Move over, Miami: Canes don't measure up to Alabama's football's NFL Draft record | Goodbread

Move over, Miami.

In an NFL Draft where the Alabama football program produced its fewest first-round draft picks since 2016 with two, it also secured the most impressive run of draft selections the annual event has ever seen. Bar none. This is no longer a contest.

A year ago, the Crimson Tide matched Miami's record for first-round picks in a single draft with six; and this year, it tied UM's record of 14 consecutive years to place at least one first-rounder in the draft.

Much as those footnotes make it sound like a dead-even race, it's not. The Hurricanes' historic impact on the draft that began in 1995 and ended, ironically, the same year Alabama coach Nick Saban began sending first-rounders to the draft by the shovelful, isn't to be discounted. Four Hurricanes from that stretch went on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, Edgerrin James and Ed Reed. In periods in its history when UM has found a way to dominate recruiting in South Florida, the NFL has been no less fond of Canes talent than Sebastian the Ibis.

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But the 14-year run Alabama has posted since the Saban era initially cracked the draft's first round with Andre Smith in 2009 has no peer in Miami. Alabama has logged 41 first-round picks in that stretch; Miami's 14-year run delivered 33. Comparing the two on second-day selections, comprising Rounds 2 and 3, reveals Alabama has doubled UM's output (36 to 18), which is arguably the most compelling aspect of the comparison. In 2016, when center Ryan Kelly was the Crimson Tide's lone first-rounder, UA logjammed the second round with five picks: Reggie Ragland, Derrick Henry, A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed and Cyrus Jones. It has unquestionably backed up it first-round mettle with a far deeper second tier. As for total draft choices in that time: Alabama 113, Miami 83.

There isn't much debating a deeper look at the track records. But forget the numbers and consider what's yet to come. Alabama's draft-pick express is showing no sign of a slowdown, particularly with its two best players – linebacker Will Anderson and quarterback Bryce Young – about to enter their first year of draft eligibility. Pro scouts will be scurrying around UA's football facility this fall as much as they ever have.

By contrast, history provides a definitive cap on Miami's proud draft run, and that ending came with a thud. In 2009, sixth-round pick Spencer Adkins represented the entirety of UM's draft class. It failed to produce any first-round picks over a six-year stretch from 2009-14, during which time the program averaged more than five losses per season.

That's not happening at UA anytime soon.

As long as Saban's combination of recruiting and player development remains intact, the program will continue the most remarkable stretch of NFL draft picks ever seen.

One that Miami approached, but absolutely did not match.

Reach Chase Goodbread @cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football NFL Draft record under Nick Saban stands alone