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 the tournament by moving into the Sweet 16 in the AJ McCarron bracket.
No. 1 seed AJ McCarron vs. No. 5 seed Jerry Jeudy
AJ McCarron accolades
— Heisman runner-up (2013)
— Maxwell Award winner (2013)
— Alabama's all-time record leader in passing yards with 9,019
— Ranks second all-time at Alabama with 80 total touchdowns and a 66.9 career completion percentage
— 36-4 as a starter
Jerry Jeudy accolades
— Biletnikoff Award winner (2018)
— Ranks second all-time at Alabama with 26 receiving touchdowns
— Ranks third all-time at Alabama with 159 receptions and 2,742 receiving yards
— Ranks second all-time at Alabama with 17.25 average yards per catch (minimum 100 receptions)
— Earned MVP honors in 35-16 win over Michigan in Citrus Bowl
What we think
Tony Tsoukalas: The Sweet 16 has been full of difficult matchups, but for me, this isn’t one of them. AJ McCarron is a No. 1 seed for a reason. Call him a “game-manager” all you want, the numbers don’t lie. McCarron is Alabama’s career leader in total yards and passing yards and ranks second in total touchdowns and passing touchdowns. He also has three national titles, including two in which he served as the starting quarterback.
Jerry Jeudy is one of the best receivers Alabama has ever had. He’ll almost assuredly go on to have a better professional career than McCarron. However, when it comes down to what each player meant to the Saban era at Alabama, I’m rolling with McCarron.
Tyler Waldrep: Alabama's run under Nick Saban looks a lot different without AJ McCarron's absolute ridiculous stretch from 2011-13. He wasn't the flashiest quarterback in the nation. However, his ability to take care of the ball, especially in crucial moments, made him the perfect guy to lead the Crimson Tide during those years.
Jerry Jeudy never got the chance to shine like Julio Jones, Amari Cooper and even Calvin Ridley. Alabama's receiving corps was stacked during his time in Tuscaloosa. I'm confident Jeudy would hold up just as well as those other guys if he was the lone focal point of the passing game, but that's not how it played out. Plus, McCarron came extremely close to back-to-back-to-back national championships, so I've got to pick the quarterback here.
No. 2 seed Mark Ingram vs. No. 3 Donta Hightower
Mark Ingram accolades
— Alabama's first Heisman winner (2009)
— Alabama's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (42)
— Ranks sixth all-time at Alabama with 3,261 rushing yards
— Ranks sixth all-time at Alabama with 5.7 yards per carry (minimum 400 carries)
Donta Hightower accolades
— The leader of the Alabama's defense in 2011 when it ranked No. 1 in scoring, rushing, passing and total yards allowed
— Team-high 85 total tackles and team-high 11 tackles for loss (2011)
— Consensus first-team All-American (2011)
— Never finished lower than fourth on the team in tackles in his three healthy seasons
What we think:
Tony Tsoukalas: The fact that Mark Ingram didn’t earn a No. 1 seed in this tournament says a lot about the success Alabama has had under Nick Saban. Not only was Ingram the first Crimson Tide player to win the Heisman Trophy, he’s also been a great ambassador for the university since leaving as a first-round pick in 2011.
Dont’a Hightower was a leader at Alabama and was the captain of the 2011 defense, which is arguably the greatest college football has ever seen. He has an extra national title over Ingram and has gone on to win three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. That being said, this is an individual tournament, and Ingram put up much better numbers at Alabama.
Tyler Waldrep: In the 10 seasons since Mark Ingram won the Heisman, Alabama has sent four finalists, and one additional winner, to New York City. I think many of those guys got a little bit of a bump in recognition because Ingram paved the way. I also think his 2009 season was simply incredible (271 carries for 1,658 yards and 20 total touchdowns).
Donta Hightower was an incredible leader for the best defense of the Saban era, but Ingram is one of the best players. It's as simple as that for me.
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Andrew Bone, of BamaInsider.com, is a real estate broker in the state of Alabama.
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