NFL Draft season is upon us and Alabama football has three players who are competing to be selected in the first round of April's draft. Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell, and Jalen Milroe all have hopes of joining the long list of first rounders out of the University of Alabama.
Nick Saban had 47 first round picks during his tenure at Alabama. He recruited all three of the guys with potential to be selected this year, meaning that number could go to 50 if all are selected.
Obviously, with such a high number of players selected you don't have to go back too far at each position to find the last Alabama player selected, though some are further away than you might think.
Let's take a look:
Alabama's last 1st round pick at each position
QB: Bryce Young (2023)
Bryce Young was the No. 1 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 draft. After struggling during his rookie season and getting benched just two games into his second year, Young was terrific down the stretch for Carolina and has fans excited for what he might look like in 2025.
Prior to Tua Tagovailoa being selected fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2020, Alabama hadn't had a first round pick at QB since Richard Todd was selected sixth overall in 1976. The Crimson Tide then had three consecutive starters picked in the first round with Mac Jones and Young following Tagovailoa. Milroe could make it four in a row this year.
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs (2023)
During the Saban era, Alabama became RBU. When Jahmyr Gibbs was selected with the 12th overall pick by the Lions in 2023, he became the fifth Saban-era running back to get picked in the first round. Seven additional running backs were picked in the second and third rounds during Saban's tenure.
Gibbs as the 12th pick was widely mocked by NFL Draft pundits, but he has quickly turned into one of the best and most versatile backs in the NFL. Gibbs led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 and was fifth in the league in rushing with 1412 yards.
WR: Jameson Williams (2022)
Alabama had a ridiculous run of 1st round WRs. Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, and Calvin Ridley were all first round picks. Then, at one time, Alabama had Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Devonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle on the same team in 2018 and 2019. All of those receivers were picked in the first round.
Following the "Ryde Out" era, Alabama landed a transfer WR from Ohio State in Jameson Williams, who had a huge season in 2021, his lone year with the Crimson Tide. He parlayed that into being a first round pick by the Lions. Alabama hasn't had a first rounder since then and has only had a single WR drafted, period.
Neither of those streaks will end this year, but Alabama finally has another superstar at the position in Ryan Williams who will be draft eligible in 2027.
TE: O.J. Howard (2017)
Tight ends don't get picked in the first round very often so it might be a long time before Alabama has another one picked that early. O.J. Howard was the hero of Alabama's National Championship Game win over Clemson at the conclusion of the 2015 season. The former 5-star recruit never lived up to his athletic hype in the NFL, but he'll forever be an Alabama legend.
Alabama has only had two tight ends draft since Howard: Irv Smith in the 2nd round in 2019 and then Cam Latu in the 3rd round in 2023.
OT: JC Latham (2024)
Alabama has had five first round offensive tackles since 2019 with JC Latham being the most recent. He was picked last year by the Tennessee Titans with the seventh overall pick.
IOL: Ryan Kelly (2016)
The interior offensive linemen are consistently undervalued in the NFL Draft and it has been nine years since Alabama has seen one selected within the first 32 picks. Ryan Kelly was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2016 draft and just completed his ninth season with the Colts. He enters free agency this offseason and will likely be moving on.
This is the longest streak without a first rounder at a position for Alabama. That's likely to be broken this season as Tyler Booker is projected by most to get a first rounder.
DE/EDGE: Dallas Turner (2024)
Alabama has had a pass rusher selected in the first round of the last two drafts with Dallas Turner and Will Anderson. Turner was selected with the 15th overall pick last season by the Minnesota Vikings. He battled some injury issues but flashed his potential and could be in line for a breakout season in year two.
The Crimson Tide sorely missed Turner's pass rushing productivity last season as they were unable to find a difference maker off the edge.
DT: Quinnen Williams (2019)
If it has felt like it has been a while since Alabama has had a dominant presence in the middle of the defensive line, that's because it has been. Quinnen Williams is the last first round pick DT from the Crimson Tide. Christian Barmore had an excellent finish to the season in 2020 and was a huge part of a national championship team, but he was selected in the second round.
James Smith could be in line for a breakout season in 2025 and could be the next Alabama DT to get selected in the first round.
LB: Rashaan Evans (2018)
Similarly, it has been far too long since Alabama has had a first round LB. Jihaad Campbell could very well end the seven-year drought in April. Alabama had a ridiculous LB run with first round picks in Rolando McClain, Dont'a Hightower, CJ Mosley, Reuben Foster, and then Rashaana Evans. Reggie Ragland was an early second round pick as well.
CB: Terrion Arnold (2024)
Terrion Arnold had an up-and-down year, but Alabama has produced an embarrassment of riches in the defensive backfield. Alabama had three defensive backs on the AP All Pro Team in 2024, including Pat Surtain II, who won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.
Arnold as the most recent first rounder may not last for long with Domani Jackson a potential first round pick next season and with high-level defensive back recruiting thanks to DB coach Maurice Linguist.
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018)
This seven-year drought would have come to an end next season with Caleb Downs if the star safety hadn't transferred to Ohio State following Nick Saban's retirement. Now, it remains to be seen who the next first round pick at safety will be.
Safety is another position that isn't highly valued in today's NFL so it takes the truly special players - like Downs - to end up as a first rounder.