Ranking the Top 25 players to play for Alabama in the last 25 years
Since the year 2000, Alabama has won a total of six national championships in football, each of which came during an era where the greatest head coach of all-time led the Crimson Tide in a decade-plus long dynasty the levels the sport has rarely, if ever, seen before.
Over that same span, Alabama has also won a total of nine SEC championships, as well as recorded 18 seasons of at-least 10 wins-or-more.
As to why this level of success has happened for the Crimson Tide, a big reason is the level of talent that has come through Tuscaloosa since 2000, a list that includes multiple Heisman Trophy winners, countless All-America picks, and more.
Here is a ranking of the 25 greatest players to suit up for the Crimson Tide over the past 25 years, as well as what each did during their time at Alabama.
25. Mark Barron, Safety (2008-11)
We begin with safety Mark Barron, who started three of his four seasons at Alabama from 2008-11 where he had a combined 235 tackles, 14 TFL, five sacks, and 12 interceptions, among other stats. A two-time national champion, Barron had arguably his best season in 2009 where he had 76 tackles, four TFL, and seven interceptions, which led the SEC, but however also earned All-America honors in 2011.
24. Dont'a Hightower, Inside Linebacker (2008-11)
Dont'a Hightower was a four-year inside linebacker who racked up 234 tackles, 22 TFL, five sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles from 2008-11. A two-time national champion, Hightower's best season at Alabama was his 2011 campaign in which he recorded 85 tackles, 11 TFL, four sacks, and an interception to earn All-America honors.
23. DeMeco Ryans, Linebacker (2002-05)
One of Alabama's greatest linebackers of the early 2000's was Ryans, who spent four seasons with the Crimson Tide from 2002-05, ending his time in Tuscaloosa with 307 career tackles. Ryans was also one of Alabama's first All-America selections of the 2000's, doing so during the 2005 season in which he also won the Lott Trophy and SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
22. Patrick Surtain II, Cornerback (2018-20)
A three-year starter at Alabama, cornerback Patrick Surtain II compiled 117 tackles, seven TFL, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries from 2018-20. Surtain was a one-time national champion with the Crimson Tide who had his best season in 2020 where he compiled 38 tackles, four TFL, and an interception to earn All-America honors.
21. Landon Collins, Safety (2012-14)
A multi-year impact player at safety for the Crimson Tide, Landon Collins amassed a combined 188 tackles, nine TFL, five interceptions, three forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries from 2012-14. Collins, a one-time national champion, had likely his best season in 2014 where he had 103 tackles, five TFL, three interceptions, and two fumble recoveries to receive All-America honors.
20. Terrence Cody, Defensive Tackle (2008-09)
While only at Alabama for two seasons, Terrence "Mount" Cody made the most of his time while in Tuscaloosa, as the defensive tackle racked up a combined 52 tackles, 11 TFL, 0.5 sacks, and a forced fumble from 2008-09. Cody, a one-time national champion, was a two-time All-America selection at Alabama whose best season was likely his 2009 campaign in which he had 28 tackles and six TFL.
19. A.J. McCarron, Quarterback (2010-13)
Alabama's all-time leading passer, A.J. McCarron was a three-year starter at quarterback during his four seasons at Alabama, completing 66.9% of his overall passes during that span for 9,019 yards and a 77:15 TD:INT ratio, rushing for three more scores as well. A two-time national champion, McCarron's best season at Alabama was also likely his 2013 campaign in which he completed 67.3% of passes for 3,063 yards and a 28:7 TD:INT ratio to win the Maxwell and Unitas Awards.
18. Quinnen Williams, Defensive Tackle (2016-18)
At Alabama for three seasons, the first of which he redshirted, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams ended his time in Tuscaloosa with a career 91 tackles, 21 TFL, and 10 sacks from 2016-18. A one-time national champion, Williams' top season at Alabama came in 2018 when the defensive tackle had 71 tackles, 20 TFL, and eight sacks to win the Outland Trophy.
17. Reuben Foster, Inside Linebacker (2013-16)
Reuben Foster is among the most talented inside linebackers in Alabama program history, finishing his four seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2013-16 with a combined 222 tackles, 24 TFL, eight sacks, and 11 PD. Foster, a one-time national champion, had likely his best season at Alabama in 2016 when he had 115 tackles, 13 TFL, and five sacks to win the Butkus Award.
16. Cam Robinson, Offensive Tackle (2014-16)
Cam Robinson started for each of his three seasons in Tuscaloosa at left tackle, eventually departing Alabama as one of the top offensive linemen in the program's storied history. A one-time national champion, likely Robinson's greatest season at Alabama was his 2016 campaign in which he won the Outland Trophy.
15. Trent Richardson, Running Back (2009-11)
A three-year running back at Alabama, Trent Richardson compiled a total of 3,130 yards and 35 touchdown on 540 attempts from 2009-11, while also hauling in 68 receptions for 730 yards and seven more scores, as well as 700+ yards as a kick returner. Richardson, a two-time national champion, had likely his best season at Alabama in 2011 where he led the SEC with 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns to win the Doak Walker Award.
14. Najee Harris, Running Back (2017-20)
A four-year impact player in Alabama's backfield, running back Najee Harris racked up a combined 3,843 yards and 46 touchdowns on 638 attempts from 2017-20, while also hauling in 80 receptions for 781 yards and 11 additional scores. Harris, a two-time national champion, had his best season in 2020 where he led the SEC with 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns rushing, the latter of which also led the nation, to win the Doak Walker Award.
13. Barrett Jones, Offensive Lineman (2008-12)
At Alabama from 2008-12, Barrett Jones is one of the most accomplished offensive linemen in Crimson Tide history, starting 50 games across four seasons at every position. A three-time national champion at Alabama, Jones was a three-time All-America selection with the Crimson Tide, as well as the winner of the 2011 Outland Trophy.
