There was speculation leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft that Alabama Football could have each of the draft’s top two selections.
Quarterback Bryce Young was believed to be a surefire no. 1 overall pick, and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. was expected to follow closely behind. Bama would have been the first school to pull off this feat since Penn State in 2000, with Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington.
When the draft finally commenced, the Crimson Tide did not end up with the top two picks. Still, two out of three ain’t bad.
Young ultimately went no. 1 to the Carolina Panthers as expected, and Anderson Jr. went to the Houston Texans as the third overall pick. The pair of former Bama stars were sandwiched around former Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, who went no. 2 to Houston.
Alabama Football was still able to make history in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide became the first school to field the first offensive player chosen and the first defensive player chosen in the draft in the modern era.
For the first time since the 1970 @nfl merger, the first offensive and defensive players selected in the NFL draft are from the same school:
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) April 28, 2023
@alabamaFTBL’s own:
Bryce Young 1st to the Panthers
Will Anderson Jr. 3rd to the Texans
#RollTide
Alabama broke another record as soon as Bryce Young’s name was called, placing a player in the first round of the draft for the 15 straight season under Coach Saban.
This draft also marked the first time in school history that Bama had two players chosen in the top three picks (or even the top five).
LEGENDARY!
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 28, 2023
Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. become the first @AlabamaFTBL teammates to be drafted in the top 5 of the #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/mVXuPYXbuP
As far as individual milestones, Bryce Young became the first Alabama player to go first overall in the modern era, and its first quarterback to do so. A historic talent in his own right, Anderson Jr. went as high in the draft as any other player in the Nick Saban era prior to Bryce Young.
These two Bama legends will be greatly missed, but they are expected to continue doing great things at the next level. Young will be the fourth straight Alabama starting quarterback to become a starting signal caller in the NFL. Anderson Jr. could be one of the league’s premier pass rushers for a long time to come.
Congratulations and good luck in the NFL to Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr.!