Trevon Diggs is the 2021 BamaCentral Crimson Tide Pro Athlete of the Year

Former Alabama athletes made their presence known from Tuscaloosa to Tokyo and beyond in 2021.

Built by Bama is the mantra heard and seen all around Tuscaloosa. And we see the product of that all around professional sports. From the NFL to the NBA to MLB to the PGA tour to the Olympics and beyond, a former Alabama athlete is making an impact on the biggest stages of sports. 

There are so many great moments to look back on in the 2021 calendar year for Crimson Tide athletes in the pros. Spencer Turnbull threw a no-hitter for the Detroit Tigers on May 19 against the Mariners. Haylie McCleney won a silver medal for Team USA at the Olympics as part of the softball team. Former Alabama catcher Alex Avila retired from MLB after 13 years in the majors. OJ Howard won a Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and more.

Alabama's list of accomplishments in the NFL this year could take days to list out, but there is one player who stands out above the rest, and that is the 2021 BamaCentral Crimson Tide Pro Athlete of the Year: Trevon Diggs. 

The 2020 second round pick for the Dallas Cowboys has been outstanding from the very first game. Diggs opened the season with a record-breaking streak of interceptions in six straight games, including two against the Panthers on Oct. 3. He returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns with one against Philadelphia and one against New England. 

Overall, the Cowboys' cornerback leads the NFL with 11 interceptions. It is the most by any NFL player in a single season since 1981 and ties the Dallas record with two games still left to go in the regular season. Diggs is two interceptions shy of tying the NFL record for most interceptions in a season at 13. 

Diggs has also helped the Cowboys secure an NFC East title for the first time since 2018. He has 49 total tackles and 21 passes defended on the season. He is a two-time winner of the BamaCentral Crimson Tide Pro Athlete of the Week. 

Honorable Mention

• Jalen Hurts- Philadelphia Eagles QB
• Two-time BamaCentral Crimson Tide Pro Athlete of the Week (Sept. 8-14, Nov. 16-22)
• Leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 10.
• Second in the NFL only behind Lamar Jackson in rushing yards for a quarterback with 740.
• Has 2,930 yards and 16 touchdowns as the Eagles' starting quarterback

• Herbert Jones- New Orleans Pelicans SF
• Quickly found a starting spot in the Pelicans' starting rotation as a rookie and second-round draft pick
• Has garnered tons of praise by teammates and analysts alike for his defensive abilities already translating at the pro level
• Is averaging 8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game with a career-high 26 points against Cleveland on Dec. 28
• BamaCentral Pro Athlete of the Week- Dec. 7-13

• Haylie McCleney- Team USA, Softball outfielder
• Batted .643 and reached base safely 14 of 19 times at the Tokyo Olympics
• Led Team USA to a silver medal in softball's return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008
• BamaCentral Pro Athlete of the Week-July 21-27

Bama Central Pro Athlete of the Week Winners in 2021

Dec. 29 - Jan. 5 Derrick Henry

Jan. 6 - 12 Daron Payne

Jan. 13 - 19 Levi Wallace

Jan. 20 - 26 Collin Sexton

Jan. 27 - Feb. 2. JaMychal Green

Feb. 3 - 9 Collin Sexton

Feb. 9 - 16 Kira Lewis Jr.

Feb. 17 - 23 Levi Randolph

Feb. 24 - March 2 Collin Sexton

March 3 - 9 Collin Sexton

March 10 - 16 Justin Thomas

March 17 - 23 Collin Sexton

March 24 - 30 JaMychal Green

March 31 - April 6 Collin Sexton

April 7 - April 13 Collin Sexton

April 14 - April 20 Levi Randolph

April 21 - April 27 Collin Sexton

April 28 - May 4 Davis Riley

May 5 - May 11 Collin Sexton

May 12 - May 18 Dicky Pride

May 19 - May 25 Spencer Turnbull

May 26 - June 1 Alexa Guarachi

June 2 - June 8 Kenzie Wright

June 9 - June 15 Eryk Anders

June 16 - June 22 Daniel Haugh

June 23 - June 29 Daniel Haugh

June 30 - July 7 Emma Talley

July 7 - July 13 Blake Sims

July 14 - July 20 Brett Auerbach

July 21 - July 27 Haylie McCleney

July 28 - Aug. 3 Kirani James

Aug. 4 - Aug. 10 Remona Burchell

Aug. 11 - Aug. 17 Kira Lewis

Aug. 18 - Aug. 24 Steven Setterstrom

Aug. 25 - Aug. 31 Mac Jones

Sept. 1 - Sept. 7 Justin Thomas

Sept. 8 - Sept. 14 Jalen Hurts

Sept. 15 - Sept. 21 Derrick Henry

Sept. 22 - Sept. 28- Justin Thomas

Sept. 29 - Oct. 5-Trevon Diggs

Oct. 6 - Oct. 12- Najee Harris

Oct. 13 - Oct. 19- Derrick Henry

Oct. 20- Oct. 26- Mac Jones

Oct. 27- Nov. 2- Amari Cooper

Nov. 3- Nov. 8- DeVonta Smith

Nov. 9- Nov. 15- Mac Jones

Nov. 16- Nov. 22- Jalen Hurts

Nov. 23-Nov. 29- Patrick Surtain II

Nov. 30-Dec. 6- Tua Tagovailoa

Dec. 7- Dec. 13- Herbert Jones

Dec. 14- Dec. 20- Trevon Diggs

Dec. 21-Dec. 27- Jaylen Waddle