Tag: Alabama Pro Day

LOOK: Photos from Alabama football’s pro day

Former Alabama players looking to enter the NFL draft had an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of coaches and scouts from across the league.

A handful of former Alabama players who are looking to find their way into the league by way of the NFL draft had an opportunity to showcase their measurables, skills and talents in front of coaches an scouts inside the Crimson Tide practice facility during pro day.

While some players had the privilege of participating in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, a few were not invited and others were chose not to due to physical limitations and injuries.

Former standout defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry discovered a Jones Fracture in his right foot at the combine and ended up not participating in on-field drills. However, at Alabama pro day, McKinstry performed drills and impressed.

See the top images from pro day to see players in action as they look to improve their draft profile with roughly a month to go before the start of the 2024 NFL draft.

Chargers offensive line coach works out Alabama OT JC Latham

Mike Devlin traveled to Tuscaloosa, where he got a closer look at one of the top offensive line prospects.

Chargers offensive line coach Mike Devlin traveled to Tuscaloosa, AL, where he got a closer look at one of the top offensive line prospects.

On Wednesday, Devlin was spotted at Alabama’s Pro Day working out tackle JC Latham.

Hulking at 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds, Latham is a force in pass protection and the run game with a great combination of size, strength, physicality and agility, projecting as a starter from Day 1.

It’s no surprise that the Chargers are focused on Latham as they look to beef up the offensive line to bolster the running game. Latham would likely replace Trey Pipkins at right tackle if they drafted him.

Latham would most likely be an option in a trade-down scenario. And that’s a possibility with the Vikings, who currently own the No. 11 overall selection, looking to move up to draft their quarterback of the future.

WATCH: Kool-Aid McKinstry runs impressive 40-yard dash despite foot injury

Despite a Jones Fracture in his foot, former Alabama DB turned heads with an impressive 40-yard dash at pro day.

Former Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry did not participate in the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine on-field drills after medical professionals discovered a Jones Fracture in his right foot.

While he’s scheduled to have surgery on Friday, he took the field for Alabama pro day and garnered attention from the many NFL scouts and coaches in attendance.

The potential first-round defensive back ran the 40-yard dash, which many were intrigued with considering his fractured foot. Despite that, McKinstry ran an impressive 4.47 time.

As Tom Pelissero reports on social media, McKinstry should be fully healed from surgery and ready to go by the start of training camp.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow former Alabama football players preparing for the draft as the 2024 offseason continues.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

D.J. Fluker receiving interest from NFL teams after Alabama pro day

DJ Fluker looks a lot stronger and is ready for an NFL comeback.

Former Alabama football offensive lineman DJ Fluker was drafted No. 11 overall by the then-San Diego Chargers. After finishing out his rookie contract with the Chargers, Fluker has bounced around six different NFL teams. Most recently, Fluker was signed to three different teams during the 2021 league year, but didn’t get to make an active roster.

Now, Fluker is looking to make a comeback.

Recently, he has been sharing images and pictures to social media showing significant weight loss, improved mobility and substantial muscle gain.

Posting to social media is one thing, but it’s a whole different challenge to get the right set of eyes to see the improvement.

Fluker joined stars like Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. at the Alabama football pro day, which had multiple players participate in drills and speak to NFL scouts and coaches.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network recently shared that Fluker has already received interest and “could find a home to resume his NFL career soon.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Fluker and other former Alabama players as the 2023 NFL offseason continues.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

LOOK: Top images from Alabama football’s pro day

Alabama football’s pro day had some of the biggest stars of the draft show out in Tuscaloosa

Alabama football recently hosted its pro day, which allowed NFL scouts and coaches to get an in-person look at some of the Crimson Tide’s biggest stars.

Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. headlined those who participated, but other players about to declare for the draft were present including Brian Branch, Jahmyr Gibbs, Cameron Latu and others.

A few former Alabama players that are looking to sign free agent deals were also given an opportunity to show that they can do, as DJ Fluker and Slade Bolden both made appearances.

The 2023 NFL draft is roughly one month away and four Crimson Tide players are expected to be selected in the first round.

Nick Saban responds to concerns over Bryce Young’s height

Nick Saban has the quote of the year so far when responding to questions about Bryce Young’s height.

