams have been putting more emphasis on the quarterback and the passing game, and teams that have taken running backs in the first round haven’t set the world on fire.

Go ten or more years back however, and you find the likes of Shaun Alexander, Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith, featured backs that lit up box scores with 1,000+ yard seasons. Defenses had to adjust and build units designed to stop the run.

Offenses adjusted right back, defeating run-stopping defenses with multiple wide formations. Ten years ago, third and one was almost always a running down. Now, an inside trap on third and one would be considered “trickeration.”

Defenses are adjusting again, with greater emphasis being placed on pressuring the quarterback and shutting down the corners. Teams are drafting defensive players suited for that purpose and you saw it in the 2012 draft. There’s a premium on pass rushers and shutdown corners. Interior linemen and inside linebackers are coveted too, but not like they were when defenses had to account for bowling balls like Smith and Sanders.

Could we be entering a new era? Surely, offensive wizards in the NFL aren’t going to let their defensive counterparts get the best of them. They’re going to adjust again, and the best way to defeat a pass-stopping defense is to run the football more.

It’s way to early to tell if Richardson’s physical gifts and abilities will make him such a special talent that the Browns’ pick was a no-brainer. It’s also too early to know whether the Browns are in the midst of a subtle philosophical adjustment that begins to swing the pendulum back to the Neanderball days.

If they are, the Browns made the right pick. Richardson is the product of an offensive system that runs right over you, and no one did it better than he and Alabama in winning two national championships. If they aren’t, and the Browns intend to go with the current flow of slinging the ball all over the field, the only beneficiary of Cleveland’s big bet will be Richardson and his family.

Whether this pick pays for the Browns or not, it’s sure going to pay Trent well.

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Southeastern Conference Stars Shine in NFL Draft

Charles Bloom, Southeastern Conference Associate Director for Media and Public Relations, has had a busy week, staying up late last night to compile an impressive array of data showing another reason why the SEC is the country’s premier league in college football.

Through the first three rounds of the 2012 draft, the numbers are impressive.

Sixteen players from SEC squads were selected during proceedings held Thursday and Friday, including nine in the first round, five in the second and two in the third. The Big 10 and Pac-12 had 14 players each, while the ACC had 12.

Seven schools had players selected on the first two nights. The only teams that didn’t place a prospect in the first three rounds were Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

Alabama led all conference programs with five players selected—two in the Top 10 overall. LSU had four, South Carolina had three and Mississippi State, Arkansas, Georgia and Vanderbilt had one each.

Defense wins championships and gets you to the league. Twelve of the 16 players selected were defenders.

As impressive as those numbers are, they’re not as good as last year’s showing. Through three rounds in 2011, a total of 20 players were selected from SEC schools. The 2011 draft also saw 10 selected in the first round—one better than Thursday night’s showing. The record for the most players taken in the first round is 11, set in 2007.

There were a few mild surprises through last night’s final selections of the third round. Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw slipped out of the first round and landed early in the second. LSU wideout Reuben Randle—regarded by many as the best pure physical specimen at the position—fell to the late second round. Randle had a great junior season but just wasn’t utilized as much in the Tigers’ 2012 SEC title run. The Ravens and Giants will get great values with those two picks.

Day three will conclude the 2012 Draft, starting at 11:00 CDT. There are still plenty of SEC gems to be plucked, including Alabama’s Josh Chapman and William Vlachos, Georgia’s Brandon Boykin and Orson Charles, Arkansas’ Joe Adams, Tennessee’s Malik Jackson and Ole Miss’ Bobbie Massie.

All of those guys are steals.

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NFL Draft: When was the last time Florida schools came up empty in the first round?

You’ll have to go way back in NFL Draft history to find the answer to this question, but here are a few hints:

• Paul W. Bryant was still coaching at Alabama.
• Jimmy Carter was still President.
• Adam “Pac Man” Jones hadn’t been born yet.
• Pac Man the video game was taking the world by storm.
• Coaches’ game day attire was coat and tie. No headphones.
• Robert De Niro put on an Oscar winning performance in Raging Bull.

It was 1980, ladies and gentlemen. It has been 32 years since the first round of the NFL Draft failed to include a player from a school in the state of Florida. Between 1981 and 2011 (inclusive), at least one player from a school in the Sunshine State was taken.

Last night’s first round broke that streak. No Miami Hurricane. No Florida Gator. No Florida State Seminole. Not even a player from the myriad of directional schools that have popped up in the state since Bobby Bowden, Charlie Pell and Howard Schnellenberger prowled the sidelines in plaid slacks and white shoes.

Through many of those years, Florida schools dominated the first round. Call it a quirk of history if you want, but it’s a clear indication of how far the three major players in the state have dropped off in recent years.

This blog touched on the Florida Gators status yesterday. Click here if you missed it. The state’s ACC schools—Florida State and Miami—have taken different paths to mediocrity over the last decade or so, but the decline is evident on the field and it’s evident in the draft, too.

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LSU continues to churn out NFL-ready prospects

Many eyes are on the Alabama Crimson Tide in this weekend’s NFL Draft. But LSU is as poised as any team in the Southeastern Conference to send its traditional boatload of top players to suit up on Sundays. Les Miles’ Tigers could see as many as seven players taken overall, with (likely) two going in the first round.

