Alabama football poised to pass 2001 Miami as all-time king of NFL draft
The 2001 Miami Hurricanes are considered to be the greatest collection of players in college football history, at least as measured by the NFL draft.
That roster included 38 players who went on to be drafted between 2002 and 2006. The website fivethirtyeight.com measured rosters by a mathematical formula in 2014 and declared it "the single most talented college roster" ever.
That may be about to change. What happens Thursday through Saturday at the NFL draft in Cleveland could hand that mantle to Alabama's 2017 team.
That UA roster includes 32 players who have already been drafted, with more to come this week when Najee Harris, Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith and others are slated to be picked by NFL teams. BetMGM has the over/under of total Alabama players to be drafted this year at 11.5, with an over/under of 5.5 for the first round.
Alabama went 13-1 in 2017, winning the national championship. That roster has sent such players as Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Jacobs, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Calvin Ridley to the NFL so far.
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Among those 32 Alabama picks are 29 players who have started at least one NFL game, 19 of whom have started at least one full season. Those players have combined for three Pro Bowls in their budding careers, and Fitzpatrick has been named first-team All-Pro twice.
Counted in that total of 32 draftees from the UA 2017 roster is Jalen Hurts, who transferred to Oklahoma to finish his collegiate career before being selected in the second round of last year's draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Miami 2001 went 12-0 and also won the national title. That roster had a backfield that included Frank Gore, Najeh Davenport, Clinton Portis and Willis McGahee. Wideout Andre Johnson, safety Ed Reed and tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow II were also on that team.
Thirty players from 2001 Miami started at least one NFL game, with 22 starting a full season or more. Thirteen made at least one Pro Bowl, combining for 46 trips. Four were named first-team All-Pro, combining for nine such honors. Reed has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Here's a look at 2001 Miami and 2017 Alabama in the NFL draft:
| |
|---|---|
NFL Draft picks from 2001 Miami Hurricanes | NFL Draft picks from 2017 Crimson Tide |
2002 First round | 2018 First round |
Bryant McKinnie, offensive tackle (Minnesota Vikings)*+ | Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety (Miami Dolphins)*+& |
Jeremy Shockey, tight end (New York Giants)*+& | Daron Payne, defensive tackle (Washington)* |
Phillip Buchanon, cornerback (Oakland Raiders)* | Rashaan Evans, linebacker (Tennessee Titans)* |
Ed Reed, safety (Baltimore Ravens)*+&^ | Calvin Ridley, wide receiver (Atlanta Falcons)* |
Mike Rumph, cornerback (San Francisco 49ers)* | Third round |
Second round | Ronnie Harrison, safety (Jacksonville Jaguars)* |
Clinton Portis, running back (Denver Broncos)*+ | Fourth round |
Fourth round | Da'Shawn Hand, defensive tackle (Detroit Lions)# |
Martin Bibla, offensive guard (Atlanta Falcons)# | Anthony Averett, cornerback (Baltimore Ravens)# |
Najeh Davenport, running back (Green Bay Packers)# | Fifth round |
Sixth round | JK Scott, punter (Green Bay Packers)* |
James Lewis, safety (Indianapolis Colts) | Sixth round |
Seventh round | Shaun Dion Hamilton, linebacker (Washington)# |
Daryl Jones, wide receiver (New York Giants)# | Bradley Bozeman, offensive guard (Baltimore Ravens)* |
Joaquin Gonzalez, offensive tackle (Cleveland Browns)# | Seventh round |
| Bo Scarbrough, running back (Dallas Cowboys)# |
2003 NFL Draft | Joshua Frazier, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers) |
First round |
|
Andre Johnson, wide receiver (Houston Texans)*+& | 2019 NFL Draft |
Jerome McDougle, defensive end (Philadelphia Eagles) | First round |
Willis McGahee, running back (Buffalo Bills)*+ | Quinnen Williams, defensive tackle (New York Jets)* |
William Joseph, defensive tackle (New York Giants)* | Jonah Williams, offensive tackle (Cincinnati Bengals)* |
Third round | Josh Jacobs, running back (Oakland Raiders)*+ |
Andrew Williams, defensive end (San Francisco 49ers)# | Second round |
Fourth round | Irv Smith Jr., tight end (Minnesota Vikings)* |
Jamaal Green, defensive end (Philadelphia Eagles) | Third round |
Fifth round | Damien Harris, running back (New England Patriots)* |
Matt Walters, defensive end (New York Jets) | Fourth round |
Seventh round | Christian Miller, linebacker (Carolina Panthers) |
Ken Dorsey, quarterback (San Francisco 49ers)# | Fifth round |
| Deionte Thompson, safety (Arizona Cardinals)# |
2004 NFL Draft | Ross Pierschbacher, offensive guard (Washington) |
First round | Mack Wilson, linebacker (Cleveland Browns)* |
Sean Taylor, safety (Washington)*+ | Sixth round |
Kellen Winslow II, tight end (Cleveland Browns)*+ | Isaiah Buggs, defensive end (Pittsburgh Steelers)# |
Jonathan Vilma, linebacker (New York Jets)*+ |
|
DJ Williams, linebacker (Denver Broncos)* | 2020 NFL Draft |
Vernon Carey, offensive tackle (Miami Dolphins)* | First round |
Vince Wilfork, nose tackle (New England Patriots)*+& | Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback (Miami Dolphins)# |
Seventh round | Jedrick Wills, offensive tackle (Cleveland Browns)* |
Darrell McClover, linebacker (New York Jets) | Henry Ruggs, wide receiver (Las Vegas Raiders)* |
Alfonso Marshall, cornerback (Chicago Bears) | Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos)* |
Carlos Joseph, offensive tackle (San Diego Chargers) | Second round |
| Xavier McKinney, safety (New York Giants)# |
2005 NFL Draft | Trevon Diggs, cornerback (Dallas Cowboys)* |
First round | Jalen Hurts, quarterback (Philadelphia Eagles)# - drafted after transferring to Oklahoma |
Antrel Rolle, safety (Arizona Cardinals)*+ | Raekwon Davis, defensive tackle (Miami Dolphins)* |
Second round | Third round |
Roscoe Parrish, wide receiver (Buffalo Bills)# | Terrell Lewis, linebacker (Los Angeles Rams) |
Third round | Anfernee Jennings, linebacker (New England Patriots)# |
Frank Gore, running back (San Francisco 49ers)*+ |
|
Sixth round | 2021 NFL Draft projections |
Chris Myers, offensive guard (Denver Broncos)*+ | Possible first-round picks from 2017 roster |
| Mac Jones, quarterback |
2006 NFL draft | Najee Harris, running back |
First round | DeVonta Smith, wide receiver, Jaylen Waddle, wide receiver |
Kelly Jennings, cornerback (Seattle Seahawks)* | Alex Leatherwood, offensive tackle |
Second round | Possible day two picks |
Rocky McIntosh, linebacker (Washington)* | Deonte Brown, offensive guard |
Third round | Dylan Moses, linebacker |
Rashad Butler, offensive tackle (Carolina Panthers)# | Possible day three picks |
Fourth round | Miller Forristall, tight end |
Leon Williams, linebacker (Cleveland Browns)* | Thomas Fletcher, long snapper |
Orien Harris, defensive tackle (Pittsburgh Steelers)# | Joshua McMillon, linebacker |
Fifth round |
|
Marcus Maxey, cornerback (Kansas City Chiefs) |
*started at least one NFL season
#started at least one NFL game
+Pro Bowl
&All-Pro
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football poised to pass 2001 Miami as king of NFL draft
