He’s kicked his name into Alabama football history. He set the all-time points record for the Southeastern Conference, then the entire NCAA. He was called an assassin by his head coach. He earned a key to the city of Hoover. And on Saturday, Will Reichard got a call from Minnesota.

The Vikings drafted Reichard in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft (203rd overall).

He was the first kicker off the board and ninth player from Nick Saban’s final Alabama team to be selected this weekend. He’ll join former teammate Dallas Turner, Minnesota’s first-round pick along with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Reichard returned to Tuscaloosa for a final year to, in part, improve his draft stock. He had demonstrated consistency (547 total points) and rose in big moments, like a 2022 game-winner at Texas. Reichard converted 84 of 100 field-goal tries and 295 extra-point attempts.

“Will’s been as good a college kicker over the last 2-3 years as anybody could ever ask for,” Saban said last August.

Reichard’s goal in 2023 was to better his touchback rate. Reichard produced a career-high 59.7% (min. 87 attempts) of his kickoffs in which opponents didn’t return it. That was nearly 10% better than his 2022 rate. Reichard must now adapt the NFL’s new kickoff rules, incentivizing kickers to boot it out of the endzone.

Alabama’s last specialists drafted were long snapper Thomas Fletcher (2021, Carolina Panthers) and punter JK Scott (2018, Green Bay Packers). The last Tide kicker picked was David Ray in 1966.

Three Tide players have heard their names called on Day 3: Justin Eboigbe, Jase McClellan and now Reichard.

Alabama 2024 NFL draft picks

Round 1

• 7. JC Latham, Tennessee Titans
• 17. Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings
• 24. Terrion Arnold, Detroit Lions

Round 2

• 41. Kool-Aid McKinstry, New Orleans Saints
• 57. Chris Braswell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Round 3

• 80. Jermaine Burton, Cincinnati Bengals

Round 4

• 105. Justin Eboigbe, Los Angeles Chargers

Round 6

• 186. Jase McClellan, Atlanta Falcons
• 203. Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].