We've finally made it. After a month of voting, BamaInsider is down to two candidates in its tournament to find the greatest Alabama player in the Nick Saban era. We've worked our way down from a 64-player field and will conclude with a matchup between Julio Jones and Derrick Henry for the illustrious title.

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Jones was slotted as a No. 3 seed and has knocked off two No. 1 seeds in Jonathan Allen and Tua Tagovailoa to get to the final. Henry, a No. 1 seed, has breezed his way through the tournament, recently rolling over fellow Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in the Final Four.

The final will be determined by fan voting through both BamaInsider’s Twitter account (@bamainsider) and on the Talk of Champions message board. The winner will be the player who receives the most total votes between both mediums.

Julio Jones accolades

— Ranks fifth on Alabama’s all-time receiving list (2,653 yards)

— Tied for ninth on Alabama’s all-time touchdown reception list (15)

— SEC Freshman of the Year (2008)

— BCS national champion (2009)

The case for Jones: Julio Jones did just about everything for the Crimson Tide. He was faster than LSU when he caught the screen pass and raced to the end zone. His athleticism was on full display when the receiver dove towards the end zone while hauling in a touchdown (with only his left hand!) against San Jose State. On countless other plays, he scored or picked up a first down due to his strength and toughness, which he used to will his way through would-be tacklers.

Jones was the most dangerous weapon in Alabama’s passing game, yet he often found himself wide open downfield. Yeah, Amari Cooper came in and stole the record book, but few believe Cooper (as talented as he is) is on the same level as Jones in the NFL right now.

Derrick Henry is the greatest running back to play for Alabama. He deserves consideration for the top spot. Both consistency and durability allowed Henry to advance this far. He’s unstoppable because Henry never seems to tire, and he’s rarely injured.

Jones can’t say the same. Both in the NFL and at Alabama, Jones dealt with multiweek injuries and prolonged scoring droughts.

Despite that Jones is the best athlete to ever play for the Crimson Tide. He was and is an unstoppable force when he gets going. Henry is excellent, but when they both retire, Jones is the one most will remember the most.

Derrick Henry accolades

— Alabama’s second Heisman winner (2015).

— Alabama’s career record holder in rushing touchdowns (42)

— Alabama’s single-season record holder in rushing touchdowns (28), rushing yards (2,219) and carries (395)

— Third most yards per carry (career) list with a minimum of 400 attempts. Henry averaged 5.97 yards per rush across his 602-carry career while the two guys ahead of him finished with less than 500 carries.

The case for Henry: Derrick Henry was the player you used to create in the video game NCAA Football. The larger-than-life running back stood out on the field and, more often than not, posted video-game numbers for the Crimson Tide.

During Henry’s recruitment, many projected the powerful back to switch positions once he got to Alabama. The idea of the 6-foot-3, 242-pounder breaking away from defenders at the next level didn’t seem fathomable. Henry proceeded to spend the next three proving doubters wrong, using his 4.5 speed to bury defenses after he finished bulldozing over them.

Henry put up the most dominating season in Alabama history in 2015 when he ran for an SEC-record 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Crimson Tide to a national title. He’s also Alabama’s all-time leader in rushing yards and is tied for the all-time record in rushing touchdowns.

Julio Jones was great, but he’s not even in the top three in Alabama’s all-time list for receptions, receiving yards or receiving touchdowns. The Foley, Ala., native’s best season with the Crimson Tide came in 2010 when he tallied 1,133 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. Those marks were exceeded by both DeVonta Smith and Jerry Jeudy last season. On the other hand, Alabama will likely never see another back as dominant as Henry.

Vote on the Talk of Champions forum

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