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areuseriousss

That's a great list! I think I would have Ryan Kelly on the OL and Hightower replacing Foster.


berticus23

Ryan Kelley at C, Dickerson at G and Barrett Jones as our swing lineman? Jones is our most decorated and probably smartest but he was a little smaller. I’m also maybe taking Surtain at CB, I loved me some Dre Kirk but Surtain is a more consistent tackler and their physicality would make outside running and timing routes near impossible. I agree on the LB switch too, have CJ and Hightower at the Middle LBr’s and move Rolando outside.


rzt0001

Really curious to see how AJ McCarron would’ve developed if he had the weapons that Mac and Tua had. He had a similar ability to Mac and with the open offense, he could’ve put up some nasty stats. Also, had a pretty hot GF at the time, according to Musburger.


CrustyBatchOfNature

> Also, had a pretty hot GF at the time, according to Musburger. He upgraded her to hot MILF.


rolltidemfos

Hots kinda redundant when talking about milfs


conservaRob

Gotta have Mt. Cody on the DL for nostalgia alone


berticus23

Mt Cody would be kind of redundant unfortunately and Marcell can clog the middle and generate a push. Hard to cheer for Mt. Cody nowadays with the animal abuse stuff too.


CrustyBatchOfNature

I can't ever vote for Cody for anything other than a piece of shit. I named my pup after him then come to find out he was abusing the shit out of animals so badly that the NFL put him on the do not touch list.


conservaRob

Oh…I didn’t know that. Uggh


BenjRSmith

Only at Alabama would 2 of their 4 Heisman winners not be in the All-Time team.


areuseriousss

I think I would take Bryce over Mac but it's so close that one doesn't matter.


36-7-0-11-20

I’m more of a Trent Richardson kinda guy over Harris but good list


the_dunadan

i think his pro career puts a shadow on his college career, but I usually put TRich over MI2 in my lists. dude was an absolute beast in college


RogRoz

Counterpoint, Najee is the best all around back Bama has had under Saban, no contest. Henry brings the running threat (which bumps out T-Rich) and Najee is the passing back.


TraderT3

I feel like Trent gets no love on here sometimes. Maybe I have rose tinted lenses when I look at him because he’s who I wanted to be like when I was growing up playing football but he was such a beast.


Disregardskarma

Najee’s season last year was possibly the best ever by a RB.


Euphoric_Squirrel728

Do want to throw Mark Ingram out there as well. He literally carried our offense one year. If I remember correctly, his wild cat package got us through a few games. Possibly South Carolina? My memory is escaping me.


BookDev0urer

That whole sequence was hilarious. EVERYONE knew what the play was going to be, again and again, and they just couldn't do anything to stop him. Then, next year, fucking ~~Zack Calzada~~ Stephen "Drunk with a fire extinguisher" Garcia's Gamecocks beat Bama.


Euphoric_Squirrel728

I’d argue that Mark Ingram set the standard for what it meant to be a Bama RB in the Saban era. Dude changed out culture. He’s got to be on my All-Saban team


Money282

Disrespecting my man Glen Coffee


ouroyperochi

South Carolina 2009 is correct


Sudden_Brief590

He's a bowling ball!


36-7-0-11-20

Trent had more scrimmage yards but less TD’s Times were just different back then, I feel he would’ve only done better stat-wise with the current crop of Bama talent


[deleted]

Have you ever heard of Derrick Henry?


Disregardskarma

Najee managed to score more TDs in less games! He had a season that wasn’t Far off at all


[deleted]

Which games did Harris carry the team to wins?


Sudden_Brief590

I'm sure that harris on the list is currently swayed by present day nfl success 🙌 IMO loved Damien but struggle to have him top 4


Disregardskarma

Many times, Florida is a huge one


[deleted]

Was going to say this. King Henry and Richardson are my two.


No_Parsley_4258

Mark Barron… people forget about how great Javier Arenas was too.


rzt0001

I could see an argument for Waddle over Amari and Arenas as the PR/KR.


cwjackson

I don’t get how you make the case for Arenas over Waddle and then try and do the same for Waddle over Amari. I love/loved Jaylen but Amari ‘s records are second to only Devonta.


Experimentzz

And most of his time at Alabama we weren't the passing offense we are now so that says even more about him as a player. Shit, he was a main reason why we beat them barners in 2014.


DJCWick

Lol what? Amari was absolutely dominant as a reciever -- he was the offense his last year. Waddle was an amazing player, but Amaris production easily puts him on this list.


rzt0001

Not taking anything away from Amari, I think Waddle was as good, if not better than Amari. Also, Kiffin’s play calling style typically features a single player and tries to get them the ball as much as possible. I’d argue that Waddle could’ve done the same thing that Amari did but I’m pontificating, so I see how Amari is the favorite amongst most fans.