Cornerback Morris Claiborne is a likely top 10 pick, with many mock drafts putting him in Tampa Bay with the No. 5 overall. Defensive Tackle Michael Brockers is also projected as a first rounder in many mocks. Wideout Reuben Randle might also sneak up into the first round if Cleveland thinks adding a pair of sure hands to Colt McCoy’s arsenal makes sense.

Since Miles took over the program in 2005, the seven ensuing drafts have seen 37 players selected. The 2010 draft was the only one in which LSU failed to put a player in the first round.

There have been some noteworthy busts—Jamarcus Russell being the most famous flameout. But by and large, LSU veterans have become reliable producers on the teams that signed them.

Like many states in the southeastern US, Louisiana is rich recruiting territory. LSU is the only real big boy program in the state and routinely gets its pick of the top talent that the state has to offer. Rarely does a competitor steal a top drawer recruit from Miles.

Nick Saban built a fence around the state when he took over for Gerry DiNardo in 2000. Miles has not only maintained that fence, he’s fortified it.

It shows.

Miles takes legitimate criticism for his unparalleled ability to lay an egg in a big game. None stand out more than the 2012 BCS Championship. But he has two SEC titles and a national title, and Miles excels in all the other things that coaches are supposed to do. His kids (largely) stay out of trouble. They stay in school. They develop into very good football players and go on to make beau coop bucks in the NFL.

Sunday football games are dotted with former LSU standouts, including Patrick Peterson, Joseph Addai, Brandon LaFell and Chad Jones. From tonight through Saturday evening, a half dozen or more fellow Tigers will be selected and if history is any indication, they’ll be stars.

Tonight’s draft confirms Sporting News’ report on Gator football

In today’s Gainesville Sun, reporter Robbie Andreu explores the gap between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators, using this weekend’s NFL Draft as a measuring stick to show how the two programs have diverged over the last two years. The Tide could have as many as five former players taken in the first round. The Gators may get two overall.

Yet these are the two programs that in 2008 and 2009 played for everything twice, with each winning a berth in the BCS Championship and bringing home the crystal.

What happened?

Matt Hayes of Sporting News took a stab at the root cause. Not surprisingly, Hayes took a lot of heat from Buckeye fans for his indictment of former Gator coach Urban Meyer, now leading the Ohio State program. Hayes outlined a precipitous decline in team discipline and program control, noting that Meyer himself said that Florida football was “broken.”

In 2007, Florida had nine players taken in the draft with two first rounders. Every one of those were Ron Zook’s recruits. In 2010, another nine players were selected by the NFL. Heisman Trophy winning sensation Tim Tebow was the third player selected from the team. Three first rounders and three second rounders, with none taken lower than the fifth round.

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“Over the last two years he was there, the players had taken complete control of the team,” one former player told Hayes.

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When Meyer joined the fraternity of Southeastern Conference football coaches, a lot of rival fans wagged their heads and predicted that his quirky, trick-play offense would never work in the country’s best college football conference. Two BCS Championships later, most of those critics were silenced.

Meyer’s offense wasn’t the downfall of Florida football. It was recruiting, character evaluation and player development. Since Steve Spurrier  woke the sleeping giant of Florida football in 1990, the Gators have always recruited well. The state has a rich population of quality athletes and an equally rich high school football program that annually turns out high quality prospects.

Spurrier lassoed that talent and rode it to SEC Championships and a national title in 1996. Ron Zook followed him and recruited lights out, but failed to convert the raw talent to execution on the field. Meyer took over in 2005 and immediately vied for the SEC Championship, losing a spot in Atlanta in the SEC finale against a Spurrier led South Carolina team.

He then won everything in 2006 and did it again in 2008.

In 2009, Alabama broke Florida’s stranglehold on the SEC, beating the Gators in Atlanta and winning the BCS Championship in Pasadena. Meyer seemed to come apart, and so did the Gator program. However, it’s worth pointing out that the signs of the impending implosion were already there. No fewer than 30 players were arrested while Meyer led the program. Hayes’s report indicates that marijuana use was rampant in Gainesville, with several key players having failed drug tests.

Ohio State President derided Hayes’ report as “bad journalism.” He can call it whatever he wants, but any objective observation of Florida football since the 2009 SEC Championship loss to Alabama must reach the conclusion that Hayes did. Meyer broke the Florida football program and current head coach Will Muschamp is struggling mightily to reassemble the pieces and mold the program back into a perennial conference and national title contender.

At small schools with small recruiting bases—like Bowling Green and Utah—a coach can get away with paying less attention to the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s while he works on perfecting the X’s and the O’s.

That’s not the case in Big Boy football schools like Florida.

And, Ohio State.

Tonight’s first round of the NFL Draft will mark the end of a five-year streak of at least one Gator being taken in the first round. The only two players with legitimate draft prospects are Chris Rainey and Jaye Howard. Both are projected to be taken somewhere south of the second round.

That’s Urban Meyer’s fault.

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Jim McElwain: NFL draft a measuring stick for college football programs

By: @LivingCrimson

Alabama is expected to have five players go in the first round of the Draft next week ▬ Mark Barron, Dont’a Hightower, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson and Courtney Upshaw. If the predictions prove true, the Crimson Tide will take second place in NFL draft history for first-rounders taken in the same Draft. Miami currently holds the record with six first-rounders in 2004. Alabama would also become tops in the SEC, after tying for the lead in 2011 with four first-rounders.

Jim McElwain, head coach at Colorado State University and former Bama offensive coordinator, is working to mold his football program into a successful pipeline to the NFL as well. And he is finally able to give insight into The Process under Nick Saban.

