The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas A&M Aggies tied with the second-most 2026 NFL Draft selections. Ohio State was the draft leader with 11 players. The Tide and the Aggies were close behind with 10 each.
The Tide's and Aggies' 10s were markedly different. Seven Aggies were chosen in the first three rounds. Alabama had seven of its 10 chosen in Saturday's four final rounds of the draft.
Can Crimson Tide fans fairly call the '26 Draft a blip? It was no banner draft year for Alabama, but that may not mean that Alabama's NFL draft factory has cracks in its foundation. One not stellar year added to the history of Alabama's 18 consecutive drafts with a player selected in the first round.
The unanswered question is whether Kalen DeBoer and his staff can recruit and develop players at a level close to the NFL production of the Nick Saban years. The future answer is likely no, having more to do with college football rapidly evolving free agency. But a no answer should not mean that top recruits and players no longer acknowledge Alabama as a path to the NFL.
With 87 players drafted, the SEC led all conferences. The Big Ten was second at 68. The most telling distinction from the '26 Draft was that the Big 12 and the ACC combined had 11 fewer players drafted than the SEC. The SEC's count of 87 is an NFL Draft record.
Alabama Crimson Tide a 'best ft' for top players
The most popular measure of NFL Draft success for college programs is first-round selections. Next year, Alabama is almost guaranteed to add to its record of 18 consecutive drafts with a first-round selection. If healthy, Yhonzae Pierre and Zabien Brown are strong first-round prospects. Bray Hubbard and Ryan Coleman Williams are also potential first-rounders as well.
To the extent that this year's Draft tarnished Alabama's NFL reputation, a counter boost came over the weekend. The 2027 class top quarterback, 5-Star Elijah Haven, called Alabama his "best fit." No doubt, Haven meant the best fit for winning championships and NFL stardom.
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