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 kick off the second round of our tournament in the Tua Tagovailoa bracket.
No. 1 seed Tua Tagovailoa vs. 9 seed Calvin Ridley
Tua Tagovailoa: Arguably the greatest quarterback in Alabama history, Tagovailoa holds school records in total touchdowns (96), career passing touchdowns (87), career completion percentage (69.3), single-season total touchdowns (48), single-season passing touchdowns (43), single-season passing yards (3,966), single-game touchdowns (7) and single-game passing touchdowns (6). He also provided perhaps the greatest play in Crimson Tide history with a game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith in overtime of the 2018 national championship game. Tagovailoa won both the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards in 2018 and was the runner-up for the Heisman that year.
Calvin Ridley: Ridley led Alabama in receiving in two of his three seasons in Tuscaloosa and helped the Crimson Tide to two national titles over that span. The South Florida native ranks No. 2 at Alabama in career receptions with 224, just four catches away from Amari Cooper’s all-time record. Ridley also ranks No. 3 in career receiving yards (2,781) and No. 5 in career receiving touchdowns (19). His last touchdown for the Crimson Tide was a game-tying, fourth-down grab in the back of the end zone to help force overtime during Alabama’s comeback win over Georgia in the 2018 national championship game.
No. 4 seed Trent Richardson vs. No. 12 seed DeVonta Smith
Trent Richardson: Richardson provided an instant impact upon joining the Crimson Tide, serving as a key weapon in Nick Saban’s first title-winning team at Alabama in 2009. The bruising back ended his three-year career with two national titles and earned the Doak Walker Award in 2011 along with finishing as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy that year. Richardson’s 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground in the 2011 season rank second in Alabama’s single-season list. He also ranks fifth in the school’s career list for rushing touchdowns (35) and seventh in rushing yards (3,130).
DeVonta Smith: Smith is best known for being on the other end of Tua Tagovailoa’s game-winning, 41-yard touchdown during overtime of Alabama’s victory over Georgia in the 2018 national championship game. However, the clutch receiver has accomplished much more than that in his Crimson Tide career. Smith led Alabama in receiving last season, pulling in 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns through the air. He holds Alabama’s single-game records for receiving yards (274) and receiving touchdowns (5) and is fourth on the school’s career list for receiving touchdowns with 23.
No. 3 seed Marcell Dareus vs. No. 6 seed Terrence Cody
Marcell Dareus: The defining moment of Dareus’ Crimson Tide career came during the 2010 BCS National Championship Game when he returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown to help Alabama put away Texas. Earlier in that game, the defensive lineman’s crushing blow on Colt McCoy knocked the Longhorns quarterback out of the game. Dareus went on to earn defensive MVP honors for that game, helping Nick Saban win his first national title with the Crimson Tide. He was selected No. 3 overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2010 draft, tied with Trent Richardson (No. 3 overall in 2012) and Quinnen Williams (No. 3 in 2019) for the highest pick in the Saban era.
Terrence Cody: Cody earned the nickname “Mount Cody” due to his 6-foot-4, 350-pound frame. The larger-than-life nose guard never stood taller than during the 2009 game against Tennessee, when he blocked two field goals, including a potential game-winner from 44-yards out at the end of regulation. Cody was a part of Nick Saban’s first title-winning team at Alabama. The former JUCO transfer was a unanimous All-American during both of his seasons with the Crimson Tide. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
No. 2 seed C.J. Mosley vs. No. 7 seed Jonah Williams
C.J. Mosley: Mosley ranks No. 3 on Alabama’s all-time tackles list with 319. He is the only player in the Saban era to record two 100-tackle seasons, tallying 107 stops in 2012 and 108 in 2013. Mosley was a two-time consensus All-American (2012-13). He earned the Butkus Award in 2013 and was also named SEC Defensive Player of the Year that year. On top of his high tackle numbers, Mosley also recorded five career interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. Mosley helped the Crimson Tide to back-to-back BCS national titles in 2011 and 2012. He was drafted No. 17 overall by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Jonah Williams: One of Alabama's smartest offensive linemen, Williams was known as a perfectionist, constantly picking apart his game in the film room. His persistence showed on the field where he was a three-year starter for the Crimson Tide from 2016-18. Williams earned the 2018 Jacobs Blocking Trophy and was also named a unanimous All-American during that season. He started all 44 games of his career. Williams was selected No. 11 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2019 NFL Draft.
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