As we really start to get into NFL Draft season with the Combine taking place later this week and the plethora of mock drafts starting to appear on social media there are whispers of Alabama's impressive 17-year streak of at least putting one player into the first round of the daft may be in serious jeopardy.
Putting players into the NFL and most importantly in high draft positions is what helped the Crimson Tide establish possibly the last dynasty in college football with NIL and the transfer portal. It started with Andre Smith going to Cincinnati in the 2009 draft and the most recent first round picks in 2025 were Tyler Booker to the Cowboys and Jihaad Campbell to the Eagles. There have been a good amount of early mock drafts that have no Alabama players going in the first round.
Will Ty Simpson or Kadyn Proctor keep the streak alive?
Realistically if an Alabama player is taken in the first round it will more than likely be All American Left Tackle Kadyn Proctor. Overall, he had a very solid career in Tuscaloosa starting from freshman year on but there are those who question his speed and lateral movement. He did leave Tuscaloosa for a semester returning home to Iowa after Nick Saban retired but returned to Tuscaloosa after a winter semester in Iowa City that allowed him to watch Caitlyn Clark's legendary last season as a Hawkeye.
Proctor returned to Tuscaloosa and over the last two years has been one of the few bright spots on an offensive line that has fallen short the last few years of the standard set during the Saban years. There are those who feel with his limited mobility at times may need to move to playing guard which may have an effect on when he is selected, though history is on his side based on his college career and his upside.
The only other realistic first round selectin is Quarterback Ty Simpson who jumped up the draft boards after the start of the 2025 season. Simpson really established himself as a leader and turned into a quarterback many thought he never would based on his limited playing time prior to this season. He kept working on his game and when finally given his opportunity to be the starter took full advantage of it and despite some fall off towards the end of the season has kept his name as a possible first round selection depending on who is on the clock and in need of a quarterback in this year's draft.
He did decide to stay in the NFL Draft even though supposedly offered several millions to a few schools in the SEC and Miami due to his love of the Crimson Tide, so it will be very interesting to see how that belief in himself pays off in April. Either way we will see a remarkable streak continue or we will see that amazing streak come to an end with little chance of it being duplicated anytime soon.