If you sit down on any given Sunday to watch NFL football, the odds are you will see a former Alabama Crimson Tide player making an impact.
As well as recruiting the right players, Nick Saban has proved that his player development is second to none and he has turned Tuscaloosa into an NFL factory. The Tide has sent 41 players to the NFL via the first round of the draft in that time, including a first-round selection in 14 straight years, with no end in sight.
Year after year the Tide funnels stars into the NFL, and in 2022 they shined the brightest they ever have. Six different players were recognized on the NFL AP All-Pro First and Second Teams, out of 44 eligible spots.
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Josh Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 yards rushing in 2022. Despite missing the playoffs, Jacobs will be a free agent this summer and likely headed to a massive payday. There is no word whether he will remain in Vegas or not.
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The Jets’ defense was arguably the best in the league this year and they were led by Quinnen Williams. Williams had 55 tackles on the year and finished 11th in the NFL with 12 sacks, which is insane considering his alignment is interior.
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At only 22-years old, Surtain is arguably the best corner in the league and can be relied on to totally erase half of the field. Surtain had 60 tackles, 10 passes defended and two interceptions. However, it’s hard to put up stats when nobody throws your direction.
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Minkah has always played chess while everyone else plays checkers on the football field. The Steelers ball hawk is tied for the lead league in interceptions with six and is on a hall-of-fame trajectory.
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As he always has, Jalen Hurts continues to prove everyone wrong and accomplish his goals. The Eagles quarterback led them to an NFL-best 14 wins tied with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hurts was the MVP favorite before missing a few games late in the year with an injury. But, with Hurts starting, the Eagles had only one loss.
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Paired with Quinnen Williams, CJ has been a tackling machine in 2022 with 158 on the season. He hasn’t forced a ton of turnovers, but as the quarterback of the Jets’ defense their success comes and goes with him.