"The opportunity to play at the next level, that's everybody's dream. [T]here is a skill set there to get invited to the Combine, to get drafted into the National Football League, to be part of an NFL program. And that is a skill set we're looking to find as coaches as well."

Seems straightforward enough, no surprises there. We already knew Saban (and his coaching tree) evaluates high school recruits based on prototypical measurables position by position.

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Ah, but then McElwain gives us the twist ▬ lower round guys that make it in the NFL are the real success.

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“Our responsibility is to develop these guys for the rest of their lives by what we do academically, what we do spiritually, what we do psychologically. And if they desire a chance to play in the National Football League, it's our responsibility to put them in a system that's going to help them succeed. ... The guys at the top of the draft, it doesn't matter what system they were in. It's the back end, the later rounds, the (undrafted) free agents. Those guys might be the (best) measure of your developmental skills. Teams see them on film and see how what you do has a chance to translate to the NFL.”

McElwain says "the whole package" matters to him and to Saban. Well-rounded players will be more attractive to NFL teams, and a college degree will stand any player in good stead for the rest of his life.

The Process is working. The Tide leads the SEC in Academic Honor Roll placement and ranks fifth nationally in BCS academics. In addition to winning national championships on the collegiate level, each year brings more success on NFL draft day ▬ including more players drafted in the lower rounds. Players who otherwise might not have been drafted at all if it weren’t for their successful development at Bama.

• In 2008, zero Alabama players drafted, the first draft following Nick Saban’s inaugural season in Tuscaloosa. However, the Tide had four undrafted free agents who went on to play at least a couple of years in the NFL. DE Wallace Gilberry remains active.
• In 2009, four Alabama players drafted. All were drafted third round or higher with only one first-round pick in OT Andre Smith.
• In 2010, six Alabama players drafted, two in the first round, two in the second round, and two in the seventh round – DE Brandon Deaderick and DB Marquis Johnson. Deaderick found himself starting in the Super Bowl after only his second season.
• In 2011, five Alabama players drafted, four in the first round and QB Greg McElroy in the seventh round. Plus undrafted free agent LB Chavis Williams was picked up by the Ravens and re-signed for 2012.

In 2012, seventeen Alabama players have a realistic opportunity to be drafted or picked up as undrafted free agents ▬ the five predicted first-rounders, John Michael Boswell (FA), Josh Chapman (3-4 Rd), Nick Gentry (FA), Darius Hanks (FA), Jerrell Harris (FA), Phelon Jones (FA), Alfred McCullough (FA), Marquis Maze (7 Rd), DeQuan Menzie (4-5 Rd), Brad Smelley (6 Rd), William Vlachos (FA), and Alex Watkins (FA).

What McElwain is really saying about Saban’s system is that when an average player reaches the end of his eligibility, he is more likely to get a shot in the NFL because Alabama has equipped its athletes with the tools to succeed. Then he is more likely to capitalize on his opportunity in the NFL because he is able to put all that development into practice.

Of course, winning the NFL Draft with the most first-rounders certainly doesn’t detract from any program.

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Prom Date Dad praises Trent Richardson

By: @LivingCrimson

On Saturday night, not only did Trent Richardson attend his very first prom, he also escorted recovering leukemia patient Courtney Alvis. All of the major news outlets have stories today about the prom date, overwhelmingly complimentary of TRich for being such a caring person. But Jamison Hensley of the ESPN AFC North blog felt compelled to add something negative to the story: “He also can come across cocky in interviews.”

A man claiming to be Courtney Alvis’ father took issue with that description of Trent and posted this comment on ESPN:

“never posted before, but I had to after reading some of these posts. With all the media attention this young man came to our house with flowers, asked if he could take our daughter to the prom and interacted with the mass of people there to support them both. Throughout the craziness he was humble, respectful and made my daughter who had been through so much feel like a princess. For that we will forever be in his debt... We have seen her on the ventilator, shaved her head when her hair fail out and numerous other issues, so to see her so happy meant the world. We would have been excited over any prom date after her journey, but see, after being unable to leave the house for a year she lost contact and no one asked her to the prom. Trent stepped up so she wouldn't have to go by herself and his actions were all about making her night all about her. I could not have asked for more of a gentleman!! I am 44 years old and wish I had the compassion and class this young man displayed. My wife and I think of him as family now and will forever owe a debt of gratitude. As for his girls, I got to meet them and they are clearly Daddy's Girls!!”

Bama nation is certainly on board with Courtney’s father. Trent Richardson epitomized class and character at Alabama, despite being in the media spotlight throughout his college career. Now on the eve of the NFL draft when he is being pulled a million different ways by the media, Trent took time to step back from the limelight and give of himself to others.

If any man has a right to be cocky, it’s Richardson who shattered the Bama record books and looks to be one of the highest pick running backs ever taken in the draft. But self-aggrandizement is something we have never seen from him. Unlike Jamison Hensley, Trent understands the power of positive words and actions.

Best wishes to the Alvis family.

Video courtesy of ESPN.

