Alabama
Alabama tops NFL’s Week 1 census for the eighth season in a row
For the eighth season in the row, Alabama is at the top of the NFL’s annual census of the Week 1 active rosters of its 32 teams.
This year’s total of 61 former Alabama players was 10 more than any other college program had, with Ohio State the runner-up with 51.
In the NFL survey, which was released on Thursday, players counted only for the college program from which they entered the NFL, so New England Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker, Cleveland Browns guard Javion Cohen, Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts aren’t included in the Crimson Tide’s total. Baker played at UCF, Cohen at Miami (Fla.), Ford at Cincinnati and Hurts at Oklahoma between Alabama and the NFL.
The 61 players are the most during Alabama’s reign, which started with 39 in 2017.
ALABAMA NFL ROSTER REPORT: ANOTHER RECORD SEASON AHEAD?
By position, Alabama has more defensive backs with 13, defensive tackles with eight and running backs with six than any other program and is tied with Southern Cal for the most wide receivers with eight and with North Carolina and Oklahoma for the most quarterbacks with three.
Under the NFL’s system, Hurts counts for Oklahoma, where he completed his career with one season in 2019, and not for Alabama, where he played for three seasons.
The Alabama players at the league-leading positions include:
Defensive backs:
· Jalyn Armour-Davis, Baltimore Ravens
· Terrion Arnold, Detroit Lions
· Jordan Battle, Cincinnati Bengals
· Brian Branch, Detroit Lions
· Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
· Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers
· Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens
· Eddie Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
· Xavier McKinney, Green Bay Packers
· Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry, New Orleans Saints
· Eli Ricks, Philadelphia Eagles
· Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos
· Levi Wallace, Denver Broncos
Defensive tackles:
· Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders
· Raekwon Davis, Indianapolis Colts
· Da’Shawn Hand, Miami Dolphins
· Phidarian Mathis, Washington Commanders
· Daron Payne, Washington Commanders
· Jarran Reed, Seattle Seahawks
· Dalvin Tomlinson, Cleveland Browns
· Byron Young, Philadelphia Eagles
(Alabama’s count at this defensive position includes only those players who are listed as tackles on their team roster. Justin Eboigbe of the Los Angeles Chargers and Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets, who are listed as defensive linemen but play primarily defensive tackle, and the Carolina Panthers’ LaBryan Ray and A’Shawn Robinson, who are listed as defensive ends in a three-man front, are not included in the count.)
Running backs:
· Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
· Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
· Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
· Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
· Jase McClellan, Atlanta Falcons
· Brian Robinson Jr., Washington Commanders
Wide receivers:
· Jermaine Burton, Cincinnati Bengals
· Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns
· Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
· John Metchie III, Houston Texans
· Calvin Ridley, Tennesse
· DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
· Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
· Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
Quarterbacks:
· Mac Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
· Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
· Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Alabama
Final 2026 MLB mock draft projections for Alabama’s Justin Lebron
The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft begins Saturday, and Alabama Crimson Tide shortstop Justin Lebron has consistently been touted as one of the first 10-20 overall picks among analysts’ various mock drafts.
On Friday, CBS Sports released its final mock ahead of this weekend’s festivities in Philadelphia. Analyst Mike Axisa sees Lebron going to the Texas Rangers with the 16th overall selection.
Among college players, Lebron lands between Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick at No. 14 and one spot above Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian in CBS Sports’ final analysis.
Axisa said of the possible Rangers-Lebron fit:
“The Rangers have a thing for ‘famous’ prospects in the draft (think Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker), and Lebron is one of the most famous prospects available this summer. About 18 months ago, he was the favorite to go No. 1 overall, but some uneven performances (and Cholowsky’s breakout) cooled that talk. Lebron has some of the loudest tools in the draft class. We’re talking speed, power, athleticism, the works. Approach and plate discipline concerns have held him back, though.”
ESPN sees Alabama’s Justin Lebron among top 12 MLB draft picks
In the final MLB mock draft by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel on Friday, Lebron goes 12th overall to the Los Angeles Angels. LSU outfielder Derek Curiel is taken one pick above Lebron by the Washington Nationals in McDaniel’s draft forecast.
“With a new interim head of baseball operations in John Mozeliak, who is mostly hands-off with the draft, the belief is that the scouts will get to make this pick. That doesn’t mean all prep upside because that’s not really what the board is giving them, but I could see the Angels selecting a college hitter with less polish and more upside, such as Lebron, who is a nice value here.” –Kiley McDaniel, ESPN.com.
Could Justin Lebron be a top-10 pick in 2026 MLB draft?
For The Win, part of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group, unveiled its 2026 mock draft on Friday. Wajih AlBaroudi has Lebron going as high as No. 8 overall to the Athletics and said:
“Lebron is a dynamic athlete whose only glaring flaw is his patience at the plate. If he can clean that up, he’ll be a fixture atop the A’s lineup.”
Keith Law’s final mock draft for The Athletic (subscription required for full access) has Lebron taken with the 15th overall pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Justin Lebron career stats at Alabama
Lebron batted .313 with a .414 on base percentage, 45 home runs, 39 doubles and 158 RBIs in three seasons for the Crimson Tide. He stole 69 bases in his collegiate career. This past season, Lebron hit .277 with 16 homers and 13 doubles as Alabama won 42 games and reached the College World Series for the first time since 1999.
Where to watch the 2026 MLB draft: time, TV channel, streaming
The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft begins Saturday in Philadelphia. Per Major League Baseball, rounds 1-4 start at noon CT. The first 10 picks will be televised on NBC and will stream on Peacock. Picks 11-40 can be seen on MLB Network beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Rounds 5-20 begin Sunday at 10:30 a.m. CT and can be seen on MLB.com.
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook, for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
Alabama
University of Alabama police officer's family leans on law enforcement community after his death
Alabama
New Alabama women’s basketball coach Pauline Love credits late mentor for coaching career
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – Pauline Love, the new head coach of the Alabama women’s basketball team, says her late college coach, Joye Lee-McNelis, is the reason she got into coaching.
Love played for Lee-McNelis at Southern Miss, describing her as a second mother. Lee-McNelis passed away last summer after a long battle with breast cancer.
A relationship that changed her path
Love said she once told Lee-McNelis she would never go into coaching, a conversation the two laughed about often.
“I used to tell her all the time, I would never do this. I would never put up with somebody like me or I would never work for somebody like her. I was like coach, you’re crazy. We used to laugh about it all the time and she was like you’ll see one day, you’ll see,” Love said.
Love had planned to work in the tech industry. Instead, she has spent 15 years in coaching.
“She pretty much paved the way for me. There’s no way I’d be sitting here if it wasn’t for her,” Love said.
High expectations at Alabama
Love returns to Tuscaloosa after previously serving as an assistant at Alabama. She was introduced as head coach in April, and was brought to tears when she mentioned Lee-McNelis during that introduction.
Her goals for the program are clear.
“I’m going to have a passion about it. I want to bring a Final Four to the University of Alabama and make Tuscaloosa proud,” Love said.
This year’s roster includes Spring Garden’s Ace Austin, back for her sophomore season.
Love said she wants her players to know that difficult times are part of the process.
“I can say for them, I’ve been there. I’ve done it. Just learn how to figure out and fight through hard things. You gotta do something hard and fight through it and I promise you it’s rewarding at the end of it,” Love said.
Love said she also wants to be a source of support for her players off the court, the same way Lee-McNelis was for her.
“I know we always get caught up in the money part of it, but I got a group of girls that doesn’t care about that. They want to care about making the fans happy and giving them something good to watch,” Love said.
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