The Defenses's Turn, Was Alabama DLU, LBU, DBU During Nick Saban Era: The Money Factor

Marlon Humphrey is the first former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive player to top $100 million in career earnings in the National Football League.

He's about to have a lot of company, though, including Jonathan Allen, Quinnen Williams, Da'Ron Payne, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Patrick Surtain II, the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Just missing the financial milestone because he retired at $98.9 million was C.J. Mosley.

What's remarkable about that group isn't that there are so many former Nick Saban-led defenders players making so much at the next level, although it is quite impressive, it's that they represent so many different positions. It includes three defensive linemen, a linebacker, cornerback and safety. The one obvious void is at edge rusher, however Will Anderson just inked a 3-year, $150 million contract extension with the Houston Texans, including a record-setting $134 million guaranteed.

Saban enormous success across the board was almost unheard of in modern college football, along with his ability to adapt to the changing game. We saw it with our offensive look at Position U, as for years the Crimson Tide was known especially for grinding its opponents beyond submission, but then became a playmaker haven.

Something similar happened on the other side of the ball as Saban's defense evolved to counter offensive advantages and the higher emphasis on speed. Those changes will be evident as we go through the position groups, but even they needed to be redefined somewhat for our determining Position U purposes (which include using career NFL earnings in the mix).

Specifically, defensive lines have become blurred in a big way, especially between defensive ends, edge rushers and outside linebackers, and not just at the collegiate level but in the NFL. Saban’s Jack linebacker position already made this challenging, as it required a player with pass-rushing ability who would often put his hand down on the end of the line.

For this evaluation we’re going with three groupings among the defensive front seven: interior defensive linemen/tackles (including nose tackles), defensive ends/edge rushers and outside linebackers, and interior linebackers. Even players who had the flexibility to line up in more than one spot usually focussed on one position or role, although when in doubt we considered how the players’ style and responsibilities aligned plus how they were used in the NFL.

Example: A’Shawn Robinson is currently listed as being a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, but his duties and history are move conducive of an interior lineman so we listed him as such. If he was more of a pass rusher we'd have him at end/outside linebacker.

However, in the secondary we separated the cornerbacks and safeties as there was much more of a clear division.

Reminder, the Saban era is defined is beginning with the 2007 season (and the subsequent 2008 NFL Draft), through his final season of 2023 (and 2024 draft). All NFL career earnings are though last season and what was listed by either spotrac.com or Over the Cap databases on June 30, 2026. Here's a look at each position group (* means active player):

Defensive Tackles

Consensus All-Americans: Terrence Cody (2008, 2009); A’Shawn Robinson (2015); Jonathan Allen (2016)

Major Awards
Chuck Bednarik Award: Jonathan Allen (2016)
Outland Trophy: Quinnen Williams (2018)
Lombardi Award: Jonathan Allen (2016)
Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Jonathan Allen (2016)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 21/4

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Jonathan Allen $93,470,829*
Quinnen Williams $91,179,549*
Da'Ron Payne $89,390,693*
Marcell Dareus $87,134,946
Dalvin Tomlinson, $68,155,754*
Subtotal: $429,331,771

Top Challenger: Clemson
Consensus All-Americans: Christian Wilkins (2018)

Major Awards
William V. Campbell Trophy: Christian Wilkins (2018)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 11/3

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Grady Jarrett $121,098,797*
D.J. Reader $78,959,958*
Christian Wilkins $76,144,010*
Dexter Lawrence $72,706,92*
Bryan Bresee $9,848,814*
Subtotal: $358, 758, 501

Was Alabama DTU during the Saban era? Yes, and it wasn't close. Perhaps more importantly, though, the position demonstrates how the coach was able to continually recruit and develop players who one couldn’t find on other teams. Nearly every single one of his defensive linemen was quickly converted into an interior player at the next level regardless of whether they played at end for the Crimson Tide (or somewhere else).

Defensive End/Edge Rushers

Consensus All-Americans: Will Anderson Jr. (2021, 2022); Dallas Turner (2023)

Major Awards
Chuck Bednarik Award: Will Anderson Jr. (2016)
Lott Trophy: Will Anderson Jr. (2022)
Lombardi Award: Will Anderson Jr. (2022)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 10/2
Top 5 NFL Earnings
Will Anderson Jr., DE, $29,670,167*
Wallace Gilberry, DE, $11,863,529
Dallas Turner, OLB, $10,602,304*
Courtney Upshaw, DE, $7,809,198
Ryan Anderson, OLB, $5,829,890
Subtotal: $65,775,088

Top Challenger: Ohio State
Consensus All-Americans: Joey Bosa (2014, 2015); Chase Young (2019)

Major Awards
Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Chase Young (2019)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 19/6

Top 5 NFL Earnings
DE Joey Bosa $156,100,402*
DE Cameron Heyword $146,335,255*
DE Nick Bosa $131,802,571*
DE Chase Young $65,738,319*
DE Sam Hubbard $35,695,423
Subtotal: $535,671,970

Was Alabama DE/EdgeU during the Saban era? No. However, it was the defensive area the coaches targeted for improvement and as a result the Crimson Tide had started adding a steady stream of top pass-rushers into the program. It would have been interesting to see what Saban might have done in this area had he stuck around a little longer.

