Four Eligible Alabama Players Don't Hear Name Called in 2025 NFL Draft

Alabama football had seven of its players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, four eligible Crimson Tide prospects missed the seven-round cut on Saturday afternoon.

Alabama tight end CJ Dippre, punter James Burnip, kicker Graham Nicholson and long snapper Kneeland Hibbett become undrafted free agents. Nicholson and Hibbett were not invited to the NFL Combine but still were highly touted at their respective positions. These four can still be picked up by NFL teams and aim to prove 31 others wrong.

Dippre came to the Crimson Tide to prove he could play with the best. Dippre transferred from Maryland to Alabama after his sophomore season and put in two seasons of consistent play, showing his toughness, athleticism and versatility in college football's toughest conference.

Dippre made 65 receptions for 782 yards and three touchdowns across four college football seasons. The two-time Mackey Award watchlist member is an adequate blocker and solid pass-catcher, but doesn't do either at an outstanding level. However, his versatility and experience in high-level football make him a potential target for teams as a UDFA.

After decommitting from Ole Miss and flipping to Alabama out of Australia, Burnip steadily improved over his Crimson Tide career and became one of the best punters in the country by his senior season. He went from averaging 39.1 yards per punt in his freshman campaign to 45.4 in 2024.

Because punters are easier to pick up in free agency than other positions, it can be very challenging to get drafted at that position. Iowa punter Tory Taylor was the only punter picked in last year's draft and Florida's Jeremy Crawshaw, who was the final pick of the sixth round (No. 216 overall), was the only one picked in 2025.

Alabama replaced the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, Will Reichard, with the guy that beat him out for the Lou Groza Award in 2023, Graham Nicholson. Nicholson was 27 for 28 on field goals and 35 of 37 in 2023 at Miami (Ohio) and was named a First Team All-American while with the RedHawks.

Nicholson had high expectations at Alabama but received a small sample size of field goal opportunities last season as he went 8-for-10. That said, he started the season 2 of 4 as his two misses were from 46 yards out against Wisconsin and 54 yards out against Tennessee. Nevertheless, Nicholson proved to be automatic after the Crimson Tide found the end zone as he converted on all 53 of his point-after attempts this past season.

Hibbett, from Florence, Ala., entered his fourth season as the Crimson Tide long snapper after winning the job as a freshman walk-on in 2021. He was named to the Mannelly Award watch list in 2023 and again in 2024 which goes to college football's best long-snapper.

After three years as a walk-on, Hibbett played his final season on a scholarship. He was named a semifinalist for the Mannelly Award for his efforts.

While at Alabama, Hibbett had been involved in punt coverage and made a play or two on a returner over the course of his three seasons of action, but he mostly expanded his game as a long snapper in 2024.

As previously stated, Dippre, Burnip, Nicholson and Hibbett's NFL dreams are far from over.

It's also worth mentioning that multiple former Alabama transfers didn't hear their names called. Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin and Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond are two of the biggest names who also become undrafted free agents.

Read More: