Alabama Poised to Have Most NFL Players For Sixth Straight Season: All Things CW

The NFL could have a team of only former Crimson Tide players, Sports Illustrated is high on the 2022 Crimson Tide, and 5 things that got our attention this week.

When the National Football League kicks off its season next week, the Alabama football program is on pace to have 57 active players on various 53-man rosters. 

Note: The league credits Jalen Hurts to Oklahoma, but we claim him for the Crimson Tide as well because he was a starter and finished his degree before transferring. So officially it'll be 56.  

That should lead the nation again as Buckeyes Now reported that 51 former Ohio State players survived the final cuts on Tuesday. 

Alabama will also have 13 additional non-active players who are on some form of injured reserve, or on a practice squad. Among them, running back Brian Robinson Jr. and wide receiver Jameson Williams are expected to rejoin their teams in about a month.  

With the Houston Texans signing O.J. Howard and placing rookie linebacker Christian Harris on the injured reserve, with wide receiver John Metchie III on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list, there are only four teams that don't have an active Crimson Tide player: Bills, Chiefs, 49ers and Seahawks. 

The breakdown is as follows:

• Quarterbacks: 3
• Running backs: 6
• Wide receivers 6
• Tight ends: 2
• Offensive linemen: 10
• Defensive linemen: 11
• Linebackers: 5
• Defensive backs: 13
• Special teams: 1

Yes, the Crimson Tide could have its own team in the NFL, with its own coaching staff of Nick Saban former assistants.

In 2021, Alabama led the league for the fifth-straight season with the most players at 54 on opening weekend, with Ohio State second at 50. LSU at 47 was the only other team with more than 36. 

The opening weekend designation is important because it's the only time the NFL does a snapshot of all the rosters, which are in flux the rest of the year. The official tally will be announced after Week 1.

Alabama Players in the NFL (Opening Weekend)

• (2022: 56*)
• 2021: 54*
• 2020: 53*
• 2019: 56*
• 2018: 44*
• 2019: 39*
• 2018: 35
• 2017: 39-t 
• 2016: 35
• 2015: 34

* led all colleges; t = was tied for the most

When Saban took over the Crimson Tide in 2007, Alabama wasn't even listed among the top 25 programs for most players in the NFL. 

For the full breakdown, check out the following from the Bama in the NFL Database:

Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
Tracking Active Alabama Crimson Players in the NFL
Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL: Breakdown by Team
Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL by Position

The X-Men Leader 

How's this for the lede to a story from the FanNation site Giants Country: "New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney should be a shining example to young defensive backs of how hard work, resilience, and dedication can work marvels in elevating their NFL careers."

On Tuesday, McKinney was one of ten Giants players, including four defensive stalwarts, to be named a captain for the upcoming season under head coach Brian Daboll.

“It means a lot. It’s obviously an honor to be voted by my teammates, the guys that I go to work for every day, the guys that I grind with every day,” McKinney said. “It says a lot about what my teammates think about me as a person and as a player.”

“To me, my role as a captain – it doesn’t matter who is in the building and who is not, you’ve got to lead either way,” he said. “You’ve always got to set the example; you’ve got to be able to keep pushing forward.

“You’ve got to be able to bring along the ones that maybe weren’t here the whole time, but when they come in, you’ve got to be able to catch them up to speed and make sure they’re on track for what we are trying to do.”

More and more former Crimson Tide players have been named team captains in the NFL, which is not a universal thing in the league but is growing in popularity. 

Former Alabama players who were team captains last year included Denver safety Kareem Jackson, Washington defensive end Jonathan Allen and New England linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

Among those already namethed this year include Hurts with the Eagles, and Tua Tagovailoa with the Dolphins.

"The only thing that I gave the players was like, 'Who do you want, representing you each and every game? Who do you want to wear the C, and understand what that C means on your jersey,' " head coach Mike McDaniel said per All Dolphins. "And I think it speaks volumes on where (Tua is) at with the team and their belief in him, like all the captains that were voted. It's a tremendous honor, especially in a situation where it's 100 percent player-controlled, so all those captain award winners were bestowed that anointment by their peers, and I think that's the greatest honor you can have in a team sport, especially the biggest team sport, which is professional football."

One of the things by McKinnon that got noticed by teammates was the way he helped rookie Dane Belton after the fourth-round draft pick broke his collarbone and was sidelined during training camp. 

“I put him under my wing. I treated him like a little brother when he came in, just making sure that he was getting ahead of the game before we even started everything,” McKinney said.

“We trained in Tampa, me, him and (cornerback Aaron Robinson) A-Rob. We trained, and we watched film together. He’s done a great job of just coming in and preparing, asking questions.”

Incidentally, the headline of that McKinnon story: "Born to Be a Leader."

You're Never Too Young for a Second Chance 

The Chicago Bears really had nothing to lose by claiming former Alabama offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood and five other players who had been cut by their respective teams this week. 

Leatherwood, the 17th-overall selection by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2021 NFL Draft, is still only 23 years old. 

The Bears also had a lot of first-hand information about him as well. Head coach Matt Eberflus is close with former Raiders defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, Bears offensive line assistant Austin King was on the Raiders staff for five years, and Bears tight ends coach Jim Dray was on the staff in Las Vegas last year.

"We studied him on tape, we looked at him," Eberflus said of Leatherwood per Bear Digest. "We've got nothing but good reports."

However, Chicago has to first make the decision that may have hung up Leatherwood in Las Vegas, is he a guard or a tackle? 

The guess here is that he'll first practice at guard until he gets the offense down.

"It's a clean slate, it's a fresh start from him and we'll see where we start him at," Eberflus said. "We're not going to disclose that right now. Still working with the coaches on that. But it's a clean slate and a fresh start for him."

"One of the things when you look at him that stands out would be, No. 1, his run blocking," Eberflus said. "His run blocking is really good.

"He's got good balance when it comes to that. He stays on guys. That's what we like about him the most right now. He's got to develop his game. He's a young player and we've got some really good coaches to help him. Chris Morgan is one of the best line coaches in the NFL. We're excited to have those guys paired up together."

5 Things That Got Our Attention This Week 

1) Let's get the obvious one out of the way: 

The College Football Playoff Board of Managers is expected to “chart the next course in Playoff expansion by potentially holding a vote that, if unanimous, could open the path for expansion as early as 2024,” according to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger.

He also reported: “Despite growing attraction to a 16-team field, the 12-team model remains the favorite as commissioners spent a year examining and vetting that proposal. They are believed to be close to agreeing to several unresolved concepts. … Vote or no vote, commissioners will likely receive marching orders from the presidents to reach a compromise on several hot-button topics, such as (1) how revenue will be distributed in an expanded Playoff; (2) the role of the Rose Bowl, a sticking point during the past year of negotiations; and (3) how automatic qualifiers are used.”

When asked about it during his radio show Thursday night, Saban said he's for it as long as the players don't have too many games. His biggest argument against playoff expansion had been the potential damage to the bowls. 

“When I was at LSU, we went to the Sugar Bowl the second or third year I was there and it was like the biggest thing that ever happened in your life to be able to go to the Sugar Bow," he said. "Now, we’ve got players that opt out of playing in the Sugar Bowl. This is just in the last 15 years. Because they’re not in the playoffs. 

"So if that’s the case, I’m for having a 12-team playoff as long as we don’t make the players play too many games. 

2) The Next Auburn AD

Utah State athletic director John Hartwell told WNSP in his hometown of Mobile that he's interested in the open Auburn athletic director position. "So, you know, 50 years of (family) history with Auburn, even though I did not go to school there, so that's flattering. To answer your question, I think it's one of the very best jobs in the entire country, and so if they called, I would absolutely listen." Hartwell added: “First and foremost, my name being associated to that job is a total credit to our student-athletes and our coaches' success here at Utah State. All that being said, I’m flattered that my name is associated with the job, and yes, there’s been some odd situations there. Allen Greene, who just is departing that position, he and I worked together at Ole Miss. He and his wife, Christy, and their family, I wish them nothing but the best. Tough situation and I’m sure he will land on his feet.”

Meanwhile, Disney's Vice President/Head of Production Accounting and Finance Christopher Cilluffo told Alabama Political Reporter that he's interested in the job as well. “Obviously, I am not the typical candidate on the surface," the Auburn graduate said. "But I’m not sure the typical candidate is what’s best right now. And I think the things that it will take to run a major athletic department into the future are certainly things that are in my wheelhouse. Honestly, I’d just like to be part of the interview process to see if there’s something that I could bring to the table that might benefit the university. That’s my interest here. I’d like to have a conversation to see if my skills would be a good fit. … That might not translate into this job, and that’s fine. To be honest, it would have to be perfect alignment for me to accept it, because I wouldn’t accept it unless the president and board and donors were on the same page. That’s the only way this will work."

3) Is Breaking Away from the NCAA realistic?

Michael Smith of the Sports Business Journal noted that a “football breakaway from the NCAA has considerable momentum and could happen in the next five years,” according to “more than a few” industry leaders. 

Noted Pittsburgh Athletic Director Heather Lyke, who also chairs the NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee: “When you look at the number of schools that we’re trying to govern or manage, there’s just a big, disparate group. There’s some consistency in the playing rules between FCS and FBS, so that makes sense, but in general to have one entity govern all of the schools the exact same way, that seems outdated.”

However, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has advocated to make the changes to bring college football into the future within the structure of the NCAA. 

Florida athletic director Scott Strickland told local ESPN Radio that he's skeptical breaking away from the NCAA would necessarily solve any of the ongoing problems. “I think you still have the same issues, they’re just under a different umbrella. The NCAA is pretty good at running championships. They struggle with the enforcement of the rules, they struggle with timely legislation, but they do a pretty good job of running championships.

