Alabama Football: Crimson Tide and SEC NFL Draft wrap-up

From the start to almost the end of the 2023 NFL Draft, Alabama football fans celebrated. The start was awesome for Alabama Crimson Tide fans with former Bama players being the top offensive and top defensive players drafted.

Bryce Young was No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers and Will Anderson Jr, was No. 3 to the Houston Texans. In the seventh round, at pick No. 224, DeMarcco Hellams was the tenth and final former Crimson Tide player drafted.

The lack of Crimson Tide celebration to the exact end of the Draft came from five former Tide players not being drafted. The five are Emil Ekiyor Jr., DJ Dale, Jaylen Moody, Kendall Randolph and Eli Ricks. There is added disappointment with Ricks, who was once tabbed as a future first-rounder. Ricks should have returned to Tuscaloosa for another season.

The undrafted Alabama football players have signed undrafted free-agent deals. Ekiyor signed with the Colts and Dale signed with the Bills. Ricks has joined the Eagles; Randolph, the Seahawks and Moody, the Bengals.

Alabama Football and the SEC led the way

Alabama Football had 10 former players drafted. The Georgia Bulldogs reached the same number. Calculated by draft rounds and selections, the Crimson Tide had a more impressive 2023 NFL Draft than the Bulldogs.

The Michigan Wolverines were next with nine picks and TCU was at eight. At six picks were Clemson, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Pitt. At five were Auburn, Maryland, Oklahoma, Purdue, South Carolina, Stanford, Tennessee and Texas.

As always the SEC dominated the Draft with 62 players selected. The Big Ten was next with 55 former players drafted. Well behind the Big Two was the ACC with 32 selections and the Big 12 with 30. The Pac-12 brought up the rear among the Power Fives at 27. In total Power Five players gained 206 of the 259 draft slots.

All SEC Players drafted by school

• Alabama – No. 1, Bryce Young; Round 1 (R1), No. 3, Will Anderson Jr.; R1, No. 3, Jahmyr Gibbs; R1, No. 12, Brian Branch; R2, No. 45, Tyler Steen; R3, No. 65, Byron Young; R3, No. 70, Jordan Battle; R3, No. 95, Cam Latu; R3, No. 101, Henry To’oTo’o; R5, No. 167; DeMarcco Hellams R7, No. 224
• Georgia – R1, No. 9, Jalen Carter; R1, No. 14, Broderick Jones; R1, No. 30, Nolan Smith; R3, No. 93, Darnell Washington; R4, No. 105, Kelee Ringo; R4, No. 128, Stetson Bennett; R5, No. 170, Christopher Smith II; R5, No. 173, Robert Beal Jr.; R5, No. 174, Warren McClendon;  R7, No. 237, Kenny McIntosh
• Florida –  R1, No. 4, Anthony Richardson; R2, No. 54, Gervon Dexter; R2, No. 59, O’Cyrus Torrence; R4, No. 121, Ventrell Miller; R5, No. 150, Justin Shorter; R6, No. 203, Amari Burney
• LSU – R2, No. 41, BJ Ojulari; R4, No. 108, Anthony Bradford; R4, No. 134, Jay Ward; R5, No. 141, Jaquelin Roy; R6, No. 187, Kayshon Boutte; R6, No. 204, Jarrick Bernard-Converse
• Auburn – R2, No. 37, Derick Hall; R3, No. 88, Tank Bigsby; R4, No. 116, Colby Wooden; R5, No. 168, Owen Pappoe; R6, No. 207, Anders Carlson
• South Carolina – R2, No. 51, Cam Smith; R3, No. 64, Zacch Pickens; R5, No. 138, Darius Rush; R7, No. 225, Jovaughn Gwyn; R7, No. 244, Jalen Brooks
• Tennessee – R1, No. 10, Darnell Wright; R3, No. 68, Hendon Hooker; R3, No. 73, Jalin Hyatt; R3, No. 74, Cedric Tillman; R3, No. 77, Byron Young
• Ole Miss – R2, No. 39, Jonathan Mingo; R4, No. 124, Tavius Robinson; R6, No. 215, Zach Evans; R7, No. 230, Nick Broeker
• Kentucky – R2, No. 33, Will Levis; R6, No. 1983, Chris Rodriquez Jr.; R7, No. 232, Carrington Valentine
• Texas A&M – R3, No. 84, Devon Achane; R5, No. 160, Antonio Johnson; R7, No. 221, Jaylon Jones
• Arkansas – R3, No. 67, Drew Sanders; R3, No. 97, Ricky Stromberg
• Mississippi State – R1, No. 16, Emmanuel Forbes; R4, No. 123, Cameron Young
• Missouri – R4, No. 126, Isaiah McGuire
• Vanderbilt did not have a player drafted

Complete 2023 NFL Draft details are provided by CBS Sports.