Nick Saban is considered the greatest college football coach of all-time. And he was not only great on the field, but off of it as well when it came to recruiting. Saban’s classes were seemingly first in the country every year, or close to it.
With high recruiting classes comes a large amount of highly talented players. While some do not pan out, others do. By the time he retired after 17 years in Tuscaloosa, Saban had 133 players drafted into the NFL, including 47 first rounders.
Who were Nick Saban’s best recruits of all-time for the Alabama Crimson Tide?
5. OT, Cameron Robinson
Young was pulled out from under LSU head coach Les Miles’ nose. The Monroe, Louisiana product was ranked as the number one offensive tackle in the class of 2014 according to On3, and he did not disappoint during him time in Tuscaloosa.
Robinson would star for the Tide all three years he was on campus, and would be drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a part of the 2015 national championship team for the Crimson Tide.
4. WR, Julio Jones
Arguably the best Alabama receiver of all-time, Jones ranks sixth in receiving yards for the Tide with 2,653. He was physically imposing even as a wide receiver during his time in Tuscaloosa, and was part of Saban’s first recruiting class in 2008.
Jones was ranked as the second overall high school prospect in the 2008 class according to ESPN. He would be drafted in the 2011 NFL Draft be the Atlanta Falcons where he would spend 10 seasons and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.
3. OT, Evan Neal
On3 ranked Neal as the number four prospect nationally and the number one offensive tackle in the 2019 high school recruiting class. The IMG Academy product first came into the national spotlight heading into his junior season with the Tide in a tweet by The Athletic which saw him box jumping 48 inches while splitting his legs in the air.
The biggest Freak in college football: @AlabamaFTBL's Evan Neal, all 6-foot-7, 350 pounds of him.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) August 9, 2021
"@ENeal73's jumping power is in the top 1 percent we have ever measured. At 350 pounds, he routinely hits box jumps at 48 inches."pic.twitter.com/eQIua0IOKp
Neal spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa and was part of the 2020 national championship team. He would be drafted seventh overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants where is currently starts at right tackle.
2. OT, J.C. Latham
Another IMG Academy product, Latham quickly emerged in his sophomore and junior seasons for the Tide. Latham was ranked third nationally, and first at the offensive tackle position for the 2021 high school recruiting class according to On3.
He was recently selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 2024 NFL Draft seventh overall.
1. QB, Bryce Young
Everyone knows this name. Young ended up being the first overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2023 NFL Draft after starring for the Crimson Tide for two seasons. Although he was one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the Crimson Tide, he never won the national championship as a starting quarterback.
Young was ranked as the number two prospect nationally and top quarterback in the class of 2020 according to On3. The Panthers had a tough go of it in 2023 with Young at the controls, going 2-15 on the season.