Delays in conscription can be overcome

For former Alabama players looking for good opportunities in this year’s NFL Draft, 1,2 and 3 are magic numbers. Fans know why one is important, as in the first round of the NFL Draft. The election of the first round is an investment of the teams, and these players will have expanded opportunities to succeed in their professional careers.

Although the chances of a long career in the NFL decrease with each passing round, players in the second and third rounds can and often have a solid career in the NFL. From the fourth round onwards, the windows of opportunity narrow.

The situations described above apply to the total number of players drafted each year. Individual players will be an exception to this rule.

Over the decades, there have been many former Alabama footballers drafted in the fourth round or later who have built a stable career in the NFL.

When the draft began in 1936, Paul “Bear” Bryant was selected in the fourth round. By today’s figures it looks low, but he was the 31st player to be drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Bryant quickly realized that his future was in coaching.

The highlight of this 1936 draft was Crimson Tide, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Riley Smith was the second choice and number 1 who signed a professional contract. Choice number 1 was Jay Bervanger. Bervanger never played in the NFL because neither Philadelphia (which drafted and traded him) nor Chicago met his salary requirements. Thus, the Alabama Crimson Tide player became the best player to join the 1936 NFL team.