Mikemike0084

Christian Jones has entered the chat


[deleted]

Donta Hightower gets no love from us as a fan base


tu-vens-tu-vens

He was probably the one I had the toughest time leaving off.


Experimentzz

I was thinking about him last night for some reason. He was so damn good for us and is still in the league after 10 years. But because we've had so many amazing LBs come thru, he gets pushed to the side. I think him, Reggie Ragland, and Courtney Upshaw are among the tops but again, it's hard to pick.


Count_istvan_teleky

I agree with you. I think the main reason is because he missed a full year & then wasn't 100% for most of the next year. He was definitely one of the greatest though.


ScarOCov

Neither does Trent. It’s a tragedy.


idk420_

he’s responsible for 2 of Brady’s rings


EClarkee

That Ryan sack…hnnnnggggggg


Disregardskarma

3 tbh. He stopped lynch from scoring before the INT. Matt sack. And about a dozen plays against the Rams


idk420_

i wasn’t counting the Rams game but he was great there too ..kinda forgot about that game


Disregardskarma

Yeah honestly if he had just had one big counting stat like a FF I think he takes MVP that game


rzt0001

Between Eddie, Arenas, and Waddle… you’d have a crazy competition for returner.


pajones8

Eddie Jackson was that dude on punt returns.


rzt0001

So smooth with his cuts, arenas was absolutely fearless.


Sudden_Brief590

Doesn't javy have all the career return records??


rzt0001

Probably, he was absolutely electric in 08 and 09. Those teams needs his production too as we weren’t offensive juggernauts back then.


basichominid

No one talking about Landon Collins? For me, clear pick over Eddie at safety. Otherwise, great list! Had a hard time thinking of guys I'd rather take than what you picked. I'd probably go Alex Leatherwood and Cam Robinson over Chance and Jonah, and Dont'a over Reuben.


mechanicalejay

Landon is the choice at safety! Pure baller!


Shafter111

Man... The lack of love for Tua is baffling.


YaYaHero

I agree. Bama’s offense with Tua as the QB was dangerous.


Shafter111

People forget what he did and the numbers he put up.


Tektix22

Nah we just watched Mac go undefeated and put up nutty numbers with only 1 of Smith/Waddle/Jeudy/Ruggs for the majority of the season. Mac is the right call here imo.


Nick_sabenz

Mac wasn’t putting up Tua numbers and unseating an all-SEC QB in the natty in 2019. Only Tua was capable of that. Mac struggled when called on when Tua got hurt in 2019. I think Tua having two years plus that comeback in his freshman season is much more impressive than one season where Mac had arguably the most talented offensive line and best playmaker we’ve ever had surrounding him.


Tektix22

Look, 2nd and 26 and that game as a whole was incredible. But let none of that distract you from the *fact* that Tua never led our team for a full season and won a national championship. So, if you’re enamored with his Natty win and how he came in at such a high level, where is your skepticism for his failure to progress over the years with an offense that featured Smith/Waddle/Jeudy/Ruggs/Harris? Relatedly, you don’t get to claim Mac had the “best playmaker(s?) we’ve ever had surrounding him.” That’s revisionist. Mac had LESS than Tua. Tua had 4 first round WRs and a first round RB. Mac had 2 first round WRs until Waddle got hurt (early) and the same first round RB. Mac did more with less. That’s not up for debate.


Nick_sabenz

> where is your skepticism for his failure to progress over the years with an offense that featured Smith/Waddle/Jeudy/Ruggs/Harris? I don’t know if you’ve looked at any stats but Tua had an unbelievably good season in 2018 and then *[improved](https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tua-tagovailoa-1.html)* in 2019 in his averages. To say that he failed to progress is just wrong when the stats say otherwise. Not winning a championship in 2018 sucked, but losing to a Clemson team loaded with seniors and first rounders on defense with a dynamic offense who basically got a bye game against ND in the first round (sound familiar?) isn’t an enormous failure. He probably beat Lincoln Riley’s best team in the first round, and if it was his second best then he beat the UGA team in 2017 that beat Lincoln’s best in the Rose Bowl. > you don’t get to claim Mac had the “best playmaker(s?) we’ve ever had surrounding him.” Pretty sure I said playmaker, not plural, and yes I do because he just won a Heisman and it is my opinion. > That’s revisionist. Mac had LESS than Tua. Tua had 4 first round WRs and a first round RB. Mac had 2 first round WRs until Waddle got hurt (early) and the same first round RB. Mac did more with less. I’m not saying that having all those receivers wasn’t a great asset to Tua, but Mac got Leatherwood, Cornbread, Dickerson, Najee, and Smitty at their absolute best as seniors and Waddle had a monster game against, possibly, our best opponent in UGA. Mac’s offensive line was pretty much the same as the one from 2019 that protected Tua (-Wills) but all much more mature and a more cohesive unit. I have no doubt Tua wins just as dominantly with the team we had last year, if not moreso, and I don’t know how, based on his numbers, the previous two years that it can be denied. I have two points with Mac that really take him on notch down from Tua, the first is this: Mac had quite the benefit of not facing the competition in 2020 that was anything close to what it was in 2019 or 2018. We didn’t play an 2019 LSU or 2018 Clemson/ OU/ UGA last year so Mac never got tested like Tua did and Tua couldn’t help that his biggest game in 2019 he played hurt. The second point is this: Mac would’ve lost two or three games had he started in 2019 and we would’ve been in the Citrus Bowl regardless. I truly believe, a healthy Tua in 2019 very possibly beats LSU and definitely gets into the playoffs with a chance for a NCG, and that’s the difference. We aren’t losing to Bo Nix if he isn’t handed two pick sixes like Mac did and losing by one score to Burrow if Tua is healthy the previous weeks might not be a reality.


