People joke that the SEC is playing a different sport than the rest of college football, but it’s true.
And the Alabama Crimson Tide are playing a different sport than the rest of the SEC. The Crimson Tide has had more NFL draft picks over the last four years (29), three years (22) and two years (17) than any school in the country.
In 2013, the Crimson Tide had three players taken back-to-back-to-back in the first round for the first time in the history of the draft with Dee Milliner, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker going at No. 9, 10 and 11.
The Crimson Tide has had 13 players drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft over the last four years and 11 first-round selections in the last three years. Only Miami had more first round picks during a 3 or 4-year span (Michigan had 19 from 2001-04 and 15 from 2002-04 in the modern draft era).
The Crimson Tide had nine total draft picks in 2013, which was a new school record in the seven-round draft (10 in 1945, but that was 30 rounds). Who the hell would watch a 30 round draft??
The SEC had a record 63 selections, more than double the next conference (ACC with 31). Again- playing a different sport.
The Crimson Tide first-round picks were Dee Milliner (ninth overall to the New York Jets), Chance Warmack (10th overall to the Tennessee Titans) and D.J. Fluker (11th overall to the San Diego Chargers). Eddie Lacy was next to go in the second round as the 61st overall pick to the Green Bay Packers. The Tide had two drafted in the fourth round with Nico Johnson going to the Kansas City Chiefs as the 99th overall pick and Barrett Jones to the St. Louis Rams as the 113th overall pick.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan, he also writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)
