Who are the best linebackers in Alabama’s long history of producing greats?

5. C.J. Mosley (2010-13) — The highest-ranked linebacker of the last three decades, Mosley was a force in his four years in Tuscaloosa. Mosley was a freshman All-American in 2010, suffered through injury his sophomore year, then dominated the SEC for his final two years. He was Alabama’s team MVP as a consensus All-American in 2012, when he was a finalist for the Butkus Award. He then was a finalist for the Lombardi, Bednarik and Butkus Awards a year later as the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year and again a first-team All-American. Mosley was a member of two national champions and finished his career third on Alabama’s all-time tackles list. Mosley was chosen in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft and earned a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens.

4. Woodrow Lowe (1972-75) — Lowe was the first Alabama linebacker to be named an All-American three times, achieving the feat from 1973-75. He set the Alabama single-season tackles record in 1973 with 134, a record that still stands to this day, and left school as the Crimson Tide’s all-time leading tackler (he’s fourth now). Lowe was a part of one national champion and won the SEC title all four years he was in school. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

3. Lee Roy Jordan (1960-62) — Bear Bryant considered Jordan, another College Football Hall of Fame member, one of the greatest players he ever coached. Jordan played both linebacker and center, one of the best two-way players in school history. While tackles weren’t recorded as a stat back in Jordan’s day, he did anchor some excellent defenses, including the 11-0 national championship team in 1961 while winning two bowl MVP awards in three years.

2. Cornelius Bennett (1983-86) — Bennett is the only Alabama linebacker other than Lowe to be a three-time All-America selection, also earning SEC Player of the Year and the Lombardi Award in his final season on campus, finishing seventh in Heisman voting in 1986. Bennett helped form the mold of the pass-rushing linebacker, finishing his career with 15.0 sacks and 19.0 tackles for loss. For his career, Bennett finished with 287 tackles and left school fourth on the all-time list. Bennett went on to a successful NFL career after being chosen with the No. 2 overall pick in 1987, playing in five Super Bowls and earning three All-Pro selections.

1. Derrick Thomas (1985-88) — There wasn’t a force like Thomas before he came through the college ranks, and there haven’t been many like him since. He still owns Alabama’s career sacks record (52.0) by a huge margin; in fact, his total is more than double the next name on the list. The numbers and records only begin to put Thomas’ dominance into context. He has the two best single-game totals in school history for both sacks and tackles for loss, as well as the single-season and career records for both. Thomas only cranked it up when he made it to the NFL, dominating the league for 11 years before tragically losing his life in a car accident.