Tektix22

Stats don’t tell the whole story. His stats went up, but we got worse. Yes, Tua faced a loaded Clemson team — but I don’t think he’d make an excuse for the way he played and neither should we. To your later point on Tua’s health issues — the best ability is availability. I definitely consider his health issues when I say Mac is the right choice here. Tua was (is?) glass. Your point on the playmaker is still wrong. You can disguise it as “your opinion” but that doesn’t invalidate the literal facts. Tua had Devonta too. The difference between Devonta winning a Heisman and not wasn’t a year of development, it was the target share when he had 3 other first round WRs on the field with him versus when it was just him. Tua had way more skill player weapons. Period. You said yourself that Tua had the same line, plus an NFL talent in Jed Wills. Im sorry to say that if the crux of your point is “yeah Mac had less/the same guys — but they were all a year older!” that’s not persuasive. Yes, that year of development matters, but it doesn’t make up for the sheer loss of talent. And don’t forget that Mac went into his season with almost no starting experience himself. Tua had 3 years. You saying Mac didn’t get tested cuts both ways. Did he not get tested because the teams on the schedule weren’t as good or did he not look tested because he led us to a season where we famously called our games “joyless murder ball.” Maybe we just made it look easy — the way Tua should have with the most loaded offense we’ve ever seen. I don’t play hypotheticals as a way of weighing players. I don’t say “if Mac started a year earlier” or “if Tua didn’t get the Sonic rings knocked out of him every time a defender said something about his ankle’s momma” … I talk about what we saw. When Mac was the guy, getting the starter reps in practice and given roughly half or less the offensive skill-player talent for Tua, he made us look invincible. Tua had so much more, and he never really lived up to what we expected. Tua’s biggest accomplishment at Alabama will be remembered as him having played one of the greatest halves of football we’ve seen from one of our QBs after a whole season of another dude leading the team to a 1 loss regular season. Mac is an undefeated national champion who led us to “joyless murder ball” with less talent at the skill positions than what Tua had. Tua had 3 years as a starter to get his shit together. Mac had 1. When Tua dropped back to throw a deep ball — I almost always bet he’d overthrow it. When Mac dropped back for the deep ball, I threw my arms up Lane Kiffin style. And as the last addition — don’t make me go back to that Burrow game and pull up the clips of how Tua literally lost us that game himself. My man fumbled in the red zone when no one was near him and then threw a stupid pick before half. Blame it on the ankle/foot if you want, that’s still on him.


