For the first time in decades, Nick Saban isn’t spending the spring preparing a college football team for the fall. Seven-time national championship winner Retired in January.
Saban is expected to be involved alabama football Program in “assistant” capacity. But his schedule will no longer be filled with the responsibilities that come with being a head coach.
Saban has since taken on the role of college football analyst with ESPN. Even when he was still coaching, Saban made several appearances on ESPN’s “College GameDay” panel whenever the Crimson Tide was not playing on the same day. He has also been a frequent guest on “The Pat McAfee Show”.
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Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell runs on a 40-yard run during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on March 1, 2024. (Getty Images)
On Thursday, Saban was featured on the network’s 2024 NFL Draft coverage, and he made a surprising revelation about one of the most highly touted defensive prospects.
philadelphia eagles The pick was 22nd overall and former Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was selected Thursday night.
Although Mitchell spent his entire college football career in Toledo and did not enter the transfer portal, that apparently did not diminish Alabama’s interest in the star defensive back.
“Last year he was our No. 1 guy in the portal, trying to get him out of the portal, and he never got in the portal,” Saban said moments after Mitchell’s name came off the draft board.
Quinyon Mitchell, left, poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza on April 25, 2024 in Detroit. (Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
A record number of offensive players were taken in the first round of this year’s draft, with Mitchell being one of just nine defensive players selected on Thursday.
fellow cornerback terrian arnold, whom Saban coached at Alabama, finished only two behind Mitchell. Saban did not share any other details about what the potential pursuit of Mitchell might have entailed.
Quinyon Mitchell arrives for the 2024 NFL Draft at the Fox Theater on April 25, 2024 in Detroit. (Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
But the former coach’s comments shed some light on the strategy program that can be practiced across the country even before a player formally enters the transfer portal.
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buffalo bill Grab the 33rd pick and will be on the clock to start the second round. The draft will conclude on Saturday.
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