Alabama
Alabama Roots: NFL Draft picks sign for $137.6 million
Dallas Turner signed his first NFL contract with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the team announced, bringing all the players with Alabama football roots picked in the 2024 NFL Draft under contract in time for training camp.
The other 26 draft picks who had played for Alabama high schools and colleges already had signed their first contracts by the time the No. 17 pick and the Vikings got the details hammered out on his deal.
Each player picked in the NFL Draft receives a four-year contract, and the range in the total value of those deals for the Alabama-roots players in the 2024 draft stretches from around $26.045 million to about $4.101 million. The approximate value of the 27 contracts is $137.606 million.
The values of the contracts are based on the NFL’s salary cap of $255.4 million for the 2024 season and this year’s rookie compensation pool in a formula spelled out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players association. While the values of rookie contracts aren’t negotiable, other factors are, including the amount of guaranteed money.
It wasn’t always that way. Before 2011, all factors were in play for negotiation, and quarterback JaMarcus Russell (Williamson) signed the biggest contract for a rookie from an Alabama high school or college as the No. 1 pick of the 2007 draft at $61 million for six years with the Oakland Raiders.
One of this year’s draft picks isn’t in training camp and will never play in the NFL. A fourth-round selection of the Minnesota Vikings, former Alabama cornerback Khyree Jackson died in a traffic accident on July 6.
A rundown on what the drafted players who played at Alabama high schools and colleges signed for this year, with values from the sports financial web site spotrac.com:
J.C. Latham, offensive tackle, Alabama
First round, Tennessee Titans: Four years for $26.045 million, including a $15.762 million signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.
Bo Nix, quarterback, Pinson Valley High School, Auburn
First round, Denver Broncos: Four years for $18.613 million, including a $10.357 signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.
Dallas Turner, linebacker, Alabama
First round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $15.767 million, including an $8.287 signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.
Terrion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama
First round, Detroit Lions: Four years for $14.344 million, including a $7.252 million signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.
Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry, cornerback, Pinson Valley High School, Alabama
Second round, New Orleans Saints: Four years for $9.157 million, including a $3.48 million signing bonus. The contract includes $7.282 million in guaranteed money.
Kamari Lassister, cornerback, American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa
Second round, Houston Texans: Four years for $9.015 million, including a $3.376 million signing bonus. The contract includes $7.091 million in guaranteed money.
Chris Braswell, linebacker, Alabama
Second round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Four years for $6.785 million, including a $1.755 million signing bonus. The contract includes $3.885 million in guaranteed money.
Jermaine Burton, wide receiver, Alabama
Third round, Cincinnati Bengals: Four years for $5.821 million, including a $1.053 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Justin Eboigbe, defensive lineman, Alabama
Fourth round, Los Angeles Chargers: Four years for $4.859 million, including an $839,012 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Khyree Jackson, cornerback, Alabama
Fourth round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $4.847 million, including an $827,148 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Javon Baker, wide receiver, Alabama
Fourth round, New England Patriots: Four years for $4.807 million, including a $786,748 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Nehemiah Pritchett, cornerback, Jackson High School, Auburn
Fifth round, Seattle Seahawks: Four years for $4.399 million, including a $379,072 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Kris Abrams-Draine, cornerback, Spanish Fort High School
Fifth round, Denver Broncos: Four years for $4.368 million, including a $348,272 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Jaylin Simpson, defensive back, Auburn
Fifth round, Indianapolis Colts: Four years for $4.317 million, including a $297,012 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Keilan Robinson, running back, Alabama
Fifth round, Jacksonville Jaguars: Four years for $4.302 million, including a $281,956 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Javon Solomon, linebacker, Troy
Fifth round, Buffalo Bills: Four years for $4.274 million, including a $254,276 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Kimani Vidal, running back, Troy
Sixth round, Los Angeles Chargers: Four years for $4.227 million, including a $207,436 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Jase McClellan, running back, Alabama
Sixth round, Atlanta Falcons: Four years for $4.214 million, including a $194,368 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Tejhaun Palmer, wide receiver, UAB
Sixth round, Arizona Cardinals: Four years for $4.205 million, including a $185,228 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
D.J. James, cornerback, Spanish Fort High School, Auburn
Sixth round, Seattle Seahawks: Four years for $4.204 million, including a $184,432 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Will Reichard, kicker, Hoover High School, Alabama
Sixth round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $4.191 million, including a $170,620 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Tylan Grable, offensive tackle, Jacksonville State
Sixth round, Buffalo Bills: Four years for $4.19 million, including a $169,912 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Nathaniel Watson, linebacker, Maplesville High School
Sixth round, Cleveland Browns: Four years for $4.183 million, including a $162,724 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Cedric Johnson, defensive end, Davidson High School in Mobile
Sixth round, Cincinnati Bengals: Four years for $4.158 million, including a $138,388 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Justin Rogers, defensive tackle, Auburn
Seventh round, Dallas Cowboys: Four years for $4.108 million, including an $87,640 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Marcus Harris, defensive tackle, Park Crossing High School in Montgomery, Auburn
Seventh round, Houston Texans: Four years for $4.105 million, including an $85,480 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
Jaylen Key, safety, Alabama
Seventh round, New York Jets: Four years for $4.101 million, including an $80,736 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.
