Alabama has been an NFL factory ever since Nick Saban stepped on campus prior to the 2007 season. The success at producing top talent has come at most positions, but running back might be at or near the top.
It seems like the Crimson Tide are signing a top runner in each and every recruiting class. Why? Well, because they are. Almost every year, Alabama is inking a player who ranks in the top 5-6 at the position.
So who are some of those top signings during the Saban era? Below is a compiled list of the top 10 running backs to sign since 2007. There are several recent names, but the list goes back a little bit as well.
With all that being said, there are two things to keep in mind when reading this list.
The first is regarding Derrick Henry, who was listed as an athlete coming out of high school. Unfortunately, that means that the Heisman Trophy winner and star NFL running back didn’t qualify for this list. If he had qualified, he would’ve checked in at No. 4.
The second thing to keep in mind relates to 2022 commitment Emmanuel Henderson. Technically, he ranks No. 6 on the 247Sports composite list, but he isn’t a signee — at least not yet. Until he signs on the dotted line, he can’t qualify.
So without further ado, here is the list of the top 10 running back signees for Alabama during the Saban era:
Honorable mention: Altee Tenpenny, Tyren Jones, Roydell Williams, Kenyan Drake and Mark Ingram