NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 17: A view of an official Wilson Sporting Goods "The Duke" football with a New Orleans Saints team logo is seen at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 17, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Alabama football conducted the first of two scheduled NFL Pro Days on Tuesday. Eighteen former Crimson Tide players participated. Eighteen former Alabama football players took part in NFL Pro Day on Tuesday. Two well known former Crimson Tide players did not participate because of recent surgeries. Deionte Thompson is recovering from a wrist surgery while Quinnen Williams had finger surgery. Thompson intends to participate on the second Alabama football Pro Day, scheduled for Apr. 2. Williams did enough work at the NFL Combine to solidify his high Draft status. The former Tide players who worked on Tuesday were Jonah Williams, Irv Smith Jr., Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, Mack Wilson, Ross Piersbacher, Isaiah Buggs, Christian Miller, Saivion Smith, Lester Cotton, Josh Casher, Jamey Mosley, Johnny Dwight, Hale Hentges, Derek Kief, Ronnie Clark, Austin Jones and former Crimson Tide walk-on, D. J. Lewis. The biggest buzz of the day came from New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick wearing an Alabama football, pullover jacket. Twitter was of course hit with “Belichick to Alabama as an Analyst” tweets. The Patriot’s head man was checking out talent and getting a chance to talk with his old friend, Nick Saban. There were eight NFL General Managers in attendance. Mike Mayock was the most notable, if for no other reason because the Oakland Raiders have a fist full of picks. Oakland has four of the first 35 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Alabama Pro Day results did not appear to trigger major revaluations of any of the Tide’s top Draft prospects. Josh Jacobs and Mack Wilson ran 4.6-something forties. Both players needed something in the 4.5 range to improve their Draft status. But neither is likely to get down-graded on just their forty times. Deionte Thompson not yet being able to work for NFL scouts is an issue. He may still perform adequately on Apr. 2, or in individual workouts for teams. But his chances of being a first-round pick have gone down since the CFB Playoff games. Until he impresses with some better than average workouts, Deionte is at risk to slip into the second or third round. Mock Draft predictions are all over the place and with over a month to go to the actual Draft, much can change. Most Mocks still have Kyler Murray going No. 1. Quinnen Williams is a strong top-five pick. Jonah Williams and Josh Jacobs are projected in the first round. Irv Smith Jr. is projected as a possible first round and sure second round pick. Mack Wilson is in a similar, maybe first, or at least second-round situation. Damien Harris is currently projected as a solid second-round selection. Deionte Thompson is being projected anywhere from a late first-round pick to a third round selection. Anywhere from the third round to the fifth is being projected for other former Tiders; Christian Miller, Isaiah Buggs, Ross Piersbacher and Saivion Smith. If the range of Mocks is accurate, it would mean 11 former Alabama football players will be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Alabama football, team record for one NFL Draft, is twelve former Tide players selected. You can never know, Tide fans, one of the former Alabama players not currently listed in any Mock Draft could end up being an NFL surprise. Undrafted free agents make NFL rosters every season. Last season, Robert Foster, Tony Brown and Levi Wallace were undrafted. All three not only made NFL rosters, but they all also started in NFL games last season.<doc-sep>Alabama NFL draft prospects like Josh Jacobs and Mack Wilson went through drills such as the 40-yard dash and vertical jump in front of NFL personnel at the Crimson Tide’s pro day on Tuesday. While Alabama doesn’t release numbers from the pro day, here are some of the numbers we’ve heard thus far for the pro day guys: Running back Josh Jacobs: Word is that scouts timed Jacobs in the 4.6 range on both of his 40 runs. While the 40 times weren’t great, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on TV that Jacobs’ position workout was outstanding. In addition, Jacobs had a 35-inch vertical jump and got 18 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Nothing more overrated for RB than a 40 time. Long speed doesn’t matter nearly as much as short burst. A lot of NFL teams talked themselves out of Kareem Hunt because of his 4.6. Who wants to step in front of an angry Jacobs running 4.6?! Spare me the Hunt off-field comments. https://t.co/MQpx8pjgr9 — Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 19, 2019 Inside linebacker Mack Wilson: Wilson was timed in the 4.65 range in the 40, had a 33-inch vertical jump and posted a 10′1″ broad jump. Outside linebacker Christian Miller: Miller didn’t run the 40 as he continues to work back from the hamstring injury he suffered against Oklahoma. He got 18 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Cornerback Saivion Smith: Some scouts had Smith as slow as 4.7 in the 40, a subpar number for a cornerback. Offensive lineman Ross Piershbacher: Pierschbacher, who ran a 5.2 40 at the NFL scouting combine, recorded a 23-inch vertical jump. Tight end Hale Hentges: Hentges had a 33.5-inch vertical jump. He got 12 reps on the bench press. Outside linebacker Jamey Mosley: At least one team had Mosley in the 4.81 range in the 40. Mosley had a 32-inch vertical jump and tallied 16 reps on the bench press. Wide receiver Derek Kief: Kief had the best broad jump of the day (10′5″) and tied with Jacobs for the best vertical jump of the day (35 inches). At least some teams had him in the 4.5-4.6 range in the 40. Offensive lineman Lester Cotton: Cotton got 24 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.