In the 2007, Nick Saban’s first year as Alabama’s coach, 23 former Crimson Tide players appeared in NFL regular-season games.

In the 2023 NFL regular season, which ended on Sunday, 72 former Alabama players appeared in games. That’s the most players from one program in one season in NFL history – a record the Tide’s alumni set for the third season in a row. All had been coached by Saban, who retired on Wednesday.

This unprecedented pipeline of players to the pros is Saban’s legacy in the NFL – not his two seasons as the coach of the Miami Dolphins. Saban had a 9-7 record in 2005 and a 6-10 mark in 2006 with the Dolphins before returning to SEC to take over the Alabama program.

The number of Alabama players appearing in the NFL has increased annually for the past seven seasons fueled by the draft classes produced by Saban.

In the 16 NFL drafts since Saban became Alabama’s coach, 124 former Crimson Tide players have been picked, the most from one college program in that span.

In five of the past 12 drafts, Alabama has produced the most picks – in 2012, 2018, 2019, 2021 (tied with Ohio State) and 2023 (tied with Georgia). Before Saban became the Tide’s coach, Alabama had never been No. 1 in a draft.

That lifted Saban’s total of drafted players from his full college career to 164, which ranks fifth among all coaches.

Saban trails the 251 players of Joe Paterno (Penn State 1966-2011), 182 of Bobby Bowden (West Virginia 1970-1975, Florida State 1976-2009), 168 of Tom Osborne (Nebraska 1973-1997) and 166 of Woody Hayes (Miami, Ohio 1949-1950, Ohio State 1951-1978).

In first-round picks, Saban is the all-time leader. He’s produced 48 first-round picks, with 44 coming during his Alabama tenure.

Only two other coaches have reached 30. Paterno had 33, and Bowden had 32.

Fifteen consecutive first rounds have included at least one Alabama player, the longest streak in draft history. The most recent first round without an Alabama player came in 2008. The Crimson Tide had been tied with Miami (Fla.) for the longest streak until producing three first-round picks in 2023. The Hurricanes went 14 consecutive first rounds (1995 through 2008) with a first-round pick. Alabama’s first-round players during its streak have been:

· OT Andre Smith in 2009

· LB Rolando McClain and CB Kareem Jackson in 2010

· DT Marcell Dareus, WR Julio Jones, OT James Carpenter and RB Mark Ingram in 2011

· RB Trent Richardson, S Mark Barron, CB Dre Kirkpatrick and LB Dont’a Hightower in 2012

· CB Dee Milliner, G Chance Warmack and OT D.J. Fluker in 2013

· LB C.J. Mosley and S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in 2014

· WR Amari Cooper in 2015

· C Ryan Kelly in 2016

· CB Marlon Humphrey, DE Jonathan Allen, TE O.J. Howard and LB Reuben Foster in 2017

· S Minkah Fitzpatrick, DT Daron Payne, LB Rashaan Evans and WR Calvin Ridley in 2018

· DT Quinnen Williams, OT Jonah Williams and RB Josh Jacobs in 2019

· QB Tua Tagovailoa, WRs Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy and OT Jedrick Wills Jr. in 2020

· WRs Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith, CB Patrick Surtain II, QB Mac Jones, OT Alex Leatherwood and RB Najee Harris in 2021

· OT Evan Neal and WR Jameson Williams in 2022

· QB Bryce Young, LB Will Anderson Jr. and RB Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023

Twenty-five of the NFL’s 32 teams have drafted an Alabama player in the first round during the streak, with the Raiders selecting five.

From his LSU and Alabama teams, Saban has produced 146 draft picks. That’s 23 more than any other coach in SEC history. And with 46 first-rounders from his SEC squads, Saban has 29 more than any other conference coach has produced.

A defensive back at Kent State, Saban has had a special affinity for producing players for NFL secondaries. Twelve consecutive NFL drafts have included at least one Alabama defensive back. That’s the longest current draft streak for one position from one school in the SEC.

Three Crimson Tide defensive backs were chosen in the 2023 NFL Draft – Jordan Battle, Brian Branch and DeMarcco Hellams. The other defensive backs drafted in the streak include Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Dee Milliner, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Vinnie Sunseri, Landon Collins, Cyrus Jones, Marlon Humphrey, Eddie Jackson, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett, Deionte Thompson, Xavier McKinney, Trevon Diggs, Patrick Surtain II and Jalyn Armour-Davis.

Even though Saban won’t coach Alabama in 2024, his NFL legacy will continue to grow as the league’s teams harvest his latest crop of players in this year’s draft, with at least nine Crimson Tide players expected to be picked.

Saban’s first-round streak almost assuredly will be extended by cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, outside linebacker Dallas Turner, offensive tackle J.C. Latham or cornerback Terrion Arnold. Maybe by all of them.

Saban’s legacy of players in the NFL isn’t limited to the draft, however. He’s had 28 of his Alabama players appear in NFL regular-season games without the benefit of being drafted, including nine in the 2023 season who caught on in the league after entering it as rookie free agents.

• The questions we have as Nick Saban retires, replacement search beginsJan. 11, 2024, 12:04p.m.
• Why Kalen DeBoer could be a candidate for the Alabama job to replace Nick Saban (and why not)Jan. 11, 2024, 12:02p.m.
• Nick Saban retires: What we know today as Alabama searches for a coachJan. 11, 2024, 12:00p.m.
• Alabama HS coaches on Nick Saban’s retirement: ‘We are losing one of the all-time greats’Jan. 11, 2024, 3:03a.m.
• ‘I’m in denial’: Fans mourn at Nick Saban statue with oatmeal pies, shockJan. 11, 2024, 2:39a.m.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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