More so than any other year in nearly four decades, Alabama will be well-represented at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Eight Crimson Tide players are committed to this year’s Senior Bowl, which takes place Feb. 4 at Mobile’s Hancock Whitney Stadium. It’s the most in the game since 1987, when 10 Alabama players took part in the annual college football all-star game and NFL draft showcase.

READ MORE 2023 SENIOR BOWL COVERAGE

Senior Bowl delivers NFL prospects to Mobile again

Georgia’s Warren McClendon will honor late teammate Devin Willock at Senior Bowl

Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker will participate in Senior Bowl week, but won’t play in game

Auburn’s Owen Pappoe won’t play in Senior Bowl due to injury

Bears OC, Raiders DC will serve as 2023 Senior Bowl head coaches

The full Alabama contingent for the Senior Bowl consists of tight end Cameron Latu, offensive linemen Emil Ekiyor and Tyler Steen, defensive linemen DJ Dale and Byron Young, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o and defensive backs Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams. Ekiyor, Dale and Young — all of whom are training in Pensacola, Fla. — met with Mobile-area media on Monday as part of the build-up to Senior Bowl week.

“I’m just excited to play against all the top seniors in the country and be a part of this process in the Senior Bowl game,” Ekiyor said. “It’s kicking off this draft process, and is the first step of the draft process that’s really formal. So I’m excited to do all the interviews and things of that nature, and compete against the best.”

Dale (6-foot-3, 307 pounds) was a four-year contributor on the defensive line at Alabama, finishing his career with 73 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 39 career games. A three-star prospect out of Clay-Chalkville High School in the Birmingham area, he’s projected as a likely mid- or late-round draft pick headed into Senior Bowl week.

As a native of the state of Alabama, Dale said he’s long dreamed about playing in the Senior Bowl.

“Growing up in this state, with all the different college teams and whatnot, this is all a dream come true,” Dale said. “I try to represent the state the best way I can. And it’s the honor to be able to play in this bowl game and really just be a role model for the kids the state. I want to be someone that they can look up to. So I’m excited to be able to do this.”

Young (6-3, 292) was also a four-year impact player for Alabama after signing out of Laurel (Miss.) High School in 2019. He totaled 130 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his career, and was selected first-team All-SEC as a senior in 2022.

Young won’t be the only Byron Young in this year’s Senior Bowl and not even the only Byron Young who played defensive line. Tennessee’s Byron Young will also suit up for the American team in this year’s Senior Bowl.

“It gets confusing,” said Alabama’s Byron Young, projected as a potential second-round pick in April’s draft. “We’ve been training together for a little bit. And you know, every now and then somebody will just yell at Byron, and we’ll both look back. We might be doing different things. … I’ve known him for two or three years because people started tagging each of us in the wrong things on Twitter. We thought it was a little funny.”

Ekiyor (6-foot-3, 307 pounds) was a three-year starter at guard for the Crimson Tide, and also an All-SEC pick in 2022. He and Steen join recent Alabama offensive line stalwarts such as Landon Dickerson, Deonte Brown and Alex Leatherwood as Senior Bowl participants.

Ekiyor — projected as a mid-round pick — hails from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, the same school that produced current NFL standouts Terry McLaurin of the Washington Commanders and Pete Werner of the New Orleans Saints, both of whom played at Ohio State and in the Senior Bowl. He’s being coached in the pre-draft process by Willie Anderson, the former Vigor High School, Auburn and Cincinnati Bengals offensive line star.

“You kind of have to have some changes to your game and little adjustments you have to make going to that next level,” Ekiyor said. “He’s been really good, just because he played the game for a long time. He knows a lot about NFL defensive linemen. It’s been really informative, and a lot of different things he’s taught me that are different from what I’ve learned in college.”

The 2023 Reese Senior Bowl kicks off at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 4, with television coverage via NFL Network. For ticket information, visit SeniorBowl.com/tickets.