Alabama displays talent before Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, others

Former Alabama outside linebacker Ryan Anderson works out in front of NFL representatives during Wednesday's Pro Day at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa.
Former Alabama outside linebacker Ryan Anderson works out in front of NFL representatives during Wednesday's Pro Day at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama had 17 former football players attend pro day festivities Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, including 10 who were invited to last week's NFL combine.

Inside linebacker Reuben Foster was sent home early from Indianapolis after a heated exchange with a hospital employee. He reportedly met with more than 20 teams this week but did not go through Wednesday's workouts due to rotator cuff surgery shortly after the 2016 season.

Longtime draft analyst Mel Kiper told ESPN on Wednesday that he does not believe last weekend's incident will affect Foster's draft status in late April.

"I think he's the third-best football player in this draft behind Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett and Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen," Kiper said. "Will he be the third pick? No, because teams don't prioritize or need an inside linebacker that desperately.

"The first team that does is Cincinnati with the ninth pick, and I think that's where he could come off the board."

Foster did not speak to reporters Wednesday, but Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban took up for the 6-foot, 229-pounder during a brief news conference.

"I know that Reuben wishes he would have responded maybe in a more positive way, but I think other people could have responded and been a little more respectful to him as well," Saban said. "We never had issues with him. He has always been a great leader. He was a signal caller on our defense. He is bright, and he has always been a great team guy and really well-liked by his teammates.

"If you're looking for a good teammate to be on your team, Reuben is going to be very, very good. If you're looking for someone to be a candy striper and to be nice to everyone at the hospital, then maybe not."

ESPN projects eight Alabama players among the top 50 draft prospects, which will give the Crimson Tide a chance at matching the Miami Hurricanes producing six first-round selections in the 2004 draft. Kiper had six Tide players - Allen, Foster, offensive tackle Cam Robinson, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, outside linebacker Tim Williams and tight end O.J. Howard - in the first round of his mock draft in January but dropped Williams to the second round in his revised draft last month.

Allen is widely projected as a top-three selection and told the SEC Network he is keeping his weight around 287 pounds with the potential of going up to 300 as a defensive tackle or down in the 270s as a defensive end.

"I hope I'm inside in the trenches," Allen said when asked his preference.

Alabama has produced 18 first-round picks in the past eight drafts under Saban, which is a staggering rate considering former Penn State coach Joe Paterno needed 46 seasons to produce 33 first-round selections and former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden needed 34 years to produce 32.

Among the 75 NFL representatives in attendance Wednesday were New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who has won five Super Bowls, and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who won a Super Bowl after guiding Southern California to a national championship. The event was televised for three hours by the SEC Network.

Among Wednesday's participants who were not invited to the combine were receiver Gehrig Dieter, long snapper Cole Mazza and kicker Adam Griffith, who signed with the Tide in 2012 out of Georgia's Calhoun High School. Dieter had 15 receptions for 214 yards and four touchdowns last season as a graduate transfer from Bowling Green.

"It was a fun day," Dieter told reporters. "It was definitely exhausting, being one of the guys who did every single part of it. I wanted to show scouts that I can run every single route in the route tree. I didn't really have the opportunity to run every route during the season, so making sure I ran every single route was the biggest thing."

Wednesday was not the final Tuscaloosa showing for the veterans of Alabama's 2016 team that went 14-0 before losing to Clemson 35-31 in the national championship game. Saban announced that a second pro day would be held March 29.

The 2017 Crimson Tide are scheduled to hold their first of 15 spring workouts March 21.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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