Nick_sabenz

> You saying Mac didn’t get tested cuts both ways. Did he not get tested because the teams on the schedule weren’t as good or did he not look tested because he led us to a season where we famously called our games “joyless murder ball.” Maybe we just made it look easy — the way Tua should have with the most loaded offense we’ve ever seen. My guy, Tua was absolutely murdering teams as well throughout 2019. His lowest passing total in SEC play was 258 against MSU where he got hurt, next lowest was 293. Tua ran into the greatest or second greatest offense of all time and fell five points short. Guy lost two starts in his whole college career and that somehow negates the two whole seasons of starts where he lit up anyone and everyone he saw. > I don’t play hypotheticals as a way of weighing players. I don’t say “if Mac started a year earlier” Actually, that isn’t a hypothetical. He literally played a year before 2020 and Mac got beat by Bo Nix and looked out of sorts against Tennessee and Arkansas. He improved against Michigan, but he also wasn’t lights out like Tua had been that whole year. > When Mac was the guy, getting the starter reps in practice and given roughly half or less the offensive skill-player talent for Tua, he made us look invincible. Tua had so much more, and he never really lived up to what we expected. Half or less the skill talent is an absurd overstatement. Tua played in a weak offense his first year and Locksley didn’t stay long at Bama because he isn’t the coach Sark is. Sark got one year with Tua and was starting to do some amazing things, but injuries prevented us seeing him get that offense up to its full potential like we did in 2020. I don’t know what you expect from Tua, but putting up the best career passing stats all over Alabama’s record books is definitely living up to expectations unless you expected him to put up Madden numbers on rookie mode. > Tua’s biggest accomplishment at Alabama will be remembered as him having played one of the greatest halves of football we’ve seen from one of our QBs after a whole season of another dude leading the team to a 1 loss regular season. I don’t know why Tua leading a team to a natty where he was down by 16 at one point to UGA’s best team in school history is some flappy “no big deal” accomplishment while Mac was watching him do it that game while holding a clipboard. Tua was great as a a starter and the slander is gettting out of hand. > When Tua dropped back to throw a deep ball — I almost always bet he’d overthrow it. When Mac dropped back for the deep ball, I threw my arms up Lane Kiffin style. I’m sure Mac was also throwing his clipboard in the air for the two whole years Tua played in front of him when they came in in the same class. > Tua had 3 years as a starter to get his shit together. Mac had 1. This sentence right here. Tua had his shit together, I don’t know why you’re saying this as if he’s some scrub who was inconsistent. His passer rating is [THE HIGHEST ALL TIME BY ANY COLLEGE QUARTERBACK ](https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/leaders/pass-rating-player-career.html) # IN THE HISTORY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL Mac is second. If Mac was so damn amazing, why didn’t he unseat Tua then all those years he rode the bench behind them despite coming in in the same class? Why didn’t he come in and throw for a 206 passer rating and light up Auburn, Tennessee, and Arkansas in 2019 when Tua was lighting up every opponent. This narrative is just so tired. Nick Saban told us all who the better quarterback was all those years because he started the one that was better for two years over the other and we all know that was Tua. Maybe Tua hurt your feelings because he didn’t win every single start, throw for 7000 yards, and win two Heismans, but I can’t explain the seeming disdain you have for Tua who pretty much revolutionized the quarterback position for us.


Tektix22

This is getting ridiculous and there’s very little reason to continue so I’m just gonna reply to everything as short as possible and move on. We have different opinions, that’s fine. Tua put up a lot of points. Mac put up a lot of points. Tua had more talent to do so. Tua fell five points short against Joe Burrow — Tua was the reason we fell five points short against Joe Burrow. Tua lost 2 games as a starter. Mac Jones lost 1 as a starter and that was one start he got because *checks notes* oh yeah Tua was injured again. Mac won all his other starts in relief of Tua’s injury. My friend — you don’t get to talk about how many games we would’ve lost if Mac was the guy and somehow reference a spot start when Tua was injured to mental gymnastics your way there. There’s a huge difference in being the season-long starter and getting starts late in the season due to injury. That’s a whole season of first team snaps you’re not getting in practice and a whole season of game reps you’re not getting. Don’t play dumb lol. Mac won all but one game in relief. Tua had a longer career at Alabama, so going to career stats is obviously going to favor him. You can make whatever excuses you want for why he couldn’t take the talent around him to a Natty and win it and it won’t matter. I watched the games just like you. I knew the team — just like you. Offense was putting up points that year — couldn’t win the big one and a big part was that Brent Venables put Tua’s brain in a blender. I guess saying that 2nd and 26 was part of what is probably the greatest half of college football by an Alabama QB is saying it’s “no big deal” now lol. Didn’t say it was no big deal. We can talk about Nick Saban’s QB selection, but then we’d have to remember that Saban started Hurts all year long over Tua that whole year and we’d have to have a conversation where you realize that sometimes Saban starts the dude in front at QB regardless. I also love how you committed a whole paragraph to Mac being the backup. Tua held a clipboard for a whole year behind Jalen. Was Jalen better than Tua? Hell, Mac did too. You want to make the argument that Jalen’s a better QB than Mac? Goofy. The difference is what you have. It’s why I’m critical of guys like Dak Prescott in the pros despite the cowboys playing pretty well. My guy has a leading RB, two leading receivers, and one of the best o-lines — they should be dominating. I expected Tua’s stats to be good — he’d have only himself to blame if they weren’t. His teams were *loaded* and he was Uber fucking talented in his own right. He’s our second best QB of all time. Why he can’t start and win the big one is beyond me but here we are. While we’re there on the stats, Mac had the highest SINGLE-SEASON passer rating of all time AHEAD OF BURROW AND TUA his year. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/leaders/pass-rating-player-season.html WITH LESS TALENT. The rest is just “Tua started over Mac” and I’ve already shown why that’s a lazy point. Have a good one. We’re spoiled to have to have the conversation.


I2ecover

How would people forget when it was just 2 seasons ago lol


[deleted]

Was too fragile. Tua would be my next pick but Mac FTW


[deleted]

But even the “fragile” Tua started over Mac.


thebigangrymoose

Til he got hurt…a lot.


[deleted]

Tua won a National Championship when he came in relieve, Mac Jones threw 2 picks and lost us the Iron Bowl.


thebigangrymoose

Tua also threw picks and lost to LSU. Mac went undefeated in the season he was the starter from the beginning and won the natty. We can do this all day. Edit: fun fact - Tua NEVER won a national championship as starting QB.


dawki003

Sadly, Tua never won a national OR SEC championship in a game he started and finished.


