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The Dolphins and the Alabama Connection

Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier and Alabama coach Nick Saban worked together more than a decade ago, so maybe it's not surprising Miami keeps selecting Crimson Tide players
Alain Poupart|
Brett Davis-USA Today Sports

As the most successful program in college football over the last decade-plus, the University of Alabama has naturally produced more than its share of early NFL draft picks.

The Miami Dolphins have looked to Tuscaloosa to find talent, as two of their last three first-round picks played at Alabama.

First, there was defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2018, and he was followed in 2020 by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For good measure, the Dolphins used one of their two second-round picks this year on another Crimson Tide player, this time defensive lineman Raekwon Davis.

While talent and character always are the overriding factors in draft selections, there just might be a fraction — however small — in the Dolphins taking Alabama players that comes down to Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier having worked with Nick Saban during Saban's two seasons as Miami head coach in 2005-06.

Grier served as national scout/assistant director of college scouting during Saban's two years before being promoted to director of college scouting in 2007 and eventually becoming general manager in 2016.

“He was there when I was there, years ago," Saban said in a video conference call with the three daily South Florida newspapers Thursday morning. "Chris and I talk a lot about a lot of things and a lot of players. I think they had a great feeling for Tua."

Saban said in the conference call that he did not have to convince the Dolphins of anything when it comes to Tagovailoa.

The irony of the Tagovailoa pick, of course, is that Tagovailoa was a question mark heading into the draft because of his late-season hip surgery, much the same way Drew Brees was a question mark as a free agent in the spring of 2006 because of a recent shoulder surgery.

Saban eventually decided to make a trade for Minnesota Vikings starter Daunte Culpepper, who was coming off a major knee injury, because he was told by doctors Culpepper had a better chance of fully recovering from his injury.

In hindsight, the Dolphins obviously regretted passing on Brees.

Fourteen years later, Saban is confident the Dolphins will not regret having selected Tagovailoa.

“I was really, really hopeful that Miami would take him," Saban said in the conference call. "Tua is such a great person. Really was a very, very good leader here. One of the most popular players that we’ve ever had with our fans and our fanbase. I think he will be a great face of the organization there."

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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