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Trent Richardson a strong possibility for the Rams at No. 6

By: @LivingCrimson

The Alabama strongman is strongly coveted by the former Greatest Show on Turf, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Rams now have three of the top 39 picks in the 2012 draft after trading their No. 2 pick to Washington. So wherever Trent Richardson is spotted in the first round, St. Louis has a legitimate shot of snapping him up. But it’s the No. 6 pick believed by many scouts to be the most likely destination for Richardson:

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“[I]n what's widely considered a 'six-player" draft — meaning six elite prospects — the Rams are now sitting on the edge of that territory. There appears to be no doubt that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (to Indianapolis) and Griffin will go 1-2.

From a Rams' perspective what happens if Southern California offensive tackle Matt Kalil, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon and Louisiana State cornerback Morris Claiborne are the next three picks, in order, to Minnesota, Cleveland and Tampa Bay?

That would leave only Alabama running back Trent Richardson left among the top six. … [T]here are a lot of people around the league who think Richardson, currently rehabbing from knee surgery, is a special talent. Including the Rams. Multiple sources, both inside and outside Rams Park, say the team thinks very highly of Richardson.”

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Despite three-time Pro Bowler Steven Jackson currently in the backfield, St. Louis new head coach Jeff Fisher likes to take running backs in the first round, and may see Trent Richardson as the arbiter for success in the franchise’s future.

NFL analyst and former Rams scout Dave Razano agrees the No. 6 pick for Richardson makes sense. "If you're picking the best available player, it could easily be him. He's a thoroughbred. And he's more of a home-run threat than Jackson."

Another NFL analyst and former Rams scout, Matt Littlefield, concurs. "I know a lot of people say you don't take a running back in the top 10, but you do if he's a dominant player. Adrian Peterson is a dominant player, and Richardson is, too."

Multiple teams in the top 15 have expressed interest in Richardson. If the Rams ultimately decide not to pick him, it appears almost certain the Crimson Tide ultimate athlete and two-time National Champion will still go very high in the draft.

More Bama updates on Twitter at LivingCrimson.

Brian Billick’s Top 100 Draft prospects high on the Tide

As the current Alabama Crimson Tide starts Spring practice today, FOX NFL analyst Brian Billick has published a “Big Board” of the Top 100 prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft. Not surprisingly, it’s high on former Alabama players, with five in the Top 25.

Billick was the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens from 1999-2007, and led the Ravens to their first title in theSuper Bowl XXXV win.

Billick’s analysis doesn’t necessarily mean that he thinks these players will be selected in the first round or in the order he’s ranked them. Draft selections are made by teams with as much emphasis on need as talent. Still, it’s yet another analyst’s take on what could be the most highly drafted Crimson Tide prospect crops in history.

Here’s the list.

Here’s how he thinks the former Crimson Tide players stack up.

7. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: Best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson, but the position as a whole has devalued his draft stock into the middle of the first round.

9. Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: May be best suited as a 4-3 defensive end as the evaluation process continues, but either way, he is an impact edge rusher.

16. Dont'a Hightower, ILB, Alabama: Similar to Brandon Spikes of New England, but faster on the field. He just wrapped up a solid Pro Day that will put him right back in the mix with Kuechly.

18. Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: Great combination of size and speed. Great coverage radius due to superior wingspan, but will get beat guessing at times.

22. Mark Barron, Safety, Alabama: Easily the top safety in the NFL Draft, it's not even close. Barron marks the fifth Crimson Tide player on this list.

Defensive lineman Josh Chapman was the only other player to crack the top 100, coming in at No. 81.

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Senior Bowl and Steve Hale part ways

With a statement released to the press today, the Senior Bowl and Steve Hale have reached a mutual agreement that ends his 19-year tenure with the annual college all-star game.

Senior Bowl, LLC and its parent organization, the Mobile Arts and Sports Association, Inc. (MASA), announced today that Steve Hale and the Senior Bowl mutually have decided to part ways so that Hale can pursue other opportunities. Hale left his positions as the President and CEO of the Senior Bowl and as President of MASA effective March 1^st. MASA Chairman Angus R. Cooper, II will assume these positions on an interim basis until a replacement is onboard.

“I would like to express my ongoing support for the Senior Bowl and wish the game continued success going forward,” Hale said.

“On behalf of the MASA Board of Trustees, I’d like to thank Steve for serving our community for the past 19 years. We wish him the very best moving forward,” Cooper said.

“We are committed to continuing and enhancing the Senior Bowl’s contributions to Mobile, the State of Alabama and the entire region.  The game is a significant part of Mobile’s sports heritage, and plays an integral role in promoting Mobile and south Alabama to the sports world, while generating massive financial benefits for the local economy,” Cooper added.

The 2013 Senior Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, January 26^th in Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game and all practices will be televised by NFL Network.

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30 NFL teams represented at Alabama’s Pro Day workout

Alabama coach Nick Saban addresses media at Alabama Pro Day

Correction: An earlier version of this post reported that all 32 NFL teams were present. According to reports from NFL Network, the Bears and Rams were the two teams that did not sent representatives.

A contingent numbering somewhere between 75 and 100 NFL scouts and members of the media were on hand Wednesday to observe Alabama’s NFL Draft hopefuls participating in exercises and drills.

Alabama Strength and Conditioning Coach Scott Cochran was also on hand, and could be heard throughout the two-hour event, pushing and encouraging his former pupils.

The workout was streamed live by the Alabama Crimson Tide Sports Network.

Courtney Upshaw, Trent Richardson and Mark Barron did not participate. All are recovering from offseason surgery or injury, with Upshaw citing knee tendonitis. All three are expected to work out during a private March 29 exercise, which should draw an even larger contingent of talent scouts than today’s Pro Day workout.