Alabama
Alabama Department of Transportation worker speaks of heat exhaustion experience during week of dangerously high temperatures
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – A WBRC On Your Side Safety Check during First Alert Weather Days as we are working to help keep you safe in this heat.
Doctors say when it’s hot like this, it’s dangerous and can even be deadly.
The heat is really on in Alabama, and it’s the kind of heat that cares not one bit who you are, what you do for a living, or where you’re from. Jerrell Bowden learned that the hard way.
“It felt really weird.. Like my whole body went like.. Kind of stopped,” said Jerrell Bowden, who works for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT).
Bowden remembers it all too well, a case of heat exhaustion. It happened four years ago on the job during a period of stifling heat. Bowden, who works in ALDOT’s transportation and technology division, often works on the traffic signal team that replaces bulbs or new signage.
“My whole body just kind of sit down. I literally could not walk up four steps. I had to sit down and stop and one of the aides out there said ‘You don’t look good. Let me get you some water’,” said Bowden.
Within 15 minutes, Bowden says he began to feel like himself again.
UAB emergency physician Dr. Jeron Raper says this is the very thing he warns people about when the temperatures rise matched with suffocating humidity.
“Folks, think of heat exhaustion and heat exposure. It’s really a broad spectrum of disease. You can have heat stroke, which is really on the far end, and those are really sick patients that have evidence of changes in their mental status.. they’re confused, they may not be behaving normally,” said Dr. Raper.
It never got to that dangerous level for Bowden, but it scared him enough that he no longer short-changes the weather or pretends he can handle it. Bowden admitted he made a potentially deadly mistake on that job site four years ago.
“Next thing I knew.. Everything was locking up. What do I do with this,” said Bowden.
Today, Bowden has seen the light. He says part of his daily intake is water and a Squincher Squeenze for hydration.
“Yes, sir we have plenty of Gatorade and plenty of water,” said Bowden.
Bowden was among the lucky ones. According to Dr. Raper, anywhere from 700 to 1,500 die every year in the country from heat-related illnesses.
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Copyright 2026 WBRC. All rights reserved.
Alabama
Potential for Severe Storms Through Early Evening – Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA)
By Jim Stefkovich, Meteorologist, Alabama Emergency Management Agency
CLANTON –Thursday, 12:00 pm, July 2, 2026
Similar to yesterday, models indicate widely scattered to scattered thunderstorms developing mainly across the northern half of the state this afternoon and continuing into the early evening hours. Especially near and north of I-20, clusters of strong-to-severe thunderstorms are possible, with damaging wind gusts of 50-65 mph, hail, and torrential rain. There is no tornado threat. All precipitation will end across the state sometime between 9 pm and 12 am.
Hot and humid conditions will continue through at least next Tuesday, with highs in the 90s and lows only reaching the middle 70s. Heat index values could reach 110-114 in a few spots in northern Alabama, with 100-110 across the rest of the state today. From Friday through the holiday weekend, afternoon heat index values will generally range from 100 to 107. The Heat Advisories will likely be extended into the weekend for northern and central Alabama.
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Children and pets should NEVER be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
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Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are again forecast during the afternoons and evenings across the northern half of the state both Friday and Saturday, with scattered thunderstorms statewide from Sunday through at least next Tuesday. A few storms each day could produce wind gusts from 40-60 mph and frequent lightning.
Since this is a holiday weekend with a lot of outdoor activity, make sure you remain weather aware. If you hear thunder, you are most likely within range of being struck by lightning. Don’t become a statistic! When thunder roars, go indoors.
Watch this Greater Cincinnati casino sink off the Alabama coast
The Argosy VI sunk July 1, becoming part of Alabama’s artificial reef.
One of Greater Cincinnati’s first riverboat casinos sunk off the Alabama coast July 1.
Argosy VI was a four-level, 408-foot-long riverboat casino that operated in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, until 2009. The boat once held the title of the “world’s largest riverboat casino,” holding up to 4,407 people and over 1,700 slot machines.
The boat is now part of Alabama’s artificial reef system off the state’s Gulf Coast. The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources previously sunk a retired 271-foot coastal freighter in 2013 and a 250-foot former research vessel in 2018.
Watch the boat sink here:
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