<doc-sep>At Alabama’s Pro Day, the next crop of stars watch and wait for their turn Yet once Williams’ stock began to soar as a redshirt sophomore, he was able to quickly gather information on the pre-draft process and lean on other Alabama players who have gone through the same experience — namely his predecessor with the Crimson Tide, Da’Ron Payne. “We followed the same pattern almost,” Williams said. “He played the same position, going the first round the same way…He’s from Birmingham. I am from Birmingham…I looked up to him since I was a little kid.” And now Williams is quick to point out he’s in the same position as Payne was this time last year. Twelve months from now, some of the current Alabama players watching the Crimson Tide’s Pro Day may be able to say the same thing as they anticipate a future that’s all but guaranteed to be realized. Josh Jacobs and Mack Wilson were the two big names at Alabama’s Pro Day yesterday, and neither one performed particularly well— but nor were they bad enough to hurt their draft stock. Sidenote: There’s been some talk in NFL Twitter circles about Alabama players’ performance in combines lately, so stay tuned for a piece on this topic later this week. The cool bit in the article linked above, though, is how much work Alabama does for their players in preparing them a year in advance for the spotlight and circus that is NFL Draft season. Alabama juniors share experiences from Elite Football Symposium Almost immediately after the 2019 NFL Draft, though, the focus will shift to 2020 and the players that could leave school early for professional careers. While it’s still too early to tell exactly who will forego their senior seasons, an event that took place simultaneously alongside the NFL Scouting Combine can shed light on some of the top 2020 prospects, especially for the Crimson Tide. Six current Alabama players were in Indianapolis at the beginning of the month for the NCAA’s Elite Football Symposium, which is now in its third year of existence, including juniors Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and Dylan Moses and senior Raekwon Davis. “I think it was a good experience, a great experience, especially for guys like us who had that opportunity to go out and experience things before we actually do experience it,” Tagovailoa said Monday afternoon. “How agents work, and agents can come in many forms. Here’s some quotes from some of the juniors that got to go to Indianapolis to watch some of the combine process. Again, it’s just great to see the resources being used to help these young college students in preparing for their professional career. Alabama Football: Allow the freshmen to do freshmen things Personally, my hope is the only expectation we have for this incoming class of youngsters, especially the ones on campus for spring practice, is they push the guys in front of them to improve. At the end of the day, that is the only thing we should expect. We should expect that Christian Barmore and Stephon Wynn keep eyes in the back of their heads due to the mere presence of Alfano and fellow enrollee Justin Eboigbe. We should expect sophomore corner Josh Jobe to be on alert for the elite athleticism of Scooby Carter. Or Alex Leatherwood for Neal. Or Josh McMillon for Shane Lee. We should hope the older guys reach their potential because they know there are some really eager freshmen nipping at their heels. Such a giant and talented recruiting class, combined with the record number of early departures for the NFL this year, will inevitably lead to many rumors, speculations, and expectations flying around about which hot-shot freshmen might be the next stars on the Tide’s 2019 team. AL.com All-Access: Can Alabama be great in football & basketball at the same time? It’s really among the stranger trends in college sports. How can an Alabama athletic department that has achieved so much in football — as well as in softball, gymnastics, golf and other sports — continue to underachieve in basketball? Is it possible for a football-first school to succeed in both? The answer, of course, is “yes.” We’ve seen other “football” schools — notably Florida and LSU in the SEC, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Michigan nationally — be able to put excellent basketball teams on the court for extended periods. But it’s odd that is seems so rare at Alabama. I don’t really have an explanation as to why, but the fact is, it’s true. We’ve already been discussing this subject ad naseum here in the comments at RBR, so I’m linking this one just to stir the pot a little. What do you think? Is it even possible? How would you go about fixing things? Report: Former Alabama QB AJ McCarron signing deal with fourth NFL team Alabama QB AJ McCarron had a rough 2018 season. After signing with the Buffalo Bills last offseason, he thought he would get to be a starter for the first time in his career. Instead, he spent much of the summer injured and then lost the starting job to rookie Josh Allen. After that, he was shipped off to the Oakland Raiders, where he was a backup for the 2018 season. Now, he’s reportedly found a new NFL home. Per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, McCarron will sign with the Houston Texans to be Deshaun Watson’s backup. AJ is on to his 4th NFL team, and is back to being a top backup, rather than a potential starter. His career likely hasn’t gone quite as he wanted or expected, but a career journeyman QB in the NFL is not a job to sniff at. Just ask Ryan Fitzpatrick. It may not be quite as glorious, but if AJ sticks around, he’ll eventually get his chance to shine. That’s it for now. Roll Tide!