Players Cashed in, but it Wasn't Alabama's Most Profitable Draft: All Things CW

Having two of the first three three selections made the 2023 NFL Draft a huge payday for Alabama, but was not its biggest.

The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone and we're going to spend a good part of this week looking back and putting it into perspective. 

Like usual under Nick Saban, it was a record-setting draft for Alabama football. 

Quarterback Bryce Young was Alabama's first No. 1-overall selection during the modern era, and just second ever (Harry Gilmer 1948). It was the first time the Crimson Tide had two players selected in the top three, regardless of era. 

Alabama having a first-round selection for the 15th straight year set an NFL record after tying Miami in 2022.  

It also became the first school in the common-draft era to have multiple offensive players selected in the first round in five consecutive NFL drafts, and the first school since 1967 to have an offensive player selected in the first round in nine consecutive NFL Drafts (2015-23).

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs going 12th-overall to the Lions may have been the surprise of the draft, but there were some other things you may not have noticed. For example: 

• Cameron Latu was the ninth tight end selected, but because it was such a strong position group he was picked in the third round (the most tight ends selected in the first three rounds of an NFL draft since 1967). As a comparison, the ninth quarterback didn't get taken until the fifth round. 

• Tyler Steen was officially listed as being a guard on the official NFL draft log, and that's his likely position when he lines up for his first practice with the Eagles. Remember, though, Philadelphia's offensive line coach is former Alabama assistant Jeff Stoutland, who is considered one of the best in football. That should end anyone's doubt about Steen's potential. 

• Henry To'oTo'o lasting until the fifth round was a bit of a surprise. So is that he's expected to be the backup at weakside linebacker for former Crimson Tide player Christian Harris. But between Alabama's three players in the middle among the defensive front seven (nose tackle and interior linebackers) To'oTo'o was the only one drafted. 

Alabama had more defensive tackles in the league than any other school last year, and used to be known as Linebacker U because of all the Butkus Award winners and finalists. 

Moving forward, there are five NFL teams that don't have a former Alabama player on the roster following draft weekend: Chiefs, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals and Rams. 

Full a full breakdown, check out: Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players by Team

Nevertheless, it was was a very successful, and profitable, draft for the Crimson Tide. Thanks to the strict 2011 collective bargaining agreement we already know the value of each draft slot and what each player will make with the initial four-year contracts. 

For our purposes, we'll use the figures compiled by Spotrac.

NFL Draft: Total Value of Initial Contracts

2023 NFL Draft

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pick No., Name, Pos., Team, Total Value (Signing Bonus)

1 Bryce Young, QB, Panthers, $37,955,071 ($24,603,688)
3 Will Anderson Jr., LB, Texans, $35,212,827 ($22,609,329)
12 Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions, $17,845,131 ($9,978,277)
45 Brian Branch, S, Lions, $8,021,730 ($2,833,985)
65 Tyler Steen, T, Eagles, $5,750,442 ($1,182,139)
70 Byron Young, DT, Raiders $5,668,710 ($1,122,698)
95 Jordan Battle, S, Bengals $5,325,016 ($872,739)
101 Cameron Latu, TE, 49ers $5,304,082 ($857,514)
167 Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Texans $4,084,977 ($244,977)
224 DeMarcco Hellams, S, Falcons $3,946,301 ($106,301)

Total value: $129,114,287

Total signing bonuses: $64,411,647 

The undrafted players who signed free-agent contracts will get a little money, but it won't be much. In some cases, they won't be making as much as what they did at Alabama with their NIL deals. They basically have to earn their way on the team and it won't be easy. 

Regardless, so how impressive is that, 10 players for nearly $130 million? Well, it's a lot more than what last year's draft class made. 

2022 NFL Draft

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pick No., Name, Pos., Team, Total Value

7 Evan Neal, T, Giants $24,551,258
12 Jameson Williams, WR, Lions $17,461,790
44 John Metchie III, WR, Texans $8,070,172
47 Phidarian Mathis, DT, Commanders $7,506,373
75 Christian Harris, LB, Texans $5,348,249
98 Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders $5,044,908
119 Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Ravens $4,420,328

Total value: $72,403,078

This isn't to scoff at $72 million, which was probably more than nearly every other school in last year's draft, but it was roughly $57 million less than this year. 

But not even this year's haul can compare to what happened two years ago, when Alabama had six first-round selections to tie the NFL record. 

2021 NFL Draft

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pick No., Name, Pos., Team, Total Value

6 Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins $27,085,933
9 Patrick Surtain II, CB, Broncos $20,962,628
10 Devonta Smith, WR Eagles $20,141,390
15 Mac Jones, QB, Patriots $15,586,352
17 Alex Leatherwood, T, Raiders $14,391,564
24 Najee Harris, RB, Steelers $13,047,447
37 Landon Dickerson, OL, Eagles $8,656,675
38 Christian Barmore, DT, Patriots $8,522,244
193 Deonte Brown, G Panthers $3,666,060
222 Thomas Fletcher, LS, Panthers $3,610,708

Total value: $135,671,001

This might be the one to beat for a while.  

Even so, the Crimson Tide has come a long way during those 15-straight years of first-round selections. The string began in the 2009 draft, with offensive tackle Andre Smith the sixth-overall pick by the Bengals. The 2010 draft was more indicative of what was to come, with linebacker Rolando McClain (No. 8) and cornerback Kareem Jackson (No. 20 ) selected in the first round, cornerback/return specialist Javier Arenas and nose tackle Terrence Cody in the second round, and offensive lineman Mike Johnson drafted in the  third round. 

That draft was coming off Saban's first national championship with Alabama. A year later, Alabama had only five players selected, but four went in the first round. Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus went third-overall to the Bills, followed by the massive trade up by the Falcons to No. 6 to take wide receiver Julio Jones. 

Tackle James Carpenter was the surprise pick at No. 25 by the Seahawks, and then the Saints traded up to No. 28 and took running back Mark Ingram II, the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Quarterback Greg McElroy didn't hear his name called until the seventh round. 

Collectively, they signed for about $58 million. 

The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh appears regularly on BamaCentral, with the latest on the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

See Also: The Complete Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Database