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.
We have compiled a 64-player field with seed rankings of No. 1 through No. 16. The tournament will be played out throughout the month and will be determined by fan voting. Fans can vote either through BamaInsider’s Twitter account (@bamainsider) or 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 with the first half of the Jonathan Allen bracket.
No. 1 seed Jonathan Allen vs. No. 16 seed Kevin Norwood
Jonathan Allen: Arguably the best defensive player in the Saban era, Allen ranks second in Alabama’s all-time sacks list with 28.5, trailing only legendary linebacker Derrick Thomas. In 2016, Allen became the first Crimson Tide player to earn the Bednarik Award after tallying 10.5 sacks,16 tackles for a loss, 15 quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The powerful defensive lineman also earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award while being named SEC Defensive Player of the Year that season. Allen’s most memorable moment came during the 2016 game against Texas A&M when he soared over Aggies running back Trayveon Williams for his “Superman sack” on Trevor Knight.
Kevin Norwood: With all the talent Alabama has had at the wide receiver position, Norwood’s name often gets lost in the mix. The trusty receiver might not have the lofty numbers of some of his teammates but came up with some clutch catches during his Crimson Tide career. He had four receptions for 78 yards during Alabama’s victory over LSU in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game before tallying five receptions for 62 yards during the Crimson Tide’s comeback against the Tigers in Baton Rouge, La., the following season. Norwood was a part of three title-winning teams at Alabama.
No. 8 seed T.J. Yeldon vs. No. 9 seed Javier Arenas
T.J. Yeldon: Yeldon is one of the most consistent stars in the Saban era. The former five-star back recorded 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2012 (1,108 yards) and 2013 (1,235 yards) before rushing for 979 yards in 2014, narrowly missing out on becoming the first Alabama player to reach the mark three times. Yeldon ranks fifth on Alabama’s all-time rushing list with 3,322 yards and is fourth on the all-time rushing touchdowns list with 37. His 12 rushing touchdowns in 2012 ties him with Mark Ingram for most by a freshman running back in school history. Yeldon was a member of the 2012 championship team.
Javier Arenas: Javier Arenas is one of the best returners Alabama has ever seen. The shifty defensive back is the Crimson Tide’s career record holder in both kick return yards (2,166) and punt return yards (1,752). He’s also the only player in the top five of both categories. Arenas holds the SEC record with seven career punt return touchdowns. He was was a consensus All-American during his senior season in 2009 when he helped lead Alabama to its first national championship under Saban. He recorded two interceptions during the national championship game against Texas.
No. 5 seed Barrett Jones vs. No. 12 seed JK Scott
Barrett Jones: Jones is the most decorated player in the Saban era, earning a slew of awards during his four years at Alabama. The versatile offensive lineman started college at guard before switching to left tackle in 2011 when he earned the Outland, Wuerffel, Jacobs Blocking and Jim Parker trophies. He then switched to center during his senior season in 2012 where he earned Rimington Trophy. Jones was a consensus All-American in 2011 and 2012 and was a member of three title-winning teams at Alabama.
JK Scott: Scott is the best punter in Alabama history, holding the all-time school records with 11,074 yards and 243 attempts. He also holds the Crimson Tide record in career punting average with 45.3 yards per kick. He was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award and earned first-team All-American honors during his freshman season when he led the nation with an average of 48 yards per punt. That season, he recorded a career-long 73-yard punt. During his four-year Crimson Tide career, Scott dropped 108 punts inside the 20-yard line.
No. 4 seed Landon Collins vs. No. 13 seed Henry Ruggs III
Landon Collins: Collins grabbed national attention when he famously chose Alabama over his home-state LSU. The Crimson Tide benefited greatly from that decision over the next three years. During his sophomore season, Collins finished second on the team with 69 tackles. The following year, he led the Crimson Tide with 102 stops, earning unanimous All-American honors. He also has five career interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. He was a member of the 2012 national championship team and was a two-time SEC champion. Collins was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2015 draft and is a three-time Pro Bowler.
Henry Ruggs III: Ruggs is perhaps the fastest player in Alabama history. He recorded a 4.27 time in the 40-yard dash in this year’s NFL Combine and was clocked at 24.3 miles per hour during a touchdown against South Carolina last season. The speedy receiver ranks third on Alabama’s all-time touchdown receptions list with 24. His 17.5 yards per catch across three seasons is good for sixth on Alabama’s career list among receivers with at least 50 catches. Ruggs’ first five college receptions all went for touchdowns.
