Recruiting Rundown: Going by NFL Draft, One Nick Saban Class Stands Out
If you want to pick an argument with an Alabama fan, tell him or her that you don't believe that the 2021 NFL Draft was the Crimson Tide's best during the Nick Saban era.
The person might look at you like you're off your rocker because coming off the national title Alabama tied an NFL record with six first-round selections, all in the first 24 overall picks. It had two players go in the second round as well, plus a pair in the sixth.
It was an epic draft for the Crimson Tide.
But so was the 2017 NFL draft.
Alabama set NFL records with seven players among the first 55 selections and nine of the initial 79. Defensive back Eddie Jackson was the final Crimson Tide selection in the fourth round, No. 112 overall to the Chicago Bears, and he went on to become an All-Pro.
The 2020 and 2018 drafts were also incredibly impressive, when Alabama had four first-round picks in each. The former resulted in nine selections out of the first 87, while the latter saw 12 picks, although the majority were taken on day three of the draft.
So for the sake of that argument, to rank Alabama’s draft classes under Saban we’ll use a point system just like the polls use during the college football season, going in inverse order. There are seven rounds so a first-round selection is worth seven points and so-on down the line.
NFL Draft
2017: 60
2021: 58
2020: 56
2018: 50
2019: 47
2016: 42
2013: 42
2012: 41
2022: 40
2014: 35
2010: 33
2015: 29
2011: 29
2009: 22
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about that list is the remarkable run Alabama was on before this last draft, when it "only" had two selections in the first three rounds plus a fourth-round pick.
That's why Saban called 2021 a rebuilding year, and the rest of college football did the equivalent of a spit-take since Alabama still played in the National Championship Game.
"I don’t think our standard is like everybody else’s standard," Saban said.
However, when applying the same formula to the recruiting classes one finds a very different result.
Most fans generally considered Saban’s first full recruiting class in 2008 to be the benchmark, and they certainly had a point. It was the one that got the Crimson Tide really going, and included Julio Jones, the program's first Heisman Trophy winner in Mark Ingram II, Mark Barron, Barrett Jones, Courtney Upshaw, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Terrence Cody.
That is until the 2017 class came along.
Recruiting Class
2017: 77+
2009: 55
2016: 55*
2013: 54#
2008: 53
2012: 48
2014: 44
2015: 42
2011: 32
2010: 26
2007: 17
The 2013 total, #, includes Alvin Kamara, even though he went on to play at Tennessee.
The * on the 2016 team signifies that it includes quarterback Jalen Hurts as a second-round pick, although he played his final season at Oklahoma.
The + on the 2017 class is because there are still players active in college football, including Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kendall Randolph. Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers is at San Diego State and linebacker Markail Benton is at Jacksonville State, wide receiver Chadarius Townsend is listed as a "super senior" at Texas Tech, and Joseph Bulovas is kicking at Vanderbilt.
Even so, Alabama's recruiting Class of 2017 has had eight first-selections: Najee Harris, Alex Leatherwood, Jerry Jeudy, Tua Tagovailoa, Jedrick Wills Jr., DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III and Mac Jones.
Moreover, Xavier McKinney and Phidarian Mathis were second-round selections, giving the class 10 players who went on to be top-50 selections.
Brian Robinson Jr. was a third-round pick at No. 98, and Isiah Buggs and Thomas Fletcher were sixth-round selections.
Keep that mind the next time someone loosely throws around a bogus claim like "best recruiting class ever."
Tide-Bits
• This year's recruiting title is probably down to four schools. Alabama topped the preseason Sports Illustrated rankings, but Notre Dame had one more player in the initial SI99, with eight. Ohio State had seven along with the Crimson Tide, and this past week they were joined by Texas and former Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
• Alabama made the top five top 2023 in-state guard RJ Johnson out of Huntsville. The others are Georgia, Tulane, Wichita State, Florida Atlantic. His commitment date is August 22.
• Edge rusher Jordan Renaud, a consensus four-star prospect out of Tyler, Texas, announced that he's down to Alabama and Oklahoma. He'll announce his commitment next Friday.
• Georgia is going to be tough to beat for four-star WR KJ Bolden, from Buford, Ga., but Alabama will get a visit. The Crimson Tide is also in the mix for 2024 four-star receiver Debron Gatling from Alpahretta (Ga.) Milton.
• Hykeem Williams, a consensus five-star wide receiver out of Fort Lauderdale (Stranahan) will announce his commitment on Sept. 23. Texas A&M and Miami are the ones to beat with Georgia, Pitt and Florida State also in the mix.
5 To Watch
Open spots in the Crimson Tide's Class of 2023 are running low ...
1. Kelby Collins, defensive lineman, Gardendale: He's set to announce his commitment at 3:15 p.m. Saturday. Alabama and Florida are the frontrunners.
2. Raymond Pulido, offensive lineman, Apple Valley, Ca.: Also set to announce his decision on Saturday at 4 p.m. CT. The other finalists are Arizona, Louisville, Oregon, and UCLA.
3. Keon Keeley, edge-rusher, Tampa Berkeley Prep: SBLive Sports asked the Notre Dame commitment about the swirling Alabama talk and he responded: “Right now with my commitment, all I know at this exact moment is that I’m committed to the University of Notre Dame. I can’t really speak out on my favorites, but I know that I’m committed to the University of Notre Dame, and my teammates and I have a big season ahead."
4. Edric Hill, defensive lineman, Kansas City, Mo.: Named his finalists on Tuesday night of Alabama, LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and USC. He also plans to "commit soon." The Crimson Tide
5. James Smith and Qua Russaw, defensive lineman/edge rusher, Montgomery: The Carver teammates are both top-five prospects in the state, and consensus five-star talents. The 247Sports Composite rates Smith as the top prospect in the state, but the SI99 has Russaw listed first at No. 22.
"Qua Russaw is another we went back and forth on, between edge and off-ball linebacker," John Garcia Jr. wrote. "In seeing him at the end of July in person, rocked up at 6'3", 235 pounds, there's little doubt he could rush the passer exclusively at the next level, but there is so much versatile potential in his game. The Montgomery (Ala.) Carver standout could be a jack-of-all-trades type 'backer in college, rushing the passer on occasion ala an athletic and physical comp in former NFL first-rounder Rashaan Evans. Russaw opens up as the No. 1 LB in the class as a result."
On Friday both announced their top six:
Did You Notice?
• East St. Louis lineman McVay commits to Alabama in ceremony unlike any area has ever seen
• Arch Manning Leads Most Polarizing Cases in the SI99 Rankings
• According to Seth Emerson of The Athletic, Georgia has the option to bring recruits to its neutral-site rivalry game with Florida in Jacksonville. The two schools had agreed for years not to do so, despite there being no SEC or NCAA rule against it.
• The Other Side of the NIL Collective, College Sports’ Fast-Rising Game Changer
The recruiting rundown appears every week on BamaCentral.
