The Saban Top 100: No. 13 Andre Smith

BamaCentral is ranking the top 100 players of the Nick Saban era at Alabama over the course of the 2020 football season

13] Andre Smith, T

• Won 2008 Outland Trophy
• 2008 Unanimous All-American
• 2007 SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy
• 2007-08 All-SEC
• Sixth-overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft
• Started at left tackle as a freshman and was credited with a team-high 62 pancake blocks
• Scored a touchdown off of a lateral in the 2006 Independence Bowl loss against Oklahoma State
• In 2008, led the team with 103 key knockdowns and added seven blocks downfield. He was penalized just twice and allowed just one sack and six pressures on 334 pass plays

Five things to know about Andre Smith:

- According to both Rivals.com and Scout.com, which were the two big national recruiting services at the time, Smith was the No. 2 football prospect in the nation when he signed with Alabama as part of the recruiting Class of 2006.

- Smith’s signing-day ceremony was held in the library at Huffman High School (just outside of Birmingham, Ala.) and included a hat prop, but with a twist. On the table in front of him were caps from LSU, USC and Florida, which had Alabama fans a little nervous. He then proclaimed, “I brought my own hat,” and pulled out a houndstooth hat from under the table.

- The 2006 Independence Bowl was remembered for things, interim coach Joe Kines and Smith scoring a 2-yard touchdown on a trick play, a lateral pitch against Oklahoma State.

- Smith is the cousin of former Major League Baseball outfielder Desmond Jennings, of the Tampa Bay Rays. He was recruited by Alabama, but ended up at Itawamba Community College and was a two-sport star. He signed with Tampa Bay after being selected in the 10th round of the 2006 amateur draft.

- When Cincinnati took Smith with the sixth-overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, he was Alabama’s first first-round selection since tackle Chris Samuels in 2000. The Crimson Tide has had at least one every year since. 

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The Saban Top 100 will be revealed over the course of the 2020 football season, with the top players unveiled one a day as part of BamaCentral's 25 Days of Christmas celebration.

The series thus far:

Introduction

No. 14: Quinnen Williams

No. 15: Dont'a Hightower

No. 16: Jerry Jeudy

No. 17: Jalen Hurts

No. 18: Reuben Foster

No. 19: Chance Warmack

No. 20: Mark Barron

No. 21: Jonah Williams

No. 22: Da'Ron Payne

No. 23: Ryan Kelly

No. 24: Landon Collins

No. 25: Cam Robinson

26-30: Terrence Cody, Calvin Ridley, Javier Arenas, Reggie Ragland, Jedrick Wills Jr.

31-35: Dee Milliner, D.J. Fluker, Marlon Humphrey, Rashad Evans, A'Shawn Robinson

36-40: Rashaan Evans, Dre Kirkpatrick, Marcell Dareus, Eddie Jackson, O.J. Howard

41-45: Courtney Upshaw, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Henry Ruggs III, Jarran Reed, Xavier McKinney

46-50: Dalvin Tomlinson, Antoine Caldwell, Kareem Jackson, Cyrus Kouandjio, Trevon Diggs

51-55: Mike Johnson, T.J. Yeldon, Ronnie Harrison, Damien Harris, JK Scott

56-60: Ross Pierschbacher, Eddie Lacy, Bradley Bozeman, Ryan Anderson, Glen Coffee

61-65: Greg McElroy, Josh Jacobs, Anfernee Jennings, James Carpenter, Kenyan Drake

66-70: Terrell Lewis, Blake Sims, Christian Miller, Irv Smith Jr., Tim Williams

71-75: Mack Wilson, ArDarius Stewart, Deionte Thompson, Raekwon Davis, Jalston Fowler

76-80: Josh Chapman, Cyrus Jones, Kevin Norwood, Isaiah Buggs, Jake Coker

81-85: Bo Scarbrough, Anthony Averett, Leigh Tiffin, Ed Stinson, DeQuan Menzie

86-90: Jesse Williams, Shaun Dion Hamilton, William Vlachos, Da'Shawn Hand, Arie Kouandjio

91-95: Nico Johnson, Wallace Gilberry, DJ Hall, Vinnie Sunseri, Quinton Dial

96-100: Trey DePriest, Damion Square, Christion Jones, John Parker Wilson, Simeon Castille