Last night’s NFL draft saw Alabama make history, as the two-time defending national champions became the first college team to produce three consecutive first-round picks since the common draft started in 1967. Dee Milliner, Chance Warmack and DJ Fluker became the 12th, 13th and 14th players to go in the 1st Round of the NFL Draft in the Nick Saban era at Alabama.
In 19 fewer seasons, last night’s draft saw Nick Saban top Bear Bryant’s 1st round picks while at Bama. Chew on that one for just a second. And don’t think the always working Nick Saban missed the moment. An interesting tweet from top recruit Marlon Humphrey:
These are indeed the good ole days at Alabama, with more 1st round draft parties likely on the way.
The Tide’s Dee Milliner, Chance Warmack and DJ Fluker went in order as the #9, #10 and #11 picks in the draft.
With the highly publicized trade of cornerstone player Darrell Revis to the Bucs, the New York Jets selected Dee Milliner as his replacement. And what did the 1st team All-American cornerback from Stanhope Elmore high school have to say about replacing the All-Pro corner?
“Very much I can,” said Milliner on the NFL Network. “I know I can.”
That’s confidence. But why shouldn’t he be confident? He emerged as the top defensive back in this year’s draft, having played for the top coach in college football who happens to coach that position. Following Kareem Jackson, Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick, Milliner becomes the fourth defensive back under Saban to go in the 1st round.
Chance Warmack was often called the best lineman on Alabama’s storied offensive line last season. The NFL agreed. Though Barrett Jones won all the hardware, Warmack quietly locked down the left side of the line along with left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio. Warmack was one of eight offensive linemen taken in the top 32 picks of the draft, picked as a Titan.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban was confident of Warmacks abilities.
“I just think that Chance has a unique skill set and he’s got really good size,” Saban said earlier this spring. “He’s very powerful, he’s athletic, he’s got good feet, he can pass-block and he can get moving in the run game. I think people that have his kind of balance and body control and the kind of athleticism that he has at his size are rare commodities. Everybody knows that those guys play 12, 14, 15 years. I think Chance has a chance to have that kind of career.”
Warmack is considered a “plug-and-play” starter, filling an immediate need for the Titans along their interior line.
The other offensive lineman taken again wasn’t Barrett Jones. The mammoth D.J. Fluker was selected as the #11 pick by the San Diego Chargers. With Fluker’s pick, the third in a row for the Tide, ESPN’s Chris Berman proclaimed “Welcome Everyone to the Alabama Network.”
A starter at right tackle in each of his three seasons at Alabama, the 6’5, 339 pound tackle is one of the largest offensive lineman in the draft, and has long, 36.75-inch arms to match.
Fluker, the target of a Twitter hack earlier in the week, can now afford a tailor to custom make the threads needed to cover his gigantic body.
Left on the table from last night’s draft were runningback Eddie Lacy, offensive lineman Barrett Jones, defensive tackle Jessue Williams, linebacker Nico Johnson and safety Robert Lester. But likely not for long. Most of that group should find their NFL homes by the end of the day today.
One interesting footnote, as tweeted by Joe Browne of the NFL’s league office, Birmingham, Alabama was the only non-NFL market among the Top 5 highest rated watching the Draft last night. This April evening has become a party of sorts for Bama fans, and a recruiting tool gathering more top talent. Yes indeed; these are the good ole days.
(Follow ITK on Twitter for Bama news, commentary and smack.)
7 thoughts on “NFL DRAFT: History made as Milliner, Warmack, Fluker all go in the 1st Round”
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I was mostly bored. I’m not a fan of the NFL Draft’s presentation, timing, or even the venue (again).
But then again, I don’t love anything the NFL does as much as I wish I did.
I did love seeing 3 Bama guys go back-to-back-to-back.
Was it just me or did Dee not seem excited to go to the Jets? I know I wouldn’t be either, but still.
I was surprised not to see BJ go just because of all the other line talent that went early. Is it because he played center for part of his career? Did they forget how much he moved around the line? I’m not sure. I don’t understand how the draft works. So I just watch it to see Bama guys have their dreams come true. Roll Tide.
Great post!!
It was an easy call on Eric Fisher and Luke Joekel, but I must confess to being a bit put off when the Browns didn’t grab Dee Milliner (I’m sure siting his multiple surgeries as the reason for the waive) and I thought surely the Bills would snatch up Barkley at number 7 (No, I have never believed Geno Smith was a first rounder and it turns out, I was right)
I was thrilled to hear the Jets fans reactions to Milliner because let’s face facts here… the Jets fans hate everyone!!! I think it caught him off guard as well.
In grand fashion as always, Bama managed to show up and, with only three 1st round picks, managed to add yet another ‘First’ to the long list… First time 3 players from the same team drew back-to-back picks in the first round of the draft… EVER… I’ll take that.
Today I’m looking for Eddie Lacy, Jesse Williams, Barrett Jones, Nico Johnson and Robert Lester to find a home in today’s round.
Geno Smith might get scooped up by the Jets or Eagles and maybe it will be fun to see the hustle as they try. As for me, I will be watching and yelling and hoping for the best for each of our boys.
@Conduit- sometimes just being there and pulling for the boys is all we can do as fans… or yelling really loudly and using words that haven’t yet been invented but sound perfect at the time is all we can do… okay… so, that’s how I watch the boys but either way, you’re doing your part 😉
Shocked!!! Just freaking shocked with some of the players being selected above my boys…
With all that these players have accomplished in their collegiate careers, and still they nay sayers ask, “Are they good players or were they simply a product of a great team??”
What?? Eddie Lacy not a good player… Barrett Jones, Nico Johnson, Robert Lester, Jesse Williams not great players just a great team to back them up…
No, No, No… great teams happen BECAUSE you have great players who all work together toward a common goal!!
If ANY of the players we have in the draft had been a weak link, it would have been clear obvious and apparent!!!
So sick of hearing that utter BS…
Okay… I’m calm… sort of… Roll Tide!
Wow, Miami has the historical record with SIX players drafted in the first round. The fact that you celebrate “history” because your THREE first rounders just happened to be selected in consecutive order is laughable.
I’m assuming you are referring to the same Miami who hasn’t even seen a player go in the first round in like five years or something? Yeah… that would be the same team.
Turns out, you’re *laughable*too!!
So, here’s my suggestion for you…
FOCUS!!!!! Your team needs you…
It’s 2013, let’s not dwell in the past, season’s only a few months out 😉
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!
So Bookgirl, are you saying because Miami hasn’t done anything for “like five years or something” that their historical record doesn’t mean anything and is “laughable’? If so, then I guess you will be consistent and you believe none of bama’s accomplishments prior to 2009 mean anything either since bama had a 15 year period prior to that when they didn’t accomplish shyt. Yea I didn’t think you are any other gump would take your own advice that you like to give to others. I guess it turns out, you’re “laughable” yourself.
I don’t think I said anything about Miami’s historical first round draft not meaning anything… of course it means something and will continue to mean something until another team breaks that record.
So, let me sum it up for you like this…
I don’t talk sh** unless I can and the barren wasteland that was my team’s record for the years you are referencing, is the very thing that earned me the right.
Truth of the matter is, during those years, I would have thought twice about talking smack about another program’s first rounders, especially since we didn’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of!!
We have few windows now 😉
You commented about my team and you used Miami to do it… Miami has had it’s fair share of up, but the Miami team of today IS NOT playing SEC teams week in and week out and until they do and do so regularly, you’re laughable.
The day will inevitably come when Bama will fall from the top and the fans will have to choke back that humiliation… but that day IS NOT today.
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!