A few notables:

Josh Chapman is beastly strong. Although Goodbread’s notebook says he lifted 29, I counted 30. But during the early reps he was throwing the bar up like a broomstick. The reaction from scouts and teammates (and Cochran) was the highlight of the bench press exercise.

DeQuan Menzie slightly bettered his combine time with a 4.66 in the 40 yard. He later told CTSN’s Chris England that he had the fastest 10-yard split at the combine and felt good about how scouts viewed his quickness.

William Vlachos showed good speed for his size. He ran 5.00-ish 40 yard heats, a major plus for a downfield blocking offensive lineman.

A mild surprise (as I tweeted when I saw it) was Nick Gentry running linebacker agility and pass coverage drills. Gentry’s smallish size and his athleticism make him a good fit at OLB for either a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme, and he looked good.

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Bama players at the Combine talk the “Crimson Grind”

By: @LivingCrimson

Nick Saban expects his players to not just win, but win with intensity. This year the fierceness cranked up another notch with a friendly competition among the defensive squad. Individual game performance was tracked by the position coaches, with points awarded for sacks, big hits, tackles for loss, interceptions, fumbles forced and recovered, and other measurables. Points were taken away for missed tackles and mental errors.

Of course the big man himself, Zeus Hightower, won the battle of the brutes.

Courtney Upshaw was just happy to finish near the top with Dont’a. He described the ultra competitiveness of Hightower as the foundation for a successful pro career: “[W]hoever gets him is going to be proud to get him. He makes plays. He was the leader of our defense. I’m sure he can go in and lead a team in the NFL.”

"We all compete, and that's another reason why we came to Alabama and the SEC — to compete against some of the best athletes in the country," Hightower said.

Pro Football Weekly compiled a video with Courtney Upshaw, Dont’a Hightower, DeQuan Menzie and Dre Kirkpatrick describing just another facet in The Process of winning.

The Alabama Crimson Tide defense made a living by punishing opposing offenses en route to a National Championship, but it was their competition against each other that may have propelled them there.

More Bama updates on Twitter at LivingCrimson.

Scouts split on Alabama players’ draft prospects

There is an outstanding analysis by Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, in which five different scouts discuss pros and cons regarding this year's prospects. It covers 50 of the top prospects and provides quotes from talent scouts who don't always have the same point of view.

It really is a thorough piece and has assessments of other SEC prospects as well, so it’s worth clicking and reading the whole thing.

Here’s what the scouts had to say about the top Alabama prospects—five guys who could all go on the first night.. Some of this you will agree with. Some of it will leave you scratching your head. All of it should spark discussion.

Trent Richardson*, RB, Alabama: 5-11, 225. Backed up Mark Ingram for two seasons before exploding for 1,679 yards (5.9) and 21 TDs in 2011. "Two years ago when Ingram won the Heisman, people at Alabama laughed behind the scenes saying, 'Ingram isn't even the best player in his own backfield,' " one scout said. "And Ingram is a nice player. But Richardson is big-time. He is probably the most complete player in this draft. Every superlative that you could put on him he's got." Regarded as a mature person and a tremendous worker. "He immediately changes your team," another scout said. "From whatever it is to a tough team. Because he's a tough guy. He's the total package. Pass protects. Everything."

Dre Kirkpatrick*, CB, Alabama: 6-2½, 190. Another two-year starter with three interceptions. "He's the toughest of all the corners coming out this year," one scout said. "Looks like he can run." Was arrested for marijuana possession in January, but the charge was dropped. "He's going to (expletive) you off because he's such a freelancer," another scout said. "That's kind of his persona. To do that you'd better be Deion Sanders. Claiborne's upside isn't as big as Kirkpatrick's. Claiborne is more well-rounded."

[note: Both of these guys are slam dunk first rounders and could be gone in the first 10-15 picks]

Dont'a Hightower*, ILB-OLB, Alabama: 6-2, 265. Played ILB in the Crimson Tide's base 3-4 but often put his hand down and rushed on passing downs. "Does he flash big-time plays?" one scout said. "Yeah, he does. Does he dominate like a guy 6-3, 265 should? Not on a consistent basis." Blew out his knee in Game 4 of 2009 and, according to some scouts, has yet to play back to his old form. "He's got the ability of the guy the Raiders took (Rolando McClain)," another scout said. "Some people don't know how tough he is. The knock on him is if he really inserts. But he is strong. I've seen him take his hand and just stand up guards." He tried to power rush tackles and ended up with five sacks. "He's capable of playing outside (linebacker)," a third scout said. "He can do anything you ask him to do."

Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: 6-1½, 272. Projects as an OLB in a 3-4 or a strong-side LB in a 4-3. "The only reason Upshaw could go ahead of Ingram is because Upshaw actually played up and down and Ingram played all over the place," one scout said. "I don't think Upshaw was really outstanding in the Senior Bowl. I thought he was just ordinary. He's very physical, but he gets cut a lot. That's because he's stiff." Two-year starter with 16½ sacks. "(People) think he's Cornelius Bennett and he's not," another scout said. "He's a good, tough, nasty college football player that I think will get blocked a lot in the NFL." Scored just 9 on the 50-question Wonderlic intelligence test. "He's just a tough (expletive)," a third scout said. "He's really not a burn the edge guy. He is not fast. He's built like a fire hydrant. Maybe a 3-4 team will take him in the first."

