The 2024 NFL Draft starts on April 25 in Detroit with the 32 first-round picks. In the 88 NFL drafts, teams have chosen 128 prospects who played at Alabama high schools and colleges in the first round, and another 29 who were not first-rounders but were selected in the first 32 picks. AL.com is counting down to the draft by highlighting the players with Alabama football roots who have been chosen in the first 32 picks.

Drafted ninth in the 2021 NFL Draft, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II already has been a Pro Bowler twice and first-team All-Pro once.

In 2022, Surtain became the first No. 9 pick to earn first-team All-Pro recognition since Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who entered the NFL in the 2012 draft.

The former Alabama All-American is among the six prospects from Alabama high schools and college chosen No. 9 in an NFL Draft. The previous three also were cornerbacks. They combined for one Pro Bowl selection.

The other No. 9 picks with Alabama football roots include:

· Back Butch Avinger (Sidney Lanier, Alabama): 1951 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Avinger’s lone NFL season came two years after he was picked. Avinger served a year in the U.S. Army, then signed for a season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, one of the forebearers of the Canadian Football League. Avinger had five rushing attempts and two receptions for the New York Giants in 1953. But he punted 42 times for a 38.0-yard average and got off the NFL’s longest punt of the season at 69 yards.

· Running back Wilbur Jackson (Carroll-Ozark, Alabama): 1974 by the San Francisco 49ers. Until Shaun Alexander came along, Jackson’s 3,852 rushing yards were the most in the NFL by an Alabama alumnus.

· Cornerback Antonio Langham (Hazlewood, Alabama): 1994 by the Cleveland Browns. Langham intercepted 12 passes in his first four seasons, when he was a full-time starter. He completed his career with 14 in 102 games in seven seasons.

· Cornerback Carlos Rogers (Auburn): 2005 by the Washington Redskins. Rogers reached the Pro Bowl in 2011, his first season with the San Francisco 49ers after six in Washington. Rogers led the NFL in passes defended with 24 in 2008, and he had six interceptions in his Pro Bowl season. Those were the high marks of his 10 NFL seasons.

· Cornerback Dee Milliner (Stanhope Elmore, Alabama): 2013 by the New York Jets. Milliner led off a string of three consecutive picks from the Crimson Tide in 2013, with the Tennessee Titans taking guard Chance Warmack at No. 10 and the San Diego Chargers choosing offensive tackle D.J. Fluker at No. 11. Milliner played in 21 games in three injury-filled seasons.

The Chicago Bears hold the ninth selection in this year’s draft.

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