Alabama hosted its annual Pro Day inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility on Thursday in front of over a dozen NFL general managers and coaches, with all 32 NFL teams represented.
Fifteen former Alabama players from last year’s squad participated in some capacity in the Pro Day activities, including quarterback Bryce Young, who is expected to be one of the first picks in the NFL Draft. Joining the group of players from last year’s team were three other former players from previous Alabama teams. This includes wide receiver Slade Bolden (2018-21), offensive lineman D.J. Fluker (2009-12), and punter Charlie Scott (2020), who is actually the brother of former Alabama punter JK Scott.
Out of all the NFL talent that was on display Thursday, all eyes were clearly on Bryce Young as he hoped to make one final push to become the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. After finishing up his workout, Bryce Young met up with SEC Network analyst Jordan Rodgers for a quick chat. Rodgers asked Young what he wanted to show about his game to the coaches and scouts in attendance today.
“You know, just diversity. I think that there’s a lot of things that you can see on film. But you know, some stuff, understanding how I want to work some straight drop-backs and pass fakes, things like that, along with some longer developing concepts and stuff that can stretch the field. You know, we just wanted to make sure we could put together a script that encompasses everything. And, you know, I’m glad we had the script that we came up with.”
Rodgers also talked about a “big dinner” that Bryce Young allegedly attended the night before. Bryce Young mentioned that he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to confirm the rumor. The “big dinner” Rodgers was referring to was a dinner between Young and the Carolina Panthers owner, general manager, head coach, and a few more important people in the Panthers’ organization. The Panthers hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and are in need of a quarterback.
The same group of Panther staff is believed to have also met Kentucky quarterback Will Levis Thursday night before he throws for scouts on Friday.
During the interviews, Bryce Young was asked what his argument would be for him to be taken No. 1 overall.
“I don’t have an argument,” he said. “I try to be myself and I want to present myself in the best light, but I don’t control where I’m picked, who picks me. I’ll be grateful for whatever team does take a chance on me. I try to focus on what I can control. I try to let the interviews and the meetings and the film and what I did today speak for itself. That’s all I can control.”
While Young didn’t have much of an argument, Nick Saban made one for him during his interview at Alabama’s Pro Day.
“Bryce is somebody that a lot of people are interested in,” Saban said. “Hopefully he'll be the first pick in the draft. Nobody knows that for sure. I don't think anybody disagrees that he's one of the outstanding players in this draft. I guess it's just all about your needs and what your particular feeling may be about him. We think he's the best player in the draft.”
One of the only negatives scouts seem to think Bryce Young has is maybe his size, but Nick Saban doesn’t seem to think that is an issue.
“The only negative that anybody can bring is what is his height? Drew Brees was always the biggest nemesis Nick Saban ever had, whether it was at Michigan State when he was at Purdue or in the NFL. And he was 5-11-something. I don't think it's an issue. It wasn't an issue in his college career. And he's going to play against some of the same players in that league that he's played against in the SEC,” Saban said.
Bryce Young and the others that participated in Alabama’s Pro Day will have to wait until next month before they find out where the next chapter of their lives will lead them when the NFL Draft takes place on April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri.
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