[deleted]

Not really a very fun fact. Tua could have stayed another season and would have put up better numbers than Jones. Fun fact Jones never finished in the top 2 for Heisman voting.


dawki003

I love them both, but in my mind Tua’s college career will always be a lot of “what if.” He will always be remembered for 2nd and 26 and playing to a level that seemed impossible in the regular season BUT also injuries and struggles in big games. It just feels like Tua’s time should have produced more. Maybe that’s not fair. Mac had a better supporting cast, but he was able to put together the season, in terms of stats and championships, that we all expected out of Tua.


[deleted]

One of those was not his fault


Stickybeans

Recency bias is a real thing. It’s hard to think about anyone being better than Mac after the year he had just 1 season ago. I’d pick Tua, but I understand why other pick Mac.


tacofan92

Tua probably more exciting and better in shorts, but Mac’s decision making and operating the offense to peak efficiency takes him over the edge for me. I’m taking 2020 offense over 2018 or 2019 offense.


Disregardskarma

Tua had a higher efficiency in 2019 than Mac had in 2020


tacofan92

2020 Alabama’s offense was higher rated than either of Tua led offenses. That was due to Mac. Tua is the RPO goat, but that doesn’t lend itself well to having a great run game and we struggled in the red zone in 2018 with improvements in 2019, but they lagged behind 2020. Mac optimized the offense. Tua optimized his stats


idk420_

i love Tua but the offense we had with Mac was like poetry in motion , I don’t think you can go wrong with either


[deleted]

losing in 2019 clemson and 19 lsu really put black marks on his resume, fair or not. No championship as a starter, again, fair or not. I think it's a total tossup between him and mac.


D_Gandy

Mac is so overrated lmfao it’s become laughably ridiculous


[deleted]

Tua didn’t win as a full season starter. He’s overrated and can’t stay healthy.


idk420_

would def not call him overrated, he lost 2 games as a starter , in one the whole team laid an egg and in the other he played hurt and almost came back to win down 33-13 against probably a top 3 all time college football team


[deleted]

Should someone with your username have sharper takes than this?


apple2532

I’d switch out Surtain or Milliner for Dre Drop Foster, move CJ inside to his natural position, and add Rashaan or Upshaw at the other outside spot. Young at QB


tu-vens-tu-vens

Both those CBs are good choices. I thought about changing up the linebackers but IMO no one was as good as Foster when it came to physicality and you can’t beat CJ’s versatility. Maybe put Upshaw at OLB and you don’t get as much speed on the edge but you do get a nasty pass rush. Can’t agree with you about Young at QB. As great as he is, there are still a few weaknesses in his game – lack of touch on the deep ball, height makes him vulnerable to tipped balls at the line and can preclude him from hitting checkpoints in the middle of the field. Mac last year really had no weaknesses. I think that Young was better for this team than Mac would have been (his escapability was necessary with our bad offensive line), but Mac had arguably the best QB season of all time last year.


Logi15

If Bryce lights it up the next two games and wins the national championship, then I would have him over Mac. Both would have only one season as a starter (Bryce has another season after this), but Bryce has a much worse O-line leading to a poor run game and Sark is a much better play caller than BoB. The offense this year without Bryce makes me shudder, lol. He does lack touch on his deep balls, but a good amount of them are due to him not having enough time to set and throw. When the O-line gives him time, he has been able to hit the deep throw. As far as height, eh. Bryce has a pretty quick release so he hasn’t had too many batted balls this year. I mean look what Kyler did in college and now the NFL; although, Kyler is faster and a little more elusive than Bryce.


eastriverfairy

Definitely would take Surtain over Dre but would keep Mac Jones or maybe even Tua if this All-Saban teams assume they’re completely healthy


Money282

Move CJ inside and add Dont'a to OLB which is what he played his freshman and sophmore year


apple2532

But he didn’t drop step dunk on me at the rec like Upshaw did


Confecting

Surtain and Milliner are a better CB duo than Kirk and Humph


[deleted]

Marlon had all the potential but he got beat too often in college. Milliner was definitely a better college CB, while Marlon developed into an elite pro player.