Mark Barron, S, Alabama: 6-1½, 223. Three-year starter. "He's a plug-in and play starting safety from Day One," one scout said. "Of all the Alabama guys, Trent Richardson and Mark Barron are the two most dependable guys. You know what you're getting. There is no question about it. He can play deep safety and down in the box as a dime cover guy on the tight end or back out of the backfield. He's a good blitzer and good in run support." Finished with 12 interceptions. "For a big, tall guy he can break down," another scout said. "He's not Troy Polamalu. There's 25 guys in this draft better than Barron."

Again, go read the whole thing. There are interesting analyses of Morris Claiborne, Fletcher Cox, Melvin Ingram and other top SEC prospects.

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Combine wrapping up today with defensive backs

Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive backs Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie will workout in front of NFL scouts today, the last day of the NFL Scouting Combine. Safety Mark Barron—recovering from surgery to repair a double hernia—will not participate in drills.

Kirkpatrick and Menzie will work with the second group of defensive backs during the afternoon session.

Kirkpatrick is either the No. 1 or No. 2 cornerback in the 2012 draft, depending on whose mock draft you read. Menzie grades out as a second to third rounder, but don’t expect him to last beyond the second day. Barron is the No. 1 safety in the draft, but very few projections had him going in the first round in pre-combine mock drafts.

A total of nine Alabama players were invited to the 2012 combine—most in the nation. The others invited were linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw; defensive lineman Josh Chapman; wideouts Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze and running back Trent Richardson.

Richardson and Chapman joined Barron as Tide players who did not workout during the combine. Upshaw participated only in the bench press exercise, opting to do other on-field workouts during Alabama’s Pro Day, set for March 7 on campus.

Richardson—whose minor knee surgery knocked him out of both the Combine and the Pro Day drills—has scheduled a private workout for NFL scouts on March 27.

The 2012 NFL Draft will be held April 26 – 28 in New York. Alabama could have as many as five players selected in the first round, with as many as 10 selected overall.

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Alabama Crimson Tide Draft History, 1936-2011

Since Riley Smith was taken in the 1936 draft, the University of Alabama seen a total of 221 players selected by American professional football programs organized under the auspices of what is today’s National Football League.

That’s an average of three players taken each year throughout history.

The 221 figure is lower than that recorded by some other sites. However, those sites appear to have “Quality Control” issues. For example, one shows 10 players taken by the Dodgers and three taken by the Yanks. For now, let’s stick to the “official” numbers as provided by the NFL.

Here is the complete list, from last year’s class of five draft picks all the way back to 1936. Data courtesy of NFL.com’s Draft History database.

