Alabama assistant director of player personnel Aazaar Abdur-Rahim tweeted out a pretty incredible graphic. It’s a screenshot from the Crimson Tide’s 2012 season opener. All 11 players on offense are currently on NFL rosters:
Alabama had 11 NFL players on the field at once ... on its lesser side of the ball
A lot of FBS programs don’t have 11 active NFL players total. In 2012, Alabama had 11 on the field at once.
— RAHIM ALABAMA FB (@Aazaar23) June 12, 2015 Not every player is an NFL star. Anthony Steen has spent most of his two years on the Cardinals practice squad, Michael Williams was moved from TE to OT by the Lions and has yet to play, and Brian Vogler is an undrafted rookie on the Bears who might not make the roster.
But this is still dang impressive. A lot of FBS teams don’t even have 11 players in the NFL total. Alabama had them all in the same year. On the same side of the ball. And was able to play them all simultaneously.
And Bama wasn’t even as good at offense as it was at defense, whether you go by yards per play or advanced stats. The reason this isn’t a screenshot of the defense is because only one corner, Dee Milliner, is currently in the NFL. Deion Belue is in the CFL after a few NFL gigs, and Geno Smith is still in school. Maybe at some point, 2012 Bama can get 10 NFL defenders in one screenshot.
We knew the 2012 Tide were a spectacular team, as they pasted Notre Dame in the championship to complete a 13-1 season. But seeing this puts it in perspective.
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