Linebackers

Consensus All-Americans: Rolando McClain (2009); Dont’a Hightower 2011); C.J. Mosley (2012, 2013); Reggie Ragland (2015); Reuben Foster (2016)

Major Awards
Butkus Award: Ronaldo McClain (2009); C.J. Mosley (2013); Reuben Foster (2013)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 14/5

Top 5 NFL Earnings
C.J. Mosley, $98,906,002
Dont'a Hightower, $52,803,039
Rolando McClain, $24,743,357
Mack Wilson, $16,475,947*
Rashaan Evans, $14,526,703
Subtotal $207,455,048

Top Challenger: Georgia
Consensus All-Americans: Roquan Smith (2017); Nakobe Dean (2021)

Major Awards
Butkus Award: Roquan Smith (2017), Nakobe Dean (2021)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 10/2

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Roquan Smith $88,748,734*
Alec Ogletree $40,429,367
Akeem Dent $7,102,275
Nakobe Dean $5,212,201*
Channing Tindall $4,263,563*
Subtotal: 145,756,140

Was Alabama LBU during the Saban era? Yes. During the first half of the Saban era especially Alabama dominated at interior linebacker. The Crimson Tide subsequently made a shift toward attacking the quarterback more, but for nearly a decade it was unparalleled in securing, establishing and developing talent at the position. It seems only fitting that the team that hired Saban’s former defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, as head coach was the top contender, but Ohio State had comparable success.

Cornerbacks

Consensus All-Americans: Javier Arenas (2009); Dee Milliner (2012); Parrick Surtain II (2020); Kool-Aid McKinstry (2023)

Major Awards: None

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 15/6

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Marlon Humphrey, $101,032,093*
Kareem Jackson, $79,835,715
Patrick Surtain II, $58,133,938*
Dre Kirkpatrick, $50,403,046
Trevon Diggs, $47,121,854*
Subtotal: $336,526,646

Top Contender: LSU
Consensus All-Americans: Patrick Peterson (2010); Morris Claiborne (2011); Tre’Davious White (2016), Greedy Williams (2018); Derek Stingley Jr. (2019)

Major Awards
Chuck Bednarik Award: Patrick Peterson (2010)
Jim Thorpe Award: Patrick Peterson (2010); Morris Claiborne (2011)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 17/5

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Patrick Peterson $113,907,324
Tre'Davious White $73,685,845*
Derek Stingley $55,664,760*
Donte Jackson $43,298,700*
Morris Claiborne $33,537,259
Subtotal: $320,093,888

Bonus Contender: Ohio State
Consensus All-Americans: Denzel Ward, DB (2017); Jeff Okudah, DB (2019); Shaun Wade, DB (2020)

Major Awards: None

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 12/7

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Marshon Lattimore $104,707,823*
Denzel Ward $103,425,404*
Bradley Roby $49,397,463
Jeff Okudah $40,371,031*
Eli Apple $25,539,39*
Subtotal: $323,441,118

Was Alabama CBU during the Saban era? Alabama has had the most players receive a paycheck in the NFL, and made the most money, but it's obviously extremely tight, especially with LSU. In total career earnings in the NFL the Crimson Tide is ahead $407,723,010 to $396,412,656 by the former Tigers, while the Buckeyes are a distant third with $357,232,924. We're content with calling it a tie, but this will be worth revisiting both in the near future and again after all the participating players conclude their careers and receive their final accolades.

Safeties

Consensus All-Americans: Mark Barron (2011); Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (2013); Landon Collins (2014); Minkah Fitzpatrick (2016. 2017); Deionte Thompson (2018)

Major Awards
Bednarik Award: Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017)
Jim Thorpe Award: Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 13/5

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Minkah Fitzpatrick $85,072,006*
Eddie Jackson $51,264,225
Mark Barron $50,823,867
Landon Collins $49,513,931
Xavier McKinney $45,379,276*
Subtotal: $282,053,305

Top Contender I: LSU
Consensus All-Americans: Greg Seitz (2007); Tyrann Mathieu (2011); Eric Reid (2012); Grant Delpit (2018, 2019)

Major Awards
Chuck Bednarik Award: Tyrann Mathieu (2011)
Jim Thorpe Award: Grant Delpit (2019)

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 9/2

Top 5 NFL Earnings
Tyrann Mathieu $97,594,901
Jamal Adams $71,567,738*
Grant Delpit $31,726,891*
Eric Reid $25,477,179
Craig Steltz $3,870,907
Subtotal: $230,237,616

Was Alabama SU during the Saban era? For the record, Ohio State's position resume was very similar to LSU's, but the Buckeyes' top five NFL career earnings were $181,914,148, and the total was under $200 million. Yes, the Crimson Tide was Safety U, and when combined with the cornerback statistics it can also successfully claim to be DBU.

Special Teams

Consensus All-Americans: None

Major Awards: None

Draft Picks/First-Round Selections: 2/0

Top 5 NFL Earnings
JK Scott, P, $10,317,308*
Carson Tinker, LS, $5,945,288
(Javier Arenas, CB/RS, $4,743,416)
Cyrus Jones, DB/RS, $3,994,049
Will Reichard, K, $1,934,440*
Cole Mazza, LS, $1,241,895
Subtotal : $23,432,980

Was Alabama STU during the Saban era? No. There’s not a consensus Special Teams U for the Saban era, either. We include the career NFL earnings for Saban's Crimson Tide players to do what the coach always told his players, "Finish." It's also a nice lead-in to part III of our series, which will feature Alabama's overall numbers.

The Final Position U Tally

To summarize, during the Saban era, the Crimson Tide can claim to have been Running Back U, Wide Receiver U, Offensive Line U (Center U as well), Defensive Line U, Linebacker U, Cornerback U and Safety U (making it Defensive Back U as well).

It wasn't Quarterback U, Edge Rusher U or Tight End U, but was making massive strides in the first two when Saban stepped down.

That's absolute dominance, the likes of which college football will probably never see again.

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