Alabama hasn’t stopped churning out top-notch NFL talent just because Nick Saban isn’t the head coach anymore.
More proof of that came on Thursday night in Pittsburgh during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, when the Kalen DeBoer-led Crimson Tide program kept 2 very impressive first-round NFL Draft streaks alive and well.
One streak was Alabama turning out multiple first-round picks in the same draft. With Tide offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor being grabbed by the Miami Dolphins with the 12th overall pick and Bama quarterback Ty Simpson hearing his name called minutes later by the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13, Alabama has now had multiple first-round picks in 10 consecutive drafts.
The last time Bama didn’t have multiple first-round picks was 2016, and that was a draft that featured Tide legend Derrick Henry somehow slipping to the second round, so it’s not like that draft didn’t have strong top-heavy Crimson Tide talent.
But this streak lived on and grew to 10 during Thursday night’s festivities in the Steel City.
Another Alabama draft streak that refused to die in 2026 was the Crimson Tide’s amazing run of having at least 1 first-round pick. When Proctor went to the Dolphins, it made 18 straight drafts with a first-round selection for the Crimson Tide, which is the longest streak in NFL Draft history.
So, it was another first round of the draft when Bama took center stage, even if Saban is no longer in charge.
With Proctor and Simpson going in the first round, the SEC was alive and well on Day 1 of the 2026 draft. Here is what the Kalshi market currently says about more SEC top talent possibly coming off the board in the first round:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
