The 2024 NFL Draft gets under way Thursday night in Detroit. The top of the first round is expected to be dominated by quarterbacks. Former Auburn and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, a state champion at Pinson Valley High School, is a candidate to go late in the first round. No matter when he’s drafted, Nix will become one of the best examples of a player who got away from one of Alabama’s college programs then found success in the NFL.

In this edition of Sensational Sports Sevens, we rank the best NFL Draft picks who started their careers at a state school but transferred to another before entering pro football.

Let’s get to the rankings.

7. Jerome Ford left Alabama for Cincinnati: Ford could not find carries in a crowded backfield at Alabama that included Damien Harris, Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs, Brian Robinson and Keilan Robinson. But after transferring to Cincinnati, he was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Last season, he took over as the starter for the Browns after Nick Chubb was injured. He finished the season with 813 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

6. Drew Sanders left Alabama for Arkansas: The five-star recruit out of Texas was as impressive as a multi-positional player as anyone Nick Saban signed. He settled at linebacker, where he was a contributor but not a full-time starter for the Tide. After transferring to Arkansas, he became a first-team All-American player before being drafted in the third round of last year by the Denver Broncos. He has 24 tackles and a fumble recovery as a rookie.