It became obvious throughout the 2024 college football season that the talent level for Alabama wasn't quite up to par with what had been typically seen in Tuscaloosa over the last decade and a half.
The proof will be in the pudding next month for the 2025 NFL Draft where, according to ESPN's Matt Miller, the Crimson Tide is projected to have its fewest players taken in a single draft since 2011.
(You do need an ESPN+ subscription to view the entire Mock).
In Miller's seven round mock draft, he projects six Alabama players to be selected. That would be the fewest since 2011, when the Crimson Tide had five players selected. Perhaps not concidentally, that's also the last season before 2024 that Alabama lost three regular season games.
Alabama has had seven players selected three times since then in 2015, 2016, and 2022, but six would be the lowest total in 14 years.
Miller also only has one Alabama player being selected in the first round, which would be the first time since 2016 that the Crimson Tide didn't have multiple first round picks. Ryan Kelly was the lone 1st round pick in that draft, though if NFL teams had it to do over again, there's a 0% chance Derrick Henry falls into the 2nd round.
It's not a total talent dearth at the Capstone that will lead to a potentially low number of selections in this draft class. One thing that works in Kalen DeBoer and company's favor for next season is the amount of players who returned for another season of eligibility that would have bee high draft picks in this class.
Those players include DL LT Overton, C Parker Brailsford, CB Domani Jackson, and LB Deontae Lawson. The first three would have likely been picked on day two of the draft, while Lawson would probably have ended up somewhere in the middle rounds due to his injury.
Six Alabama players projected in ESPN's seven round Mock
Here are the Alabama players Miller has being selected:
Round 1 Pick 15: LB Jihaad Campbell (Atlanta Falcons)
Round 2 Pick 35: OG Tyler Booker (Tennessee Titans)
Round 3 Pick 83: QB Jalen Milroe (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Round 5 Pick 144: S Malachi Moore (New England Patriots)
Round 6 Pick 195: DE/LB Que Robinson (Los Angeles Rams)
Round 7 Pick 235: TE Robbie Ouzts (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Booker could easily give Alabama a second player selected in the first round. Campbell's status as a first rounder seems to be solidified. Booker plays a non-premium position and didn't light the world on fire during his combine workout, but his tape is undeniable.
Milroe remains the biggest wildcard in the class. I believe the third round is his floor, but it would not be shocking to me to see a team reach on him at the end of the first round.
DT Tim Smith and TE CJ Dippre are not included in this mock, but both could be drafted and move Alabama beyond the six that are projected here. Robbie Ouzts is a fringe pick who is far from guaranteed to be selected, however.
Smith had a strong Senior Bowl performance so I would be a bit surprised if he is not selected somewhere on day three of the draft.