The 2025 NFL Draft starts on April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with the 32 first-round picks. AL.com is counting down to the event by highlighting the best choice – overall, from the SEC and of players from Alabama high schools and colleges — made with each of the first 32 picks in the 89 NFL drafts.

Best No. 19 pick: Arizona State guard Randall McDaniel by the Minnesota Vikings in 1988

The 19th selection has been the entry point to the NFL for five members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame – guard Dick Stanfel in 1951, tight end John Mackey in 1963, cornerback Roger Wehrli in 1969, guard Randall McDaniel in 1988 and wide receiver Marvin Harrison in 1996.

Mackey, McDaniel and Harrison also were on the NFL’s all-time team chosen for the league’s centennial season in 2019.

Among the No. 19 luminaries, McDaniel has the most first-team All-Pro selections with seven and Pro Bowl invitations with 12.

McDaniel worked as Minnesota’ left guard for 14 seasons, and he missed two games during his career.

Last year’s No. 19 pick was Florida State defensive lineman Jared Verse by the Los Angeles Rams.

Best No. 19 pick from the SEC: Alabama running back Shaun Alexander by the Seattle Seahawks in 2000

The Seahawks selected Alexander even though running back Ricky Watters had recorded at least 1,110 rushing yards in five consecutive seasons for Seattle. As an NFL rookie, Alexander totaled 313 yards and two touchdowns on 64 rushing attempts while Watters put up 1,278 yards and seven touchdowns on 278 rushing attempts and caught 63 passes in 2000.

The next season, a shoulder injury sidelined Watters for eight games, and when he returned to the lineup, he sustained a broken ankle and never played in the NFL again. While Watters ran for 318 yards in five games, Alexander stepped up with 1,318 yards and 14 touchdowns on 309 rushing attempts while catching 44 passes for 343 yards and two TDs in 2001.

In his first five seasons as Seattle’s primary ball-carrier, Alexander had 7,504 yards and 87 touchdowns on 1,653 carries and 183 receptions for 1,346 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In 2005, Alexander won the NFL MVP Award when he led the league with 1,880 rushing yards and set a league single-season record with 27 rushing touchdowns. He ran for another 236 yards and two TDs in the postseason as the Seahawks reached the Super Bowl.

The most recent of the 10 SEC players picked at No. 19 is Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis by the Washington Football Team in 2021.

Best No. 19 pick with Alabama football roots: Alabama running back Shaun Alexander by the Seattle Seahawks in 2000

Alexander left the Crimson Tide as the school’s career rushing leader and became Alabama’s leader for career NFL rushing yards.

After recording 3,565 yards and 41 touchdowns on 727 rushing attempts for the Crimson Tide, Alexander ran for 9,453 yards and 100 touchdowns on 2,187 carries and caught 215 passes for 1,520 yards and 12 touchdowns in 123 regular-season games. He also had 564 yards and eight touchdowns on 169 carries and caught 10 passes for 52 yards in nine playoff contests.

Alexander held the Alabama record for NFL career rushing yards until Derrick Henry surpassed the mark on the final Sunday of the 2023 season.

Henry also broke Alexander’s record for career rushing yards at Alabama, although unofficially Alexander remains the Tide’s all-time leader.

Henry completed his Alabama career with 3,591 rushing yards, and Najee Harris surpassed that with 3,843 for the Tide. But Alexander played at a time when bowl statistics did not count in the official individual statistics. Alexander had 315 rushing yards in bowls, and if those are included in his tally, he had 37 more in his Alabama career than Harris.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the No. 19 pick in the NFL Draft on April 24.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.