Nick Saban explains how NFL track record benefits recruiting at Alabama

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has seen an incredible success rate when it comes to sending players to the NFL. This year, 57 former Crimson Tide players are on NFL rosters — and Saban said there are a few reasons for that.

Bringing in big-time talent is obviously a big part of that. Saban has consistently done a good job on the recruiting trail since taking over at Alabama in 2007, and that hasn’t slowed down thanks in large part to the NFL draft success.

Landing highly rated recruits is just one part of the equation, though. Even if players come in with talent, coaching staffs still have to develop them to get them ready for the next level. Saban gave his staff plenty of credit for getting players to the NFL. Of course, that success rate also brings things full-circle to the recruiting trail.

“We’re able to attract really good players, but it also speaks to the fact that we’ve done a good job of developing those players so that they have an opportunity,” Saban said on Hey Coach and The Nick Saban Show. “And I think that most young guys that you recruit have goals and aspirations of maybe playing in the league someday.

“So when you can talk about the fact that you have the greatest number of guys playing in the league on NFL rosters, I think that enhances your recruiting prospects tremendously.”

Saban also made sure to give credit to university leadership for helping set the tone for the program’s standards.

“I think it speaks volumes of A, what we have at the University of Alabama in terms of the culture of the program, which is created by a lot of people, starting with our administration in athletics as well as our administration at the institution,” Saban said. “Dr. Bell, Greg Byrne, providing resources for us to be able to help players develop and be successfully personally, academically and athletically.”

Last year, Alabama saw three players go in the first round of the NFL Draft, all in the first 12 picks. Of course, quarterback Bryce Young went No. 1 overall to the Carolina Panthers while EDGE Will Anderson headed to the Houston Texans at No. 3. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs then went to the Detroit Lions at No. 12 overall.

The Crimson Tide have been up-and-down to start the year, but they still have some players generating NFL Draft buzz. Two players — EDGE Dallas Turner and DB Kool-Aid McKinstry — were projected in the Top 10 of ESPN’s Matt Miller’s preseason mock draft earlier this year.