There are three players who will wear Alabama helmets in Saturday’s Reese’s Senior Bowl, but three others who played for the Crimson Tide at one time or another.

The most prominent of the latter is probably offensive lineman Javion Cohen, who played the 2023 season at Miami after three years at Alabama. But unlike fellow Senior Bowlers Javon Baker (who transferred to Central Florida) and Khyree Jackson (Oregon), Cohen didn’t leave Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide in search of more playing time.

Cohen started 22 games in his last two seasons at Alabama, and was a second-team All-SEC pick in 2022. Because he wound up at Miami, many have assumed Cohen’s transfer was NIL-related, and he didn’t elaborate much on his decision following Wednesday’s Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile.

“It was a conversation between me and coach Saban where we both came to a mutual agreement and he respected my decision,” Cohen said. “I respected his and we went our different ways.”

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The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Cohen made an impact with Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes, starting all 12 games at left guard and earning honorable mention All-ACC honors in 2023. He’s seen time at both guard spots for the American team during the first two Senior Bowl practices.

It’s in those practices where offensive linemen are given the opportunity to shine, particularly in the one-on-one drills with defensive linemen. And Cohen has gotten the chance to match up a few times with former Alabama teammates Chris Braswell and Justin Eboigbe, who are also on the American team for the Senior Bowl.

“It’s been fun, man,” Cohen said. “I definitely got beat by Justin yesterday. I think I got him today for a little bit, but it’s been fun seeing him and Braswell going to work, Khyree (Jackson) out here getting work. It’s just been awesome, being able to see the guys again.”

A former star at Central-Phenix City, Cohen is one of nearly a dozen participants in this year’s Senior Bowl who played their high school football in the state of Alabama. That list also includes Alabama kicker Will Reichard (Hoover), Auburn cornerbacks D.J. James (Spanish Fort) and Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson) and defensive end Marcus Harris (Park Crossing), Missouri cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (also Spanish Fort), Ole Miss defensive end Cedric Johnson, Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson (Maplesville) and Georgia long snapper William Mote (Spain Park).

And like all of those players, Cohen has been able to see a lot of old friends this week. He called being selected to play in the Senior Bowl a “blessing,” both personally and professionally.

“It’s been wonderful, man,” Cohen said. “Such a blessing, just being down here. It’s been enjoyable. It’s the first time I’ve been back in Alabama for a while, so it’s been nice, remembering where you can from.

“… I have been working on both sides (left and right guard) and I’ve been working on snapping, too. So that’s a couple of things to add to the tool bag. I’ll be able to show positional versatility as well, expand my skills at different positions.”

Cohen kept up with his old team closely during the 2023 season, he said. And one major piece of post-season news didn’t really surprise him that much.

The news of Saban’s retirement Jan. 10 didn’t exactly catch him off-guard, he said, given the ever-increasing changes to college football.

“I knew it was coming,” Cohen said. “He was ready. The system has changed a lot. He’s used to running his program one kind of way, and that way is different nowadays. But he’s given a lot to the game and I wish him nothing but the best in retirement — him, Missy Terry and their entire family.”

The 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl takes place at noon Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium. NFL Network will broadcast the game live.