YEAR	RD	PLAYER	POSITION	TEAM
2011	1	Marcell Dareus	DT	Buffalo Bills
2011	1	Julio Jones	WR	Atlanta Falcons
2011	1	James Carpenter	T	Seattle Seahawks
2011	1	Mark Ingram	RB	New Orleans Saints
2011	7	Greg McElroy	QB	New York Jets
2010	1	Rolando McClain	MLB	Oakland Raiders
2010	1	Kareem Jackson	CB	Houston Texans
2010	2	Javier Arenas	DB	Kansas City Chiefs
2010	2	Terrence Cody	DE	Baltimore Ravens
2010	3	Mike Johnson	G	Atlanta Falcons
2010	7	Marquis Johnson	DB	St. Louis Rams
2010	7	Brandon Deaderick	DE	New England Patriots
2009	1	Andre Smith	T	Cincinnati Bengals
2009	3	Glen Coffee	RB	San Francisco 49ers
2009	3	Antoine Caldwell	C	Houston Texans
2009	3	Rashad Johnson	DB	Arizona Cardinals
2007	4	Le'Ron McClain	FB	Baltimore Ravens
2007	7	Kenneth Darby	RB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2007	7	Ramzee Robinson	CB	Detroit Lions
2006	2	DeMeco Ryans	MLB	Houston Texans
2006	2	Roman Harper	SS	New Orleans Saints
2006	3	Brodie Croyle	QB	Kansas City Chiefs
2006	5	Charlie Peprah	DB	New York Giants
2006	5	Mark Anderson	DE	Chicago Bears
2005	3	Evan Mathis	G	Carolina Panthers
2005	5	Wesley Britt	T	San Diego Chargers
2005	6	Anthony Bryant	DT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2005	7	Cornelius Wortham	LB	Seattle Seahawks
2004	2	Justin Smiley	G	San Francisco 49ers
2004	2	Antwan Odom	DE	Tennessee Titans
2004	6	Triandos Luke	WR	Denver Broncos
2004	7	Derrick Pope	LB	Miami Dolphins
2003	4	Jarret Johnson	DE	Baltimore Ravens
2003	5	Kenny King	DT	Arizona Cardinals
2003	5	Kindal Moorehead	DT	Carolina Panthers
2003	6	Waine Bacon	DB	Atlanta Falcons
2003	7	Ahmaad Galloway	RB	Denver Broncos
2002	3	Saleem Rasheed	LB	San Francisco 49ers
2002	5	Jason McAddley	WR	Arizona Cardinals
2002	5	Terry Jones	TE	Baltimore Ravens
2002	5	Freddie Milons	WR	Philadelphia Eagles
2001	2	Tony Dixon	DB	Dallas Cowboys
2001	3	Kenny Smith	DT	New Orleans Saints
2001	5	Shawn Draper	T	Miami Dolphins
2000	1	Chris Samuels	T	Washington Redskins
2000	1	Shaun Alexander	RB	Seattle Seahawks
2000	2	Cornelius Griffin	DT	New York Giants
1999	1	Fernando Bryant	CB	Jacksonville Jaguars
1998	2	Rod Rutledge	TE	New England Patriots
1998	4	Michael Myers	DT	Dallas Cowboys
1998	4	Deshea Townsend	DB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1998	4	Curtis Alexander	--	Denver Broncos
1997	1	Dwayne Rudd	LB	Minnesota Vikings
1997	5	Patrick Hape	TE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1997	7	Ralph Staten	DB	Baltimore Ravens
1996	3	Shannon Brown	DT	Atlanta Falcons
1996	4	Kendrick Burton	DE	Houston Oilers
1996	4	Brad Ford	DB	Detroit Lions
1996	6	Tony Johnson	TE	Philadelphia Eagles
1996	6	Toderick Malone	WR	New Orleans Saints
1995	2	Sherman Williams	RB	Dallas Cowboys
1995	4	Sam Shade	SAF	Cincinnati Bengals
1995	4	Dameian Jeffries	DE	New Orleans Saints
1995	5	Jay Barker	QB	Green Bay Packers
1995	7	Bryne Diehl	--	New York Giants
1994	1	Antonio Langham	CB	Cleveland Browns
1994	2	Kevin Lee	WR	New England Patriots
1994	2	David Palmer	WR	Minnesota Vikings
1994	2	Jeremy Nunley	DE	Houston Oilers
1994	5	Roosevelt Patterson	--	Los Angeles Raiders
1994	7	Lemanski Hall	LB	Houston Oilers
1993	1	John Copeland	DE	Cincinnati Bengals
1993	1	Eric Curry	DE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1993	1	George Teague	FS	Green Bay Packers
1993	3	Antonio London	LB	Detroit Lions
1993	4	Derrick Lassic	RB	Dallas Cowboys
1993	6	Derrick Oden	LB	Philadelphia Eagles
1992	2	Siran Stacy	RB	Philadelphia Eagles
1992	3	Kevin Turner	RB	New England Patriots
1992	8	Robert Stewart	--	New Orleans Saints
1992	10	Mark McMillian	DB	Philadelphia Eagles
1991	2	George Thornton	DT	San Diego Chargers
1991	10	Byron Holdbrooks	--	San Francisco 49ers
1991	11	Efrum Thomas	--	Pittsburgh Steelers
1990	1	Keith McCants	DE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1990	6	John Mangum	DB	Chicago Bears
1990	10	Thomas Rayam	G	Washington Redskins
1989	1	Derrick Thomas	LB	Kansas City Chiefs
1989	5	Greg Gilbert	--	Chicago Bears
1989	6	Chris Mohr	P	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1989	6	Howard Cross	TE	New York Giants
1989	7	George Bethune	LB	Los Angeles Rams
1989		Bobby Humphrey	RB	Denver Broncos
1988	7	Kerry Goode	RB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1988	7	Bo Wright	--	Buffalo Bills
1988	8	Phillip Brown	--	Atlanta Falcons
1987	1	Cornelius Bennett	LB	Indianapolis Colts
1987	6	Freddie Robinson	DB	Indianapolis Colts
1987	6	Greg Richardson	WR	Minnesota Vikings
1987	7	Curt Jarvis	NT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1987	9	Wayne Davis	LB	St. Louis Cardinals
1987	9	Wes Neighbors	C	Houston Oilers
1987	10	Chris Goode	DB	Indianapolis Colts
1987	12	Mike Shula	QB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1986	1	Jon Hand	DE	Indianapolis Colts
1986	2	Larry Roberts	DE	San Francisco 49ers
1986	6	Thornton Chandler	TE	Dallas Cowboys
1986	6	Brent Sowell	--	Miami Dolphins
