Alabama
NFL Draft 2025: Alabama Crimson Tide Prospects Primer
As the offseason rolls on, the NFL Draft is quickly sneaking up on us. The first round of the Draft will kick off on Thursday, April 24th (a little over a week from now), and that will dominate the sports news cycle for a couple of weeks.
For Alabama, this will be the first Draft class from a coach not named Saban since 2007, though, admittedly, all of the players going for the NFL this year did play for the legendary head man. In any case, this class will forever be part of Kalen DeBoer’s record at Alabama going forward, and by all accounts, it is still expected to keep the streak of 1st round picks going.
The Tide only had three players declare for the Draft as juniors this year, and only 6 seniors are moving on. It was a young team for the Tide in 2024, so this class reflects that, but the quality of draftees looks to be just as high as usual. Below is a quick primer on each of the Crimson Tide alumni who hope to have their names called next week.
Tyler Booker – Offensive Guard
Projected Round: Mid- to late- first round.
Booker was viewed as the #1 interior offensive lineman in the draft up until a poor showing at the NFL Combine (5.38 forty, 27” vertical, only 21 bench reps) wrecked some of the public opinion on him. Still, he’s going to be the first or second guard off the board. The three most common teams he’s been mocked to are the Seattle Seahawks (#18), Minnesota Vikings (#24), and Houston Texans (#25).
It seems unlikely he’d drop out of the first round, as about 2⁄3 of the NFL actively hate their OL and need to upgrage, and a player with Booker’s pedigree and production will be hard to pass up.
Jihaad Campbell – Linebacker
Projected Round: First round. Fringe top ten.
Campbell was relatively unknown and not talked about until the final month of the 2024 season, and once people started catching on to how impactful he was, his stock skyrocketed. Then he went to the combine and put together an exceptional performance (seriously, he’s ranked as the 41st most athletic linebacker since 1987).
Most view Campbell as the top off-ball linebacker in the draft and one of the top ten players overall… However that gets the caveat that teams just don’t tend to draft off-ball linebackers very high. The Atlanta Falcons at #15 and Tampa Bay Bucs at #19 seem to be the most common mock landing spots, but most pundits will mention that they could see him going earlier if a team is willing to spend on the less premium position for a great player.
Jalen Milroe – Quarterback
Projected Round: Most likely 2nd round. Maybe first round? Maybe 5th?
After being one of the most polarizing players ever among Alabama fans, Milroe continues to be a polarizing NFL prospect. He was often mocked in the first round (and probably top-10 pick) going into 2024, but a lackluster season as far as production and a poor end to the year and bad Senior Bowl performance saw opinions on him plummet.
On the other hand, he ran a 4.40 flat forty yard dash and really impressed in throwing drills during his pro day a few weeks back.
In any case, Alabama fans, for the most part, seem to be more down on Milroe than the NFL community at large. There’s a big contingent mock drafts sending him to the Steelers at #21 overall, and even a few crazy souls that have him at #6 to the Raiders.
There are also plenty of mocks sending him to the 2nd or 3rd round. Some even had him in the 4th or 5th only a month ago, but the groupthink has generally moved him back up into 2nd round over the last few weeks. Ultimately, the NFL is starved for QBs, and he could be the best one. Milroe has, at times, shown he has the ability to do anything an elite NFL QB can, and his rushing ability is something nobody outside of Lamar Jackson can match. It’s just a question of if he can eliminate his spirals of poor play.
CJ Dippre – Tight End
Projected Round: 5-7
Most of the pundits have Dippre solidly in the 6th round, but I’m going out on a limb and predicting he’s the 4th Alabama player off the board, and it could very well be in the 4th or 5th round.
Dippre’s athletic testing was phenomenal at his size, and his combination of blocking, hands, and after the catch ability far outweigh his actual production in Alabama’s low-volume passing offense the last two years. I think a smart NFL team will pounce on him earlier than expected.