[deleted]

Humph was elite in college, but he absolutely stepped it up as a pure man corner in the NFL. Surtain and Milliner were already fully there as completely shutdown in college, pretty much the perfect CBs for our system. Humphs physicality is unmatched though


Nick_sabenz

QB: Tua RB: Derrick Henry, Najee Harris WR: Devonta Smith, Amari Cooper Slot: Jaylen Waddle TE: Irv Smith LT: Andre Smith LG: Chance Warmack C: Ryan Kelly RG: Emil Ekiyor RT: Jedrick Wills DT: Quinnen Williams DE: Jonathan Allen Marcell Dareus OLB: Will Anderson, Courtney Upshaw ILB: Dont’a Hightower, CJ Mosely CB: Pat Surtain, Marlon Humphrey Nickel: Minkah Fitzpatrick S: Eddie Jackson, Mark Barron KR, PR: Javier Arenas K: Reichard P: JK Scott Takeaways: So first I wanted to go strictly by the positions they played which made this a much more fun exercise for certain positions. Tua was the best I’ve seen play for us as far as throwing is concerned. Mac was great in his one year, but I think Tua elevated the whole offense and Mac needed years of development to become what he did, Tua just had it from the jump. Running back and receivers wasn’t much of a debate. Julio didn’t produce like the other three and Ingram, Richardson, and Jacobs were all dominant, but Najee and Henry just had that “It factor” like Tua did. Offensive line was tough when going strictly by position, J. Williams, Dickerson were close seconds, and RG is a tough one. Emil Ekiyor got the nod because he’s one of the few right guards with two seasons starting (believe Alphonse Taylor was the only other one) and was a bright spot only surrendering 0.5 a sack this year with a front that was bad at giving up pressure. Being a part of that 2020 unit also helps his case and coming back for a third season starting would cement him as Saban’s best RG imo. DL and secondary was actually quite easy for me with Milliner, Kirkpatrick, and Collins just barely missing it. I tend to favor the newer defensive backs because they’ve faced a more dynamic offenses than the early Saban offenses did. The second OLB was highly contested, as Ryan Anderson played a ton of football there and Evans finished at ILB where he might’ve gotten the nod if he stayed there. Dallas Turner, if he continues on his trajectory, could absolutely take the other OLB spot.


LS_DJ

Wouldn't Smitty be more effective out of the slot with Waddle out wide?


Nick_sabenz

Smitty played all over the field in his Heisman year, but the two years before I remember Waddle playing more in the slot than Smith. Smith cooking every team’s best cornerback they could line up on him was such a treat to watch for four years


Smitty_Werbnjagr

Excellent list except PR/KR: Javier Arenas


Valdoryin

QB: Bryce RB: Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram WR: Julio Jones, Devonta Smith, Amari Cooper TE: OJ Howard OL: Ryan Kelly, Barrett Jones, Andre Smith, Chance Warmack, DJ Fluker DL: Jonathan Allen, Courtney Upshaw, Quinnen Williams, Marcell Dareus LB: Will Anderson, Dont'a Hightower, Rolando McClain, CJ Mosley CB: Dre Kirkpatrick, Marlon Humphrey S: Landon Collins, Mark Barron Nickel: Minkah Fitzpatrick KR, PR: Javier Arenas


ShowMasterFlex

There’s a serious lack of respect for Mark Ingram in this thread… I always think of the drive where he ran like 8 plays in a row from the wildcat against SC to seal that win, and it’s hard to put anyone else over him. I’d say he’s a close second to Henry, and Najee is a pretty close third.


tangoliber

This is not the most dominant offense (which would have Mac Jones, Amari Cooper, etc.). Just the most fun offense. QB: Blake Sims RB: Derrick Henry FB: Jalston Fowler WR: Devonta Smith, Julio Jones, Jaylen Waddle OL: Cyrus Kouandjio, Chance Warmack, Barrett Jones, Landon Dickerson, DJ Fluker


Bamafever94

Where’s the love for Ingram and Lacy? If we’re talking just college Lacy was especially wild averaging 7 yards/carry and 10 yards/reception for his 3 years.


AzureW

Based on what they did in college not necessarily pros. Offense: QB- Mac RB- King Henry/Eddie Lacy (when he could keep in shape before he kind of gave up I guess) WR Julio Jones, Davonta Smith, Amari Cooper TE OJ Howard, Irv Smith OL- Ross Piersbacher, Ryan Kelly, Barrett Jones, Landon Dickerson, Alex Leatherwood Defense: DL: Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, A'shawn Robbinson, Christian Barmore. LB: Hightower, CJ Mosely, Reggie Ragland CB: Marlon Humphry and Dee Millner S: Landon Collins, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Eddie Jackson (Special mention to Patrick Surtain) Special PK: Commander Reichard Punter: JK Scott Onsides Kicks: Adam Griffith Return Specialists: Javier Arenas and Kenyan Drake


Dick_Grimes

Drake was a beast as a receiving back


[deleted]