4) All Football Stadiums Are Not Created Equal

Although Florida State is set to begin construction on a new indoor football facility in December, check out what Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said about the new upgrades at Doak Campbell Stadium designed to optimize revenue: 

"We just redid our concessions. We are looking at suites. We are looking at what we are doing with premium seating in the future. Because the average SEC team brings out from their stadium about $34 million. We bring in $20 million. Average Big 10 is about $30 million. So there’s about a $9 million gap." 

5) Even They're Getting Sponsors

Vanderbilt and FirstBank have signed a 10-year agreement that will result in Vanderbilt Stadium being rechristened as FirstBank Stadium. Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Completed in 1922 as the first stadium in the South to be used exclusively for college football, the 39,790 capacity makes it the smallest stadium in the SEC.

Rolling With the Tide 

Three of Sports Illustrated's national college football writers picked Alabama to win the national championship:

Pat Forde: "Alabama will win yet another natty because it could have the nation’s best defense and the nation’s best quarterback. In addition to having the nation’s best coach. Ohio State has the firepower to challenge the Crimson Tide, but ultimately the best of the SEC will beat the best of the Big Ten again."

Dellenger: "Bryce Young, Will Anderson Jr. and Henry To'oTo'o, all led by the greatest coach in the game—what’s not to like? The Tide seem more hungry than ever after coming up short in Nick Saban’s incredible 10th appearance in a national championship game last year. The Revenge Year is on."

John Garcia Jr: "To feature a returning head coach/GOAT, offensive and defensive coordinators, the Heisman Trophy winner, the sport’s best defensive player and a sprinkle of top transfers would profile as too good to be true with most programs. Alabama gets the benefit of the reverse-jinx doubt, as it rarely brings back proven personnel on and off the field around Nick Saban. Sign us up for at least one more matchup between Alabama and Georgia, either way."

Richard Johnson didn't pick the Crimson Tide, opting for Ohio State, but he and Forde had the same Heisman Trophy pick. "Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. was in my opinion better than Aidan Hutchinson last season, but the latter got the invite to New York." Dellenger picked Young to repeat for the Heisman. 

Tide-Bits

• Sports Illustrated's NFL Mock Draft 1.0 is out and it included both four quarterbacks in the first round, and four Alabama players. Writer Kevin Hanson had Anderson going first overall to the Atlanta Falcons, and Young selected fourth to the Seattle Seahawks — which makes a lot of sense and would be a good fit for the quarterback. He had cornerback Eli Ricks in the first round, but we're not as sold on his other Crimson Tide player, Brian Branch. Maybe the defensive back will prove us wrong, but Jordan Battle is more proven. 

• In grading out the trade that sent Collin Sexton to Utah, SI gave the Cavaliers an A, and the Jazz a B+. Meanwhile the title odds for the Cavs went from 120-1 to 25-1, while the rebuilding Jazz dropped from 250-1 to 500-1. The favorites remain the Boston Celtics (6-1), Golden State Warriors (7-1) and Milwaukee Bucks (7-1).

• Alabama forward Brandon Miller was No. 28 on Jeremy Woo's NBA Draft Big Board. He wrote: "It’s worth prefacing this with the fact that Miller turns 20 in November and is unusually old for an incoming freshman, but nonetheless, he’s gathered some early prospect buzz due to his combination of skill and plus length. He’s not exceptionally fast or quick, but he has a projectable frame, can play on the perimeter and knock down shots, and has enough of a handle at his size to project future versatility. Miller isn’t quite as efficient or polished as some of the other freshmen in this class and he could benefit from using his size to his advantage more than playing a strictly finesse game. But he meets the basic size/skill criteria the league wants, and could feasibly play either forward spot. Alabama’s style of play should be conducive to his strengths, and a quick adjustment to the college level could vault him into the first round.

• Saban was asked during the SEC coaches' teleconference this week about his discussion with Brian Kelly before he left Notre Dame for LSU. “It’s a good job,” Saban said of LSU. “A lot of passionate fans there. People in Louisiana are great people. I think they’ve got a great opportunity, great history, great tradition. I told him I thought he’d do an outstanding job there. … They’ve always had good personnel there and now they’ve got a great coach, not that they haven’t had great coaches in the past. I’m sure he’ll do a great job there.”

• On the same teleconference, Saban said that Drew Sanders probably would have started for the Crimson Tide this season had he not transferred to Arkansas. 

• Keep an eye on beach volleyball as a potential future SEC sport as Texas is adding it with a limited 2023 spring schedule before becoming a fully sanctioned sport in 2024. LSU and South Carolina already have programs. So do nearby UAB, Jacksonville State and North Alabama.

Did You Notice?

• Because we know this has been keeping you up at night, Sir Big Spur will remain the name of South Carolina’s live mascot after briefly being named The General. The family who owns the rights to the name and the Gamecocks athletic department have worked out their differences. “Sir Big Spur” will be on the sidelines Saturday night as the Gamecocks’ football team hosts Georgia State.

• The Most Interesting CFB Week 1 Matchups

• Power 5 Commissioners Urge Congress to Take Action on NIL Regulations

Christopher Walsh's notes column All Things CW appears every week on BamaCentral.