Heading into the 2000 NFL Draft, former Alabama standouts Shaun Alexander and Chris Samuels were projected by ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. to be drafted in the first round. It’s safe to say that Alabama fans, known for their passion for anybody who has ever donned that crimson and white jersey, were eager to see what teams would select their beloved superstars. Chris Samuels was drafted third by the Washington Redskins, while Shaun Alexander went nineteenth overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Alabama would have to wait eight years to celebrate another first round draft pick.
In the 2001 NFL draft and the seven years that followed, Miami (FL) had 25 players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, while Ohio State, USC and Oklahoma had 16, 11 and seven, respectively. In the past two seasons, the Tide has certainly turned, with Alabama accounting for six first round draft picks, more than any other school during that span. Something has changed, earning Alabama the reputation as an NFL factory.
The question remains: Is there such an extraordinary difference in coaching that Saban and his staff have simply been turning good players into great ones? Evidence may prove otherwise. No player was selected from Alabama in any round of the 2008 draft, and only four were selected in 2009. These players, recruited by Mike Shula, had at least a year under Saban’s watch, but were unable to earn a spot in the coveted first round.
This suggests, far from conclusively, that the dominance of Nick Saban and his staff on the recruiting trail plays a big part in cultivating first round talent. The fact remains though that Nick Saban and his staff dominates their competitors on the recruiting trail.
Rivals.com, which has emerged as a leading source on NCAA football recruiting, began recording player commitments in 2002. In the pre-Saban era, Alabama never found itself in the top 10. Since Coach Saban took the reins, Alabama has never once failed to be among the top five recruiting classes in the country, including boasting the top overall recruiting class in 2008, 2009, and 2011.
According to Rivals.com rankings, there has always been a steady supply of upper-echelon talent in Alabama high schools, but where they are deciding to play college football is changing faster than Usain Bolt in a 100M dash. Alabama has become the favorite to land these talented players with offers from the nation’s other premier college football programs. Lately, the fact that Alabama gets a recruit over Auburn has become about as newsworthy as Lebron James beating Jason Reese in a game of pickup basketball.
The past few years have given Alabama fans plenty of first round talent to cheer for on Sundays. Alabama players are lighting up NFL drafts of late, but their success hasn’t been limited to Radio City Music hall, as these players are playing at a very high level in the NFL. The Alabama coaching staff and players have earned the question of whether Alabama is the premier force in cultivating NFL talent. Skeptics might need a couple more years before proclaiming Alabama the king of the NFL draft, but nobody is questioning that things have certainly changed in Tuscaloosa.