Former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young is nearly a perfect draft prospect in the eyes of NFL teams as the 2023 draft approaches. The only thing that has led to reported hesitation from teams are his size. Nick Saban, however, attempted to silence the doubters at the Crimson Tide pro day.

Young officially measured at just over 5-foot-10-inches at the 2023 NFL scouting combine, which is significantly shorter than other top quarterbacks in the current draft class.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban responds to this criticism with what may be the quote of the year so far.

“I think you should ask the people that had to play against him the last couple of years and see if they think it affected his performance,” said Saban.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Young and other former Alabama players as the 2023 NFL draft approaches.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Nick Saban came up with an unusual, expletive-laden phrase to praise Will Anderson

Well, that’s a doggone weird thing to say!

Alabama football coach Nick Saban found quite the choice of words to describe 2023 NFL Draft prospect Will Anderson.

Anderson, a former Alabama pass rusher, projects as one of the best pass rushing talentes in the past few years. After dominating the gridiron with the Crimson Tide, he’ll know soon enough where he lands for his NFL career.

While speaking at Alabama’s Pro Day, Saban commended his former pass rusher while also throwing out quite a phrase to extol Anderson’s virtues.

Per ESPN’s Alex Scarborough and Todd McShay, Saban said Anderson is a, well, certain kind of competitor.

Warning: NSFW language to follow.

Now that’s a compliment if we’ve ever heard one.

It’s one thing for Saban to say Anderson is a “run through a wall” guy, but this? That feels like Santa Claus telling you to your face on Christmas Eve that you’ve been a good kid all year. That’s rare.

Anderson will be terrorizing NFL quarterbacks this fall as he gets his rookie career going. From the sound of it, some team is going to get a player who Saban has plenty of fascinating, doggone compliments to give.

Will Anderson Jr. visited Houston Texans, no other visits scheduled

With roughly a month before the 2023 NFL draft, Will Anderson Jr. has only visited with one pro team.

Former Alabama outside linebacker and edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is one of the highest-rated prospects of the 2023 NFL draft class. He’s projected to be selected within the first five picks of the draft but he’s reportedly only taken one visit to meet with a pro team.

During Alabama football’s Pro Day, Anderson said that he’s only visited with the Houston Texans and doesn’t have any future visits scheduled yet.

It would make sense for teams that don’t need his abilities to not meet with him, but with roughly a month until the draft, it’s a bit of a surprise that more teams haven’t brought him in.

Anderson doesn’t need to do all too much to persuade teams to draft him, his talent does the talking.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Anderson and other former Alabama players as the 2023 NFL draft approaches.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Brad Holmes attends the Alabama pro day to check out Crimson Tide draft prospects

Alabama has several players worthy of Lions draft consideration

The pro day circuit traveled to Tuscaloosa on Thursday for the Alabama Crimson Tide workouts. One notable attendee for the cavalcade of prospects: Lions GM Brad Holmes.

The Detroit GM doesn’t typically attend pro days. He didn’t make a stop at Ohio State’s event on Wednesday or recent closer-to-home workouts at Michigan or Northwestern, but Holmes did go to Alabama.

There is any number of Crimson Tide prospects that Holmes could prioritize, including two who might very well be gone before the Lions pick at No. 6 — QB Bryce Young and EDGE Will Anderson. Other top Alabama draft prospects include safeties Brian Branch and Jordan Battle, CB Eli Ricks, OL Emil Ekiyor and Thomas Steen and TE Cam Latu.

An absolutely shredded D.J. Fluker will attempt an NFL comeback at Alabama’s Pro Day

Offensive lineman D.J. Fluker looks SHREDDED as he attempts an NFL comeback.

Former 2013 NFL Draft first-round pick D.J. Fluker is attempting to make a comeback.

The offensive lineman hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2020 with the Baltimore Ravens and spent most of the 2021 season bouncing around various practice squads.

However, Fluker will workout for NFL teams at the upcoming Alabama Pro Day. Per The Score’s Jordan Schultz, Fluker is down to 330 lbs. and appears to have seriously bulked up in the weight room.

With Fluker’s starting experience and positional versatility, it’s not at all implausible to think an NFL team would take a flyer on the former Alabama standout as a possible reclamation project.

With the offensive line one of the most important positional groups in the NFL, Fluker will likely land a new opportunity somewhere in the league.

He certainly looks like he’s ready to get his professional career going again, at the very least. Will somebody give him another shot?