Alabama Football: Tide 5-year NFL Draft record compared

As the most dominant program in the nation, it is no surprise Alabama Football also surpasses all others in NFL Draft selections. The Alabama Crimson Tide record under Nick Saban is unparalleled.

Pete Futiak of College Football News recently compiled a ranking of all FBS programs and their players selected in the last five NFL Drafts. Alabama was of course No. 1 with 51 players drafted. A list of those Alabama Crimson Tide players is provided below.

One thing is clear from reviewing Futiak’s work; NFL Draft success is matched by the win-loss records of teams. The college football ‘haves’ produce far more NFL players than do the ‘have nots.’

Alabama Football and other teams, NFL Draft production

• No. 1 – Alabama Crimson Tide – In  the 2017 through 2021 NFL Drafts, 51 of Nick Saban’s players were selected by NFL teams. Undrafted free agents who signed NFL deals are not included.
• No. 2 – Ohio State Buckeyes with 43 players drafted
• No. 3 – LSU Bengal Tigers with 39 players drafted.
• No. 4 – Michigan Wolverines with 36 players drafted
• No. 5 – Florida Gators with 33 players drafted
• No. 6 – Georgia Bulldogs with 28 players drafted
• Tied at No. 7 with 27 players drafted were Notre Dame, Miami and Clemson.
• Rounding out the Top 10 were the Oklahoma Sooners with 25 players drafted.

Other SEC Football Teams

• No. 13 – Auburn Tigers with 22 players drafted
• No. 14 – Texas A&M Aggies with 21 players drafted
• No. 20 (Tie) – Mississippi State Bulldogs with 17 players drafted
• No. 26 (tie) – Ole Miss Rebels with 15 players drafted
• No. 31 (tie) – Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats with 13 players drafted
• No. 33 (tie) – South Carolina Gamecocks and Arkansas Razorbacks with 12 players drafted
• No. 39 (tie) – Missouri Tigers with 11 players drafted
• No. 57 (tie) – Vanderbilt Commodores with seven players drafted

A review of how many of the drafted players were on NFL rosters last season might prove interesting. As snapshop, we offer a comparsion of four of the top teams. Eighty percent of Georgia players drafted were on NFL rosters last season. The number for the Crimson Tide was 82%; Ohio State was 86% and LSU was 90%.

When players from the ‘haves’ get drafted, they have a high success rate in building an NFL career.

Alabama Football Players drafted 2017-2021

2021 (1) WR Jaylen Waddle, Miami
2021 (1) DB Patrick Surtain, Denver
2021 (1) WR DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia
2021 (1) QB Mac Jones, New England
2021 (1) OT Alex Leatherwood, Las Vegas
2021 (1) RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh
2021 (2) C Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia
2021 (2) DT Christian Barmore, New England
2021 (6) OG Deonte Brown, Carolina
2021 (6) C Thomas Fletcher, Carolina
2020 (1) QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami
2020 (1) OT Jedrick Wills, Cleveland
2020 (1) WR Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas
2020 (1) WR Jerry Jeudy, Denver
2020 (2) DB Xavier McKinney, New York Giants
2020 (2) DB Trevon Diggs, Denver
2020 (2) DT Raekwon Davis, Miami
2020 (3) DE Terrell Lewis, Los Angeles Rams
2020 (3) DE Anfernee Jennings, New England
2019 (1) DT Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
2019 (1) OT Jonah Williams, Cincinnati
2019 (1) RB Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas
2019 (2) TE Irv Smith, Minnesota
2019 (3) RB Damien Harris, New England
2019 (4) LB Christian Miller, Carolina
2019 ((5) DB Deionte Thompson, Arizona
2019 ((5) C Ross Pierschbacher, Washington
2019 ((5) LB Mack Wilson, Cleveland
2019 (6) DT Isaiah Buggs, Pittsburgh
2018 (1) DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miami
2018 (1) DT Da’Ron Payne, Washington
2018 (1) LB Rashaan Evans, Tennessee
2018 (1) WR Calvin Ridley, Atlanta
2018 (3) DB Ronnie Harrison, Jacksonville
2018 (4) DE Da’Shawn Hand, Detroit
2018 (4) DB Anthony Averett, Baltimore
2018 ((5) P JK Scott, Green Bay
2018 (6) LB Shaun Dion Hamilton, Washington
2018 (6) C Bradley Bozeman, Baltimore
2018 (7) RB Bo Scarbrough, Denver
2018 (7) DT Joshua Frazier , Pittsburgh
2017 (1) DB Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore
2017 (1) DE Jonathan Allen, Washington
2017 (1) TE O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay
2017 (1) LB Reuben Foster, San Francisco
2017 (2) OT Cam Robinson, Jacksonville
2017 (2) LB Ryan Anderson, Washington
2017 (2) DT Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants
2017 (3) LB Tim Williams, Baltimore
2017 (3) WR ArDarius Stewart, New York Jets
2017 (4) DB Eddie Jackson, Chicago

Another conclusion from Futiak’s data is how many schools are rapidly becoming feeder programs for elite teams. Alabama is perhaps the best example of taking advantage of this situation. Given the NFL production of Vanderbilt (No. 57) and Louisville (tied at No. 42) it is easy to see why Tyler Steen and Tyler Harrell concluded the Crimson Tiode roster was a more sure path to the NFL.

Note: 2021 NFL active roster data from ESPN.

What the rest of college football is quickly realizing is Nick Saban, using the Transfer Portal, will win roster building competition season after season.