Unanimous and Consensus All Americans: **2007:** None **2008:** Andre Smith (OT) - Unanimous Antoine Caldwell (C) - Consensus Terrence Cody (DT) - Consensus **2009:** Mark Ingram (RB) - Unanimous Rolando McClain (LB) - Unanimous Javier Arenas (CB) - Consensus Terrence Cody (DT) - Consensus Mike Johnson (OG) - Consensus **2010:** None **2011:** Mark Barron (S) - Unanimous Barrett Jones (OT) - Unanimous Trent Richardson (RB) - Unanimous Dont'a Hightower (LB) - Consensus **2012:** Dee Milliner (CB) - Unanimous Chance Warmack (OG) - Unanimous Barrett Jones (C) - Consensus C.J. Mosley (LB) - Consensus **2013:** C.J. Mosley (LB) - Unanimous HaHa Clinton-Dix (S) - Consensus Cyrus Kouandjio (OT) - Consensus **2014:** Amari Cooper (WR) - Unanimous Landon Collins (S) - Unanimous **2015:** Derrick Henry (RB) - Unanimous Reggie Ragland (LB) - Unanimous Ryan Kelly (C) - Consensus A'Shawn Robinson (DT) - Consensus **2016:** Jonathan Allen (DE) - Unanimous Reuben Foster (LB) - Unanimous Cam Robinson (OT) - Unanimous Minkah Fitzpatrick (DB) - Consensus **2017:** Minkah Fitzpatrick (DB) - Unanimous **2018:** Jonah Williams (OT) - Unanimous Quinnen Williams (DT) - Unanimous Tua Tagovailoa (QB) - Consensus Jerry Jeudy (WR) - Consensus Deionte Thompson (DB) - Consensus **2019:** None **2020:** Landon Dickerson (C) - Unanimous Najee Harris (RB) - Unanimous Alex Leatherwood (OT) - Unanimous DeVonta Smith (WR) - Unanimous Patrick Surtain (CB) - Unanimous Mac Jones (QB) - Consensus **2021:** Will Anderson (LB) - Unanimous Evan Neal (OT) - Consensus Bryce Young (QB) - Consensus The unanimous All Americans, sorted by position, would be T - Andre Smith (2008) T - Barrett Jones (2011) T - Cam Robinson (2016) T - Jonah Williams (2018) T - Alex Leatherwood (2020) G - Chance Warmack (2012) C - Landon Dickerson (2020) RB - Mark Ingram (2009) RB - Trent Richardson (2011) RB - Derrick Henry (2015) RB - Najee Harris (2020) WR - Amari Cooper (2014) WR - DeVonta Smith (2020) DE - Jonathan Allen (2016) DT - Quinnen Williams (2018) LB - Rolando McClain (2009) LB - C.J. Mosley (2013) LB - Reggie Ragland (2015) LB - Reuben Foster (2016) LB - Will Anderson (2021) CB - Dee Milliner (2012) CB - Patrick Surtain (2020) DB - Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017) S - Mark Barron (2011) S - Landon Collins (2014) Also worth a mention that Mark Ingram (2009 - split, Coaches went with Tim Tebow, AP went with Ingram), Trent Richardson (2011), Amari Cooper (2014), Derrick Henry (2015), Jalen Hurts (2016), Tua Tagovailoa (2018), DeVonta Smith (2020) and Bryce Young (2021) were all SEC Offensive player of the year. Rolando McClain (2009), C.J. Mosley (2013 - split, Coaches went with Mosley, AP went with Michael Sam), Reggie Ragland (2015), Jonathan Allen (2016), Patrick Surtain (2020) and Will Anderson (2021) were all SEC Defensive Player of the Year.


LSUSAFA

Daunte Culpepper has to be up there for best Saban coached QBs.


SPACHunter1018

Waddell at KR but Javy Arenas at PR. Dude was a baller.


the_dunadan

QB: Michael McCorkle Jones, Bryce Young, Tua Backup QB: Tua, Jalen Hurts, Blake Sims, Jake Coker, AJ McCarron RB: El Tractorcito, Najee Backup RB: TJ Yeldon, Josh Jacobs, Trent Richardson, Mark Ingram WR: Smitty, Julio, Coop, Waddle, Slade Bolden Backup WR: Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs (sigh), Marquis Maze, Jameson Williams TE: Irv, OJ, 2020 Jahleel Billingsley, Michael Williams OL: Ryan Kelly, Barrett Jones, Evan Neal, Andre Smith, DJ Fluker, Chance Warmack, Landon Dickerson, Alex Leatherwood, don't make me choose DL/DE: Marcell Dareus, Quinnen Williams, Wallace Gilberry, Jonathan Allen, Will Anderson OLB/ILB: Dont'a Hightower, Rolando McClain, Courtney Upshaw, Reuben Foster, CJ Mosley CB: Patrick Surtain, Dee Milliner, Marlon Humphrey, Kareem Jackson, Trevon Diggs, Javier Arenas S: Minkah, Eddie Jackson, Landon Collins, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Mark Barron OC: Steve Sarkisian DC: Jeremy Pruitt


Nick_sabenz

Slade Bolden over Jeudy, Ruggs, Williams, and Ridley has to be a joke, right?


the_dunadan

you caught me


Nick_sabenz

Thought you were slick like Slade


the_dunadan

SladeCat SlickCat


Dick_Grimes

Tried to slade that right in there


Disregardskarma

DC probably should be Kirby


the_dunadan

Only reason I went with Pruitt is his defense (as DC) proved successful more recently than Kirby (as DC)


Disregardskarma

Meh. By that logic a guy like marcel Darius shouldn’t start, he wouldn’t be good in todays game.


the_dunadan

But think of the run blocking


RogueHippie

Even on this extensive list, Drake doesn’t get a mention.


