Jumbo Package: It’s that time of year again. Is Alabama WR-U?

Jones has an argument to be one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. His 13,629 receiving yards ranks 16th in NFL history. He ranks in the top five in most receiving yards (2nd, 12,896), most receptions (4th, 848) and highest yards per reception (5th, 15.28) through his first 10 seasons. Cooper was the first rookie in franchise history (Oakland Raiders) to record 1,000 receiving yards finishing with 1,070. Ridley, who returns this season after a year long suspension for violating the league’s betting policy, had the most receiving touchdowns by a rookie in his first four games (6). Jeudy has not had as much success compared to other former Alabama receivers, but continues to improve.

Waddle holds the NFL record for most receptions by a rookie (104). In 2022, Waddle led the league in average yards per catch (18.1). Smith set a franchise record (Philadelphia Eagles) for the most receiving yards as a rookie (916). In 2022, Smith an Eagles record for receivers with 95 receptions. The duo of Smith and AJ Brown were the first Eagles receiver pair to each have more than 1,000 yards in a single season. Williams has played just one game in the NFL since getting drafted after recovering from an ACL surgery. He was also suspended for six-games this season for violating the league’s gambling policy.

As one of the new guys at 247 after BamaOnline jumped over to On3, Brett Greenberg put out this banger of a piece.

I do quite enjoy when a writer takes the time to lay out all of the reasons something someone said is just flat out wrong, and backs it up with stats.

Give it a read.

Anyways speaking of the never-ending “Position U” arguments, ESPN just released their definitive list.

A quick reminder of our formula: ESPN Stats & Information combed through data on every team dating back to 1998, looking at key markers of greatness at each position. We awarded points for college production (by way of all-conference and All-America honors), NFL draft selections and NFL production (though only through the players’ first five years — Michigan can claim responsibility for Tom Brady’s success for only so long).

There are, of course, some caveats. Notre Dame fans rightly complained that their school is punished for not having all-conference players, and while ACC commissioner Jim Phillips can probably think of at least one simple solution to that issue, we’ve gone ahead and given the Irish a score for “projected all-conference” players based on the likelihood successful players who were drafted highly or earned All-America honors would’ve gotten a leaguewide recognition, too, had Notre Dame been a part of a conference.

We’re also aware that transfers are becoming a bigger issue than ever when crediting a specific school for a player’s NFL success. But as of 2023, there remain only a handful of players who contributed significantly at two schools and also became NFL stars (Russell Wilson and Jalen Hurts top that list), so we’re sticking with our previous formula that awards all NFL-related points to the last school a player attended.

For what it’s worth, here’s where Alabama ranked for each spot:

QB - 4th

RB- 1st

WR- 4th

OL- 1st

DL - 1st

LB- 2nd

DB- 2nd

Alabama was not in the top 10 at TE, K, or P, in a surprise to no one.

Now, remember that this goes all the way back to 1998. So even though Alabama had a run of QBs now in Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young, that’s why the Tide is still behind, say, USC, who had all of those Pete Carroll years.

Now, wide receiver?

I know that, again, the Tide didn’t have much going for them before 2010, but still, it’s been an incredible run since then.

Now, at kicker, I’m not sure one guy will be enough to make a difference, but Will Reichard has finally been named to the Lou Groza watch list:

Crimson Tide senior Will Reichard was one of 30 players on the watch list for the Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top college placekicker as determined by a voting panel of D-1 head coaches, sports writers and sportscasters, conference representatives, professional kickers and previous winners. The award was established back in 1992.

Alabama received a pleasant surprise when Reichard changed his mind about entering the NFL draft and chose to return to UA for a fifth season, taking advantage of a free year. He became the program’s all-time leader in career points (417) and extra points (234) last season and is up to fourth in career field goals. Now, he will have a chance to pad his lead and take over the top spot on just about all of the Tide’s kicking records. But in addition to the record books, Reichard adds efficiency and effectiveness to Alabama’s special teams for another year.

Reichard ranks fourth on the Alabama list for career field goals (61). Last year, he was second in the SEC and fourth nationally in total points scored with 121. Good on 21 field goals across 25 tries and 58 made PATs in as many attempts during the Tide’s 2022 campaign, Reichard also kicked off 86 times for a total of 5,439 yards (63.2 yards per kick) with 45 touchbacks.

Hopefully, Will can go out there and bring home the trophy after being robbed of it back in 2020.

Alabama football wore the crown in college football during the 2010s as head coach Nick Saban created a dynasty in Tuscaloosa. Saban has won six national championships with the Crimson Tide and consistently has his program among the best in the nation. However, a new SEC team seems to be on the verge of taking over: Georgia football.

In the top 25 poll put out by CBS, Georgia was the clear-cut favorite at #1. However, Alabama wasn’t even the second SEC team featured in the rankings as LSU football came in one spot above the Crimson Tide at #4. The top-10 is as follows: Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, LSU, Alabama, USC, Penn State, Florida, Clemson and Washington.

AD

Alabama’s ranking is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, and a ranking that 99% of programs in college football would be thrilled to have, but it’s not the standard there. Crimson Tide fans want to be #1 and nothing short of that is acceptable.

The past two seasons have belonged to Georgia, and college football experts everywhere are riding with the Dawgs again in 2023 to take home the national championship crown. Georgia was as dominant as ever last season and won one of the most lopsided national title games the sport has ever seen. The Bulldogs continue to reload and are the team to beat again this year, not Alabama.

Keep laying it on thick, media. The more we can keep the doubt flowing, the better.