James Burnip – Punter
Projected Round: 4-6
Burnip is the top punter in the Draft, and the Aussie’s stratospheric improvement over the last two seasons to go along with this 6’6” height and trebuchet-like legs give him essentially unlimited upside as a punter.
He’s still a punter, though, and round 5 is about as good as you can hope for without being a transcendent talent. He’ll be the first one off the board, and that’s all you can ask.
Malachi Moore – Safety/Nickel
Projected Round: 5-6
As a 5-year starter for Alabama with All-American honors, the low projections for Malachi Moore might seem a bit shocking. Ultimately, Moore lacks the athleticism to be a stand out at the NFL level, and with 5 years of production, he’s viewed as someone that has very little upside to improve from what has already been seen. He’s not big enough to be a true safety, nor fast enough to be a corner.
His versatility and production will get him drafted and likely carve out a nice role as core backup and special teams piece, but that mostly limits him to being a day 3 pick.
Tim Smith – Defensive Tackle
Projected Round: 5-7
Former 5-star recruits at defensive tackle are hard to come by, and that kind of clout pushes Tim Smith up the draft boards a little. His production over multiple years as a starter is underwhelming, but there will be teams that look at him and see a solid DT depth piece. It’s hard enough for NFL teams to find DTs that can be even functional, so someone with Smith’s size, experience, and former high school ranking will be tempting. Round 6 seems to be the most common projection.
Que Robinson – Edge Rusher
Projected Round: 4th – UDFA
There’s a wide range of opinions on Robinson. NFL.com seems rather high on him, as does Pro Football Focus, who put him in the 3rd round. On the other hand, many mocks have him going 6th or even 7th. Personally, I wouldn’t even be surprised if he goes undrafted. The senior had years of no production and didn’t do a whole lot with his 5th year senior season as a part-time starter. He’s long and has decent speed, but is a bit light to play on the line and doesn’t have the skill set to be an off-ball linebacker.
He’s essentially a tweener speed rusher, but lacks dominant tape doing that.
A team may take a flyer on him for the height/speed, but I suspect he’ll drop further than many think.
Robbie Ouzts – Tight End
Projected Round: 7th-UDFA
Ouzts quietly had a nice Combine performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if some team noticed and is willing to jump to the 6th or 7th round to make sure he makes it to their team. If not, he’ll be one of the top UDFAs.
Ouzts is something of a unique body type (Lance Zierlein said he’s “built like an ironworker with a squat rack in the garage”), and I think he could have been a legitimate NFL fullback about 15-20 years ago. With the NFL starting to swing back to running the ball more, I’ve heard some rumblings that fullbacks might start making something of a comeback, and with that, bowling ball shaped blockers like Ouzts may be able to catch on and carve out a career after being relegated to extinction post-2013.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Plaintiffs have appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court after a circuit judge last week dismissed their lawsuit against Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Tuberville.
The suit argues Tuberville does not meet the Alabama Constitution’s eligibility requirements to serve as governor.
In the appeal filing, plaintiff’s attorney Barry Ragsdale said the issue is “whether the circuit court had subject matter jurisdiction to hear Plaintiffs’ claims.”
It is unclear when the Alabama Supreme Court will rule.
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Brooke Reid ruled July 9 that the court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
The plaintiffs, two Alabama voters, claim Tuberville’s primary residence is in Florida and argue he does not meet the constitutional requirement that candidates for governor be Alabama residents for at least seven years before the general election.
On June 29, Tuberville’s legal team and the plaintiffs argued the case in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
Tuberville previously cleared a challenge from fellow Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken McFeeters.
The Alabama GOP Candidate Committee unanimously ruled Tuberville is qualified to run for governor, citing documentation including an Alabama driver’s license, voting record and tax returns.
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In certain outposts throughout the South, it’s pronounced “progrum,” not program.
However you say it, the SEC footprint houses some of the most celebrated and iconic college football programs in all the land, complete with rabid fanbases that breathe college football all year. Games are played in towering cathedrals where the crowds partake in what’s almost a religious experience on fall Saturdays.
When evaluating the SEC’s programs, recent results should be considered, but rankings also should reflect historical success, traditions, blue-blood status and fan support.
Here’s how I rank the SEC’s programs, top to bottom:
Alabama football is more than a program, and it’s bigger than an international brand. It’s a way of life. The Script A represents tradition and excellence. Alabama fans are plugged in year-round to their favorite sport, and expectations rarely dip. Coaches who thrive in T-Town are immortalized in bronze. The GOAT conversation runs through Alabama. Is it Nick Saban or Bear Bryant? Either way, it’s an Alabama coach.
2. Oklahoma
The crimson and cream have blue blood. Among SEC schools, Oklahoma trails only Alabama for all-time winning percentage. Double-digit win seasons remain the standard, although the 2000 Sooners remain OU’s last national champion. Oklahoma ruled the 1950s under Bud Wilkinson, then ran back their dominance with Barry Switzer’s wishbone in the 1970s and 80s. Seven Heisman winners point to the program’s star power.
3. Texas
Texas’ deep war chest suits the NIL era, but don’t mistake the Longhorns for the nouveau riche. They’re a traditional power that emerged from an inexcusable, prolonged slumber in between Mack Brown and Steve Sarkisian. Texas enjoyed its heyday in the Southwest Conference under Darrell Royal, but the Longhorns also showed their horns during the Brown era. They belong among the heavy hitters.
The Bulldogs don’t crack the list of blue bloods, but Kirby Smart made them look like one. Georgia has seized a place of persistent power that was long considered possible, because of the school’s location within fertile recruiting terrain. Smart flawlessly implemented Saban’s recruit-and-develop blueprint. We’re witnessing Georgia’s glory days, decades after Herschel Walker and Vince Dooley supplied the previous peak in the early 1980s.
5. LSU
LSU is the only program to have three coaches win a national championship in this millennium. Lane Kiffin could become the fourth. Money poured in to fund his roster. LSU’s standards are such that Brian Kelly got fired after winning 71% of his games. In-state talent gravitates to LSU, but the Tigers also built a national brand, and a night game at Tiger Stadium is a college football mecca.
6. Tennessee
Few states can match Tennessee’s unrelenting vigor for college football. Gen. Robert Neyland put the Vols on the map and got his name on the stadium. Johnny Majors earned a place of adoration. Phillip Fulmer’s Vols flourished in the 1990s. Since Fulmer, Tennessee’s ravenous fans infrequently had a chance to say, “It feels like ’98.” For too long, it felt more like dysfunction, but Tennessee recaptured respectability under Josh Heupel.
Few individuals mean more to a program than what Steve Spurrier means to Florida. He revolutionized the Gators from an also-ran into one of the premier programs of the 1990s. The Head Ball Coach branded The Swamp and gave the Gators an identity. They became SEC championship game regulars. Urban Meyer injected more glory with two titles. Florida lacks the consistency and history of some higher-ranked programs, but its peaks are just as lofty.
These are dark days for Auburn. The Tigers endured five consecutive losing seasons, their bleakest period since the late 1940s. Auburn’s loyal fan base deserves better. Recent woes aside, this accomplished program achieved undefeated seasons under three coaches since the 1990s. From Pat Sullivan to Bo Jackson to Cam Newton, Auburn produced decorated stars. Now, it just needs to pull out of this funk.
Trivia question: When did Texas A&M last win a national championship? Answer: 1939. The Aggies possess the financial resources, fan support and recruiting location to be top shelf, but greatness stubbornly eludes them. R.C. Slocum’s Aggies ruled the Southwest Conference in the early 1990s. Is it time for a fresh set of glory days? Mike Elko’s early returns suggest it’s safe for the Aggies to dream of ascending to their potential.
10. Mississippi
Those old enough to witness Johnny Vaught remember Ole Miss as a powerhouse. Those who watched Archie Manning remember the Rebels with a superstar. Then, Kiffin and Trinidad Chambliss made it so everyone can remember Ole Miss as a playoff team with a premier quarterback. Kiffin treated the Rebels like they were small by leaving for LSU, but not before spawning an uprising that showed the school’s potential in the NIL era.
Arkansas piled up Southwest Conference hardware under Frank Broyles, along with an undefeated season. The conference crowns ceased after Arkansas left in 1991 for the SEC, where there’s been more famine than feast for the Hogs. Even in the SEC, the Razorbacks enjoyed a few highlight seasons, but those uprisings are fading into the rearview mirror. The Hogs need another Darren McFadden.
The Tigers tout seven seasons of double-digit-wins in the past 20 years. They transitioned to the SEC better than many expected. Gary Pinkel became the best thing to happen to Mizzou since Dan Devine. Eliah Drinkwitz has been a gift, too. Anyone who’s a millennial or older can remember the program’s highlight moments, even if they never resulted in a Big 12 or SEC title.
13. Mississippi State
Dan Mullen and Mike Leach did it well for Mississippi State, but Starkville remains one of the toughest SEC outposts to win big or to sustain success. Jackie Sherrill’s 74 wins are the most for any Mississippi State coach. He needed 13 seasons to reach that number. You can’t take the cowbells away from Mississippi State, nor its 15-12 record in bowl games.
14. South Carolina
Spurrier’s successful 11-year run at South Carolina ranks among the best program-building feats in modern history. He won 11 games three seasons in a row, and his teams finished ranked in the top 10 each year. The Gamecocks never won 11 games before Spurrier, and they’ve never hit double digits since he left. Aside from Spurrier’s tenure, the peaks are few and far between.
A program that employed Bear Bryant (and finished 11-1 under the Bear in 1950) can’t rank last on this list, so here we arrive at Kentucky. What can we say about the Wildcats? Well, they own a winning record against Vanderbilt, and they occasionally aren’t as bad as you’d expect a basketball school to be. Mark Stoops got them to a respectable level, but was unable to keep things afloat.
16. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt’s 10 wins last year register as its single-season record, so you could say the program’s never looked better. The less said, the better, about much of Vanderbilt’s history — unless you want to discuss the 1904 season. That year, Vanderbilt went 9-0 and outscored its competition 474-4. Glory days.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WBMA) — The Enterprise Police Department announced Monday that a 40-day search of the Coffee County Landfill for the remains of 2-year-old Genesis Reid has concluded without locating her remains.
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During a news conference on July 13, the Enterprise Police Department said the search operation, which began May 7, involved federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies, forensic experts, volunteers and support personnel from across Alabama.
According to police, investigators developed evidence that led them to believe Genesis’ mother, Adrienne Reid, murdered Genesis on Christmas night 2025, removed her from an apartment and later disposed of her body. Police said Reid reported Genesis missing 53 days after her death, which investigators said affected the timeline of the investigation.
Authorities said the landfill search was based on evidence that led investigators to believe Genesis had been placed in a dumpster at the apartment complex. The search continued for 40 working days and included approximately 10 million pounds of landfill material, according to police.
Investigators said teams examined more than 20,000 non-human bones and inspected numerous bags and other materials during the operation. Officials said the search area was reviewed and cleared by experts before landfill operations concluded on July 10.
Police said the search did not locate Genesis’ remains but emphasized that the operation was conducted thoroughly based on the evidence available at the time.
“The landfill search answered one important question,” police said during the news conference. “It strongly indicates that Genesis was not located in the specific area of interest that would have been believed to be associated with landfill operations.”
The department said the investigation will continue, with the focus now shifting toward court proceedings and efforts to seek justice for Genesis.
Police also expressed appreciation to the agencies, volunteers, local organizations and community members who assisted with the search effort.
“Although our search has concluded, our commitment to Genesis has not,” police said. “We will continue to pursue justice, we will continue to seek the truth, and we will never forget this precious child.”
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