12. Jonathan Allen, Defensive Tackle (2013-16)
A four-year player along Alabama's defensive front, Jonathan Allen racked up a combined 153 tackles, 46 TFL, 28.5 sacks, seven PD, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries from 2013-16. Allen, who won one national title at Alabama, had likely his best season in 2016 where he compiled 69 tackles, 16 TFL, 10.5 sacks, and three fumble recoveries to win numerous honors such as the Nagurski, Bednarik, Hendricks, and Lombardi Awards.
11. C.J. Mosley, Inside Linebacker (2010-13)
A two-time national champion, C.J. Mosley is among the greatest inside linebackers in Alabama program history, collecting a total of 317 tackles, 24 TFL, 6.5 sacks, five interceptions, 17 PD, and two forced fumbles across four seasons from 2010-13. Mosley, a two-time All-America selection, likely had his best season at Alabama in 2013 where he racked up 106 tackles and nine TFL to win the Butkus Award.
10. Rolando McClain, Inside Linebacker (2007-09)
Rolando McClain was a three-year starter at inside linebacker for Alabama, racking up a combined 274 tackles, 32 TFL, eight sacks, five interceptions, and a forced fumble from 2007-09. A one-time national champion at Alabama, McClain's best season was likely his 2009 campaign in which he had 105 tackles, 15 TFL, and four sacks to win the Butkus Award.
9. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Safety (2015-17)
A three-year starter at safety for Alabama from 2015-17, Minkah Fitzpatrick compiled 171 tackles, 16 TFL, 4.5 sacks, nine interceptions, and two forced fumbles with the Crimson Tide. At Alabama, Fitzpatrick was a two-time national champion and All-America selection who led the SEC with six interceptions during the 2016 season, with his best year with the Crimson Tide likely coming in 2017 when he had 60 tackles to win the Bednarik and Thorpe Awards.
8. Julio Jones, Wide Receiver (2008-10)
One of Alabama's most accomplished wide receivers ever, Julio Jones spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa where he had a combined 179 receptions for 2,653 yards and 15 touchdowns from 2008-10, while also rushing for two more scores. Jones' best season at Alabama was likely his 2010 campaign in which he hauled in 78 receptions for 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns, each of which were career-high's.
7. Mark Ingram, Running Back (2008-10)
Alabama's first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, running back Mark Ingram spent three years at Alabama from 2008-10 where he racked up a combined 3,261 yards and 42 touchdowns on 572 attempts, while also hauling in 60 catches for 670 yards and four more scores. Ingram's best season at Alabama was his 2009 Heisman winning campaign in which he rushed for a SEC-leading 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns.
6. Amari Cooper, Wide Receiver (2012-14)
Starting for three seasons at Alabama from 2012-14, wide receiver Amari Cooper hauled in 228 receptions while in Tuscaloosa for 3,463 yards and 31 touchdowns. Cooper, a one-time national champion, also had a memorable year in 2014 where he led the SEC with 1,727 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns (also led college football with 124 total receptions) to win the Biletnikoff Award.
5. Tua Tagovailoa, Quarterback (2017-19)
A two-year starter who delivered one of the biggest moments in Alabama program history, Tua Tagovailoa, over three seasons at Alabama from 2017-19, completed 69.3% of passes for 7,442 yards and an 87:11 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for nine more scores. Tagovailoa, a one-time national champion, had likely his best season in 2018 where he led the SEC with a 69 CMP%, 3,966 passing yards, and 43 touchdowns, among other categories, while winning the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, as well as finishing runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
4. Will Anderson Jr., Outside Linebacker (2020-22)
When it comes to defensive players alone, an argument can certainly be made that Will Anderson Jr., an outside linebacker who had a combined 205 tackles, 63 TFL, 34.5 sacks, one interception, four PD, and a forced fumble across three seasons from 2020-22, is the best at Alabama since 2000. A one-time national champion, Anderson led the SEC in both TFL and sacks during the 2021 and 2022 seasons (led college football in 2021), and was a two-time Nagurski Award winner who also won the Bednarik, Lott, and Lombardi Awards in 2022 as well.
3. Derrick Henry, Running Back (2013-15)
At Alabama for three seasons from 2013-15, running back Derrick Henry ended his time in Tuscaloosa with 3,591 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns on 602 career attempts, while also hauling in 17 receptions for 285 yards and three more scores. A one-time national champion, Henry also had one of the best seasons Alabama has ever seen from a running back in 2015 where he led college football with 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, receiving multiple honors that included the Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker, Maxwell, and Walter Camp Awards.
2. Bryce Young, Quarterback (2020-22)
One of the highest-rated recruits in Alabama football history, Bryce Young spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa, two of which he started at quarterback, where he overall completed 65.8% of his passes for 8,356 yards and an 80:12 TD:INT ratio from 2020-22, while also rushing for seven more scores. A one-time national champion, Young also won numerous honors following his 2021 season that included the Heisman Trophy, Davey O'Brien, Manning, and Maxwell Awards, one in which he led the SEC with 4,872 passing yards and 47 touchdowns.
1. DeVonta Smith, Wide Receiver (2017-20)
Alabama's all-time leading receiver, DeVonta Smith spent four seasons at Alabama where he hauled in a combined 235 receptions for his career with 3,965 yards and 46 touchdowns from 2017-20, while also adding two more scores through the rushing and return game. A two-time national champion, Smith also won the 2020 Heisman Trophy, as well as the Biletnikoff, Maxwell, and Walter Camp Awards following one of the best season's Alabama has ever seen from a wide receiver in which he led the nation with 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns.
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