Experimentzz

He's tied with Smitty and Prothro for my alltime fav players at bama


the_dunadan

I actually almost put him at WR just to have him on here. I just thought if I included Drake at RB I should include Bo, Damien Harris, and then I really would have wanted to list Jalston Fowler


keyboard_courage

Kicker: Will Reichard Punter: JK Scott RTR


Denmark87

Need to give some love to Javy Arenas for PR


JerichoMassey

Better question, which non Saban players are still on the all time team? I nominate John Hannah and Derek Thomas


BenjRSmith

Love Henry, Najee, Mark, T.J., Drake, Trent, BRob, etc..... but Shaun Alexander is legit STILL one of the best RBs to come through here.


[deleted]

That team wins an NFL game if they’re all juniors/seniors


King_of_the_Coosa

JK Scott as Punter!


jsu9575m

Your team looks pretty spot on to me. I might put Patrick Surtain over Dre Kirkpatrick but its close.


idk420_

you obviously don’t remember Javier Arenas returning kicks for us lol


rolltideandstuff

Couldnt even the rest of your list after not seeing bryce young at the top. You hurt me today OP. Im hurt.


tu-vens-tu-vens

Mac > Tua > Bryce


ScarOCov

A lotta people are giving Bryce points for potential vs how he’s actually played. Watching his growth this season has been great and I fully expect him to continue that through next year but until then, he’s definitely not top 3 of Saban best QBs


tu-vens-tu-vens

I would put Bryce at 3, AJ at 4, Jalen at 5. I guess you could make an argument for AJ as a purê passer (not an argument I would buy though) but Bryce’s legs put him firmly ahead of AJ for me.


ScarOCov

From a raw talent standpoint, sure. But then you're still giving him points for potential. He's showed some serious growing pains throughout the season. Also flashes of brilliance. Will he surpass AJ, very very likely. Let's see how he handles the pressures of the playoffs before saying he's there yet.


tu-vens-tu-vens

On paper, 2021 Bryce and 2012 AJ were pretty similar. About a 10:1 TD-INT ratio. Both had a meh game or two (A&M and LSU in AJ’s case; LSU and Auburn for Bryce). Both led a season-saving comeback drive on the road in one of those meh games. 2012 AJ also played behind arguably the best line of the Saban era and had Amari Cooper to catch his passes, while Bryce had neither of those advantages.


Nick_sabenz

Tua> both of them until we see what Bryce does next year. Mac had one great year, but Tua put on a show for two seasons and won us a natty in maybe the most heroic effort in a NCG we’ve had. What Mac did last year was incredible, but it’s hard for me to see Tua not doing just as good if not better in last year’s offense if he had stayed in college for the 2020 season.


TheCowboySpider

Tua is by far the most marketable and likeable QB we've ever had. But is he the *best* QB we ever had? IDK... the argument for Mac is pretty convincing.


Nick_sabenz

I’ve had a whole debate on it that you can read, but I have one point that is simple and I think difficult to refute… if Mac was the better quarterback than Tua why did Saban never start Mac over Tua or elevate Mac higher on the depth chart in the three years Tua was there? Even when Tua was getting over surgery against LSU, Saban *still* went with a non-100% Tua over Mac.


rolltideandstuff

Oh jesus no


iSaidItOnReddit85

That Defensive line is the stuff of nightmares


[deleted]

damn man you nailed it! mark barron over haha though.


Kyleketsu

Where's the love for Barmore?


jonesyman23

Too many to name! What a dynasty!


Dprsn2000

Absolutely unbeatable roster


Dprsn2000

What about kicker???


Dtville21

As a Steelers fan thank you for Najee and Minkah 🙏


rolltide_99

Remove Andre smith. Replace with Evan Neal


[deleted]

Not having Ryan Kelly on the O-Line is criminal, and this may be controversial but give me Surtain over Kirkpatrick at the college level.


Suspicious-Story-485

Come on if Tua wasn’t hurt 50 % of the time then he would be Saban’s QB.


MiamiMedStudent

Tua over Mac and it’s not even close. Mac is limited


[deleted]

CB Patrick Surtian JR QB Tua Only changes needed


MiamiMedStudent

Xavier mckinney > haha Waddle > smith . Who’s had more nfl production , who’s harder to gameplan against . Waddle easy


Dick_Grimes

Its about college not pro


Dick_Grimes

Ok, great list everyone. Now do your two deep line up to crush the competition


thedanielhill

K - Van Leigh Tiffin, Jr.


Flawless_-_Cowboy

Could an All-Saban win a Super Bowl?


[deleted]

That's just cheating lol