1985	1	Emanuel King	LB	Cincinnati Bengals
1985	3	Ricky Moore	RB	San Francisco 49ers
1984	4	Joe Carter	RB	Miami Dolphins
1984	7	Jesse Bendross	WR	San Diego Chargers
1984		Joey Jones	WR	Atlanta Falcons
1983	1	Mike Pitts	DT	Atlanta Falcons
1983	3	Jeremiah Castille	DB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1983	5	Steve Mott	C	Detroit Lions
1983	12	Robbie Jones	LB	New York Giants
1982	3	Benny Perrin	DB	St. Louis Cardinals
1982	8	Tom Boyd	LB	Green Bay Packers
1982	9	Warren Lyles	--	San Diego Chargers
1981	1	E.J. Junior	LB	St. Louis Cardinals
1981	5	Byron Braggs	DE	Green Bay Packers
1981	7	Billy Jackson	RB	Kansas City Chiefs
1981	10	James Mallard	--	St. Louis Cardinals
1981	12	Major Ogilvie	--	San Francisco 49ers
1980	1	Don McNeal	DB	Miami Dolphins
1980	2	Dwight Stephenson	C	Miami Dolphins
1980	6	Wayne Hamilton	--	San Diego Chargers
1980	7	Buddy Aydelette	T	Green Bay Packers
1980	8	Ken Harris	--	New York Giants
1980	9	Steve Whitman	--	San Diego Chargers
1979	1	Barry Krauss	LB	Baltimore Colts
1979	1	Marty Lyons	DT	New York Jets
1979	3	Tony Nathan	RB	Miami Dolphins
1979	7	Rich Wingo	LB	Green Bay Packers
1979	9	Jeff Rutledge	QB	Los Angeles Rams
1978	1	Bob Cryder	G	New England Patriots
1978	1	Ozzie Newsome	TE	Cleveland Browns
1978	2	Johnny Davis	RB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1978	11	Terry Jones	NT	Green Bay Packers
1977	2	Bob Baumhower	NT	Miami Dolphins
1977	3	Charley Hannah	G	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1977	6	Paul Harris	LB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1977	8	Calvin Culliver	--	Denver Broncos
1976	1	Richard Todd	QB	New York Jets
1976	4	Wayne Rhodes	--	Chicago Bears
1976	5	Woodrow Lowe	LB	San Diego Chargers
1976	5	Willie Shelby	RB	Cincinnati Bengals
1976	10	Leroy Cook	--	Dallas Cowboys
1976	12	Joe Dale Harris	--	Cincinnati Bengals
1975	3	Mike Washington	DB	Baltimore Colts
1975	8	Ricky Davis	DB	Cincinnati Bengals
1974	1	Wilbur Jackson	RB	San Francisco 49ers
1974	3	Wayne Wheeler	WR	Chicago Bears
1974	6	Mike Raines	DT	San Francisco 49ers
1974	8	Greg Gantt	P	New York Jets
1974	16	Buddy Brown	--	New York Giants
1973	1	John Hannah	G	New England Patriots
1973	7	John Mitchell	--	San Francisco 49ers
1973	12	Jim Krapf	--	Oakland Raiders
1972	3	Johnny Musso	RB	Chicago Bears
1972	11	Dave Bailey	--	Green Bay Packers
1972	15	Robin Parkhouse	--	Baltimore Colts
1972	16	Steve Higginbotham	--	Washington Redskins
1971	6	Scott Hunter	QB	Green Bay Packers
1969	10	Mike Hall	--	New York Jets
1969	16	Bill Davis	--	Oakland Raiders
1968	1	Dennis Homan	WR	Dallas Cowboys
1968	2	Ken Stabler	QB	Oakland Raiders
1968	12	Bobby Johns	--	Kansas City Chiefs
1967	1	Les Kelley	LB	New Orleans Saints
1967	4	Louis Thompson	--	New York Giants
1967	4	Wayne Trimble	DB	San Francisco 49ers
1967	9	Cecil Dowdy	--	Cleveland Browns
1966	7	Ray Perkins	WR	Baltimore Colts
1966	11	Steve Sloan	QB	Atlanta Falcons
1966	15	Steve Bowman	HB	New York Giants
1966	15	Tommy Tolleson	WR	Atlanta Falcons
1966	16	David Ray	K	Cleveland Browns
1965	3	Ray Ogden	TE	St. Louis Cardinals
1965		Joe Namath	QB	New York Jets
1964	5	Steve Wright	T	Green Bay Packers
1964		Benny Nelson	DB	Houston Oilers
1963	1	Lee Roy Jordan	LB	Dallas Cowboys
1963	2	Butch Wilson	TE	Baltimore Colts
1962		Tommy Brooker	OE	Dallas Texans
1962		Billy Neighbors	G	Boston Patriots
1962		Ray Abruzzese	DB	Buffalo Bills
1959	7	Bobby Jackson	DB	Green Bay Packers
1956	17	Bart Starr	QB	Green Bay Packers
1955	6	Bobby Luna	DB	San Francisco 49ers
1955	6	Corky Tharp	DB	Los Angeles Rams
1955	9	Ed Culpepper	DT	Green Bay Packers
1954	7	Sid Youngelman	DT	San Francisco 49ers
1953	8	Jess Richardson	DT	Philadelphia Eagles
1953	8	Jerry Watford	OE	Chicago Cardinals
1952	8	Billy Shipp	OT	New York Giants
1951	1	Butch Avinger	FB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1951	2	Ed Salem	QB	Washington Redskins
1951	6	Herb Hannah	OT	New York Giants
1951	8	Larry Lauer	C	New York Yanks
1951	25	Tom Calvin	HB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1949	7	Jim Cain	DE	Chicago Cardinals
1948	1	Harry Gilmer	QB	Washington Redskins
1948	1	Vaughn Mancha	C	Boston Yanks
1948	23	Rebel Steiner	DB	Detroit Lions
1945	21	Norman Mosley	TB	Philadelphia Eagles
1945	29	Ken Reese	HB	Philadelphia Eagles
1944	9	Mitch Olenski	T	Brooklyn Tigers
1943	6	Tony Leon	G	Washington Redskins
1943	14	George Weeks	DE	Brooklyn Tigers
1943	15	Russ Craft	DB	Philadelphia Eagles
1943	23	Dave Brown	HB	New York Giants
1942	14	John Wyhonic	G	Philadelphia Eagles
1941	2	Fred Davis	DT	Washington Redskins
1940	4	Bobby Wood	T	Cleveland Rams
1940	5	Walt Merrill	T	Brooklyn Dodgers
1940	13	Sandy Sanford	OE	Washington Redskins
1939	9	Lew Bostick	G	Cleveland Rams
1937	2	Tarzan White	G	New York Giants
1936	1	Riley Smith	BB	Boston Redskins

Note: This post will eventually be promoted to a top level page.

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