Bummed out about the NCAA Tournament being canceled? We are too. That’s why BamaInsider created its own version of March Madness to determine who is the Crimson Tide’s greatest player in the Nick Saban era.

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We have compiled a 64-player field with seed rankings of No. 1 through No. 16. The tournament is determined by fan voting both through BamaInsider’s Twitter account (@bamainsider) and on the Talk of Champions message board. Players will be matched up against each other with the one receiving the most total votes between both mediums advancing to the next round.

Today we continue the tournament by moving into the Elite Eight with Tua Tagovailoa vs. C.J. Mosley.

Tua Tagovailoa accolades

— Alabama’s career record holder in total touchdowns (96), completion percentage (69.3 percent)

— Alabama’s single-season record holder in total touchdowns (48), passing touchdowns (43) and passing yards (3,966)

— Alabama’s single-game record holder in total touchdowns (7), passing touchdowns (6)

— Maxwell Award (2018), Walter Camp Award (2018), SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2011), Heisman finalist (2018)

— Threw 41-yard, game-winning touchdown in overtime of the 2018 national championship game.

The case for Tagovailoa: Tua Tagovailoa spun back inside, away from a defender, and ran right at a second defender. At the last second, he hurled the ball up and about 20 yards downfield where receiver Jerry Jeudy caught it in the end zone.

It only took one drive as Alabama's starter in the 2018 opener against Louisville for Tagovailoa to prove he could back up his heroics in the national championship game months earlier. I could have picked just about any game and found a similar play that made me stop and say wow.

Tagovailoa played like he believed he could make every single throw every time. Sometimes that confidence hurt him, but it was well-earned. I've seen very few college quarterbacks capable of playing on Tagovailoa's level in the last five years.

C.J. Mosley is the linebacker of all Saban linebackers. There's a reason he's one of only two defensive players left in this competition.

Against another player, maybe Mosley has a case to make the final four, but the best Alabama quarterback of the Saban era doesn't have time to argue about the top four anyways.

He's got a championship showdown with Derrick Henry to get to, so let's move this thing along.

C.J. Mosley accolades

— Third on Alabama’s all-time tackles list (319)

— Only player in Nick Saban era with two 100-tackle seasons

— Butkus Award (2013), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2013)

— Defensive MVP of 2013 BCS National Championship Game

— Two-time consensus All-American (2012, 2013)

The case for Mosley: If Tua Tagovailoa needs inspiration on how to bounce back from a dislocated hip, he needs to look no further than C.J. Mosley. While Mosley didn’t suffer a hip fracture like Tagovailoa did last November, his dislocation following an interception during the 2012 BCS National Championship Game against LSU caused Crimson Tide fans to hold their breaths.

After making a full recovery in time for the start of the following season, Mosley served as the heart of another title-winning defense. The freakishly athletic linebacker didn’t miss a beat either, leading Alabama with 107 tackles, including eight in the championship game against Notre Dame were he was named defensive MVP.

Like Tagovailoa, Mosley has a stocked trophy case. Aside from being a part of the only teams to win back-to-back titles under Saban, he earned the Butkus Award during his senior season in 2013, leading the team in with 108 tackles and nine tackles for a loss. He is the only linebacker in the Saban era to record multiple 100-tackle seasons.

Offense is flashier and generally prevails in these types of competitions. However, if you are looking for a player who encompasses the heartbeat of Alabama under Saban, C.J. Mosley is your guy.

Vote on the Talk of Champions forum

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