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Bryce Young Leads Group Of Three Alabama Players Taken In NFL Draft's First Round

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Football

The University of Alabama football program had three former players selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday night in Kansas City, Mo., including the first overall pick in quarterback Bryce Young.

He was joined by linebacker Will Anderson Jr. (No. 3) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12).

With three selections on the opening night of the Draft, head coach Nick Saban has now produced 49 first-rounders in his career, including 44 at Alabama. Those 44 selections, which have all come in the last 15 years, are as follows:

  • 2009 – Andre Smith (No. 6, Cincinnati)
  • 2010 - Rolando McClain (No. 8, Oakland), Kareem Jackson (No. 20, Houston)
  • 2011 - Marcell Dareus (No. 3, Buffalo), Julio Jones (No. 6, Atlanta), James Carpenter (No. 25, Seattle), Mark Ingram (No. 28, New Orleans)
  • 2012 – Trent Richardson (No. 3, Cleveland), Mark Barron (No. 7, Tampa Bay), Dre Kirkpatrick (No. 17, Cincinnati), Dont'a Hightower (No. 25, New England)
  • 2013 – Dee Milliner (No. 9, New York Jets), Chance Warmack (No. 10, Tennessee), D.J. Fluker (No. 11, San Diego)
  • 2014 – C.J. Mosley (No. 17, Baltimore), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (No. 21, Green Bay)
  • 2015 – Amari Cooper (No. 4, Oakland)
  • 2016 – Ryan Kelly (No. 18, Indianapolis)
  • 2017 – Marlon Humphrey (No. 16, Baltimore), Jonathan Allen (No. 17, Washington), O.J. Howard (No. 19, Tampa Bay), Reuben Foster (No. 31, San Francisco)
  • 2018 – Minkah Fitzpatrick (No. 11, Miami), Da'Ron Payne (No. 13, Washington), Rashaan Evans (No. 22, Tennessee), Calvin Ridley (No. 26, Atlanta)
  • 2019 – Quinnen Williams (No. 3, New York Jets), Jonah Williams (No. 11, Cincinnati), Josh Jacobs (Oakland, No. 24)
  • 2020 – Tua Tagovailoa (No. 5, Miami Dolphins), Jedrick Wills Jr. (No.10 Cleveland Browns), Henry Ruggs III (No. 12, Las Vegas Raiders), Jerry Jeudy (No. 15, Denver Broncos)
  • 2021 – Jaylen Waddle (No. 6, Miami Dolphins), Patrick Surtain II, (No.9 Denver Broncos), DeVonta Smith (No. 10, Philadelphia Eagles), Mac Jones, (No. 15, New England Patriots), Alex Leatherwood, (No. 17, Las Vegas Raiders), Najee Harris, (No. 24, Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • 2022 – Evan Neal (No. 7, New York Giants), Jameson Williams (No. 12, Detroit Lions)
  • 2023 – Bryce Young (No. 1, Carolina Panthers), Will Anderson Jr. (No. 3, Houston Texans), Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12, Detroit Lions)

Draft Notes­

  • Alabama has had at least one player selected in the first round of 15 straight drafts (2009 – present), which is the new NCAA record. The Crimson Tide was previously tied with Miami (1995-08), who owned the old mark of 14 consecutive first round draft picks.  
  • Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban holds the NCAA record for the most first round draft picks in a career at 49 and for the most first-round picks from a single school at 44. The next closest coach in each of those categories is the late Joe Paterno with 33 first-round picks in both his career and from a single school (Penn State).
  • With Alabama's three selections this evening, the Crimson Tide has produced multiple first-round picks in 12 of the last 15 NFL Drafts. The Crimson Tide had just one first-round pick in 2009, 2015 and 2016.
  • Since 2000, the Crimson Tide has produced an NCAA-leading 46 first-rounders, a number that is nine better than the next closest school Ohio State (37).
  • Since 2010, the Crimson Tide has had an NCAA-leading 43 players selected in the first round, a number that nearly doubles the next closest school Ohio State (24).
  • Bryce Young became the only player in Alabama history to be selected first overall in the Common Draft Era (since 1967). Young is also the only player to go 1-1 during head coach Nick Saban's career.
  • Will Anderson Jr.'s third-overall selection matched Quinnen Williams (2019) and Marcell Dareus (2011) for the highest defensive selection during Saban's tenure at Alabama.
  • With Young at No. 1 and Anderson Jr. at No. 3, the Crimson Tide had the first offensive and defensive players selected in the 2023 Draft.
  • Jahmyr Gibbs was taken at No. 12 overall in this year's Draft to make him the second-highest running back selected during Saban's tenure. He trails only Trent Richardson's No. 3 selection in 2012.

The second and third rounds will take place on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. The 2023 NFL Draft concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. CT. The remaining rounds will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.