<doc-sep>Count Mack Wilson among those not sold on the football value of a 40-yard dash. The former Alabama middle linebacker didn’t run it at the NFL Combine a few weeks ago in Indianapolis. Instead, he stepped to the line Tuesday at Alabama’s pro day event in Tuscaloosa. “Football is football,” Wilson said. “The 40-yard dash is the 40-yard dash. I didn’t play football all my life to be a track star or anything like that.” Still, it’s one of those measurables that teams will consider when drafting a player next month. Wilson knows that and understands that fact. He’s just more about the game tape that he turned in the past three seasons at Alabama. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy on Twitter said Wilson clocked a 4.65 in his second attempt after running a 4.72 on Round 1. After the workout, Wilson said he left room for improvement. “I didn’t have a perfect pro day,” Wilson said. “I didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to accomplish but like I told my parents and my trainers, as long as I’m happy, I want y’all to be happy. After I ran my 40 and I saw what I ran, I was happy. I wasn’t mad at myself. I wasn’t down.” Mack Wilson runs a 40. pic.twitter.com/trk2KIi5AI — Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) March 19, 2019 Wilson said he’s met with 20 teams in Indianapolis and had a few more Monday in Tuscaloosa. He wants them to think he’s “the most versatile linebacker in the draft” from watching his positional drills Tuesday. Looking ahead, Wilson has a few more workouts scheduled with teams in April leading up to the first round April 25 in Nashville. He’s appeared on a few mock drafts as a possible first-rounder, though he’s not the top-ranked middle linebacker in the class. “My film is my résumé,” Wilson said. “So, I feel like that’s a decision that a team will have to make.” Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.<doc-sep>
As running back Josh Jacobs ran his 40-yard dash and linebacker Mack Wilson wound his way around cones Tuesday, a group of current Alabama players stood in the background at the school’s annual Pro Day and watched this strange spectacle that attracted NFL scouts and even the league’s greatest coach of the modern era, Bill Belichick. On the same turf where the New England Patriots’ legend roamed, Terrell Lewis and Raekwon Davis studied their former teammates as they went through a battery of drills. A year from now, they could be the ones participating in these very same exercises at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. “For them to see this,” Nick Saban said, “they will be more prepared for when their time comes.” And it most assuredly will, because this is Alabama — a program that has churned out 77 drafted players in the last ten years and sent 11 more prospects to the scouting combine in Indianapolis in late February. For many of the Crimson Tide’s rising upperclassmen, making it to the NFL is not just merely a dream but a realistic goal. Earlier this month, Alabama held its junior pro day, which reinforced the idea the next wave of future pros is just starting to crest with the likes of Lewis, receiver Jerry Jeudy and Tua Tagovailoa powering the impending surge. In fact, Tagovailoa and Tide linebacker Dylan Moses were among a constellation of college football stars who visited Indianapolis during the combine for the NCAA’s Elite Football Symposium, which was designed to prepare the best amateurs for the NFL life they’re about to enter. Among the subjects tackled during the convention were agent encounters, branding and money management. “One of the topics that they spoke about that I was really interested in was like the financial advisors and whatnot,” Moses said. “That’s really tricky business whenever you’re working with someone that has to literally be hands-on with your money. I was really in-tune with it, and I wrote down a lot of notes and whatnot… It’s a really good program and I’m happy someone incorporated that to help young athletes.” But then again, Moses noted, “Most of the stuff I really knew already.” That’s because the there is no mystery about the NFL at Alabama, where past Crimson Tide stars come back to share their experiences in the league with the current players on Alabama’s roster. In turn, I-20 has become something akin to a silk road for football talent, and scouts travel it regularly to Tuscaloosa to spy the next crop of prospects. Throughout the spring and fall, they’re seen at the Crimson Tide’s practices with their NFL team-issued gear. And consequently, by the time Alabama’s players are ready to go pro, they’re known commodities. That even is true for nose guard Quinnen Williams, who at this time last year never imagined he’d be preparing for the NFL draft, let alone garnering consideration as the potential No. 1 pick. “Seven months ago, I wouldn’t even have thought about going to the NFL,” he said. “No scouts knew me. I didn’t even do the pre-pro day for all the juniors. I wasn’t even on the list to do that. I didn’t even do none of that.” Yet once Williams’ stock began to soar as a redshirt sophomore, he was able to quickly gather information on the pre-draft process and lean on other Alabama players who have gone through the same experience — namely his predecessor with the Crimson Tide, Da’Ron Payne. “We followed the same pattern almost,” Williams said. “He played the same position, going the first round the same way…He’s from Birmingham. I am from Birmingham…I looked up to him since I was a little kid.” And now Williams is quick to point out he’s in the same position as Payne was this time last year. Twelve months from now, some of the current Alabama players watching the Crimson Tide’s Pro Day may be able to say the same thing as they anticipate a future that’s all but guaranteed to be realized. Rainer Sabin is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin