Owner to GM: Why haven’t you drafted from Alabama more?

Throughout his 13 NFL drafts making the picks for the Philadelphia Eagles, normal supervisor Howie Roseman has chosen 21 gamers from SEC packages.

However the Eagles’ avoidance of Alabama gamers within the draft turned a notable void till Roseman took Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith within the first spherical in 2021.

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After watching Smith set a Philadelphia file for receiving yards by a rookie, Eagles proprietor Jeffrey Lurie had a query for Roseman, the final supervisor recounted throughout an look on JAKIB Media Sports activities’ “Sports activities Take” on Wednesday: “I believe it was the second-to-last sport once we sort of clinched a playoff spot, I noticed Jeffrey and he goes, ‘Man, these Alabama guys, they’re simply able to play. Man, why haven’t you taken extra of them?’”

Roseman stated it’s not the primary time he’s heard that. The overall supervisor and his household have a summer time home in Orange Seaside, and Roseman stated his spouse’s 92-year-old grandfather “says on a regular basis to me, he’s like ‘What do I bought to do to let you know to choose frigging Alabama guys?’”

Philadelphia’s collection of Smith in 2021 was the Eagles’ first choose from Alabama since they selected extensive receiver Freddie Milons within the fifth spherical in 2002. (Philadelphia chosen former Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts within the second spherical in 2020, however he got here by way of Oklahoma after transferring.)

Between selecting Milons and Smith, the Eagles made 153 alternatives within the draft with out selecting a participant from Alabama. In the meantime, the remainder of the NFL drafted 119 gamers from the Crimson Tide in that span, with the Baltimore Ravens selecting 9 of them.

After choosing Smith, the Eagles took Alabama heart Landon Dickerson within the second spherical with their subsequent selection. Dickerson began 13 video games at guard for Philadelphia as a rookie despite the fact that he was coming off a torn ACL sustained within the 2020 SEC Championship Sport.

Philadelphia doubled up on gamers from an SEC program’s CFP nationwide championship staff once more within the 2022 draft, when Roseman selected Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean within the third spherical.

DEVONTA SMITH LIKES EAGLES’ ‘BIG-GAME’ PICKS FROM SEC

Roseman selected 5 SEC gamers in his first draft in 2010, however he went with no selection from the SEC in back-to-back drafts in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, he reconnected with the convention by taking a pair of Auburn offensive tackles – Jack Driscoll within the fourth spherical and Prince Tega Wanogho within the sixth.

Philadelphia additionally added LSU security JaCoby Stephens within the sixth spherical after its Alabama picks in 2021.

“It’s sort of humorous as a result of I went to high school within the SEC,” Roseman stated of his draft hole with the convention. “I sort of grew up watching SEC soccer and wished to be a part of that. Clearly, I couldn’t play at that degree, however I liked it and I knew it was the perfect competitors. …

“I believe there was sort of this narrative for a few years that these guys bought beat up, so that they have been coming into the NFL like they have been used up within the SEC. They have been coming into the NFL with some medical considerations from enjoying SEC soccer.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports activities reporter for Alabama Media Group. Observe him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.