Three Alabama players were selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Offensive tackle JC Latham<\/a><\/strong> was the first player off the board to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 7 overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings traded up to take edge rusher Dallas Turner<\/a><\/strong> with the No. 17 choice and the Detroit Lions moved up to select cornerback Terrion Arnold<\/a><\/strong> with the No. 24 pick. All three Alabama players were in Detroit to walk across the stage.<\/p>\n Latham coming off the board extended the Crimson Tide\u2019s NCAA record to 16 consecutive drafts with at least one first-round selection, and the trio increased Nick Saban<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s historic total to 47 first-rounders in his time at Alabama and 52 in his coaching career. Saban, who has 14 more picks than Joe Paterno<\/strong>, watched his players from his new job on the ABC desk.<\/p>\n With Alabama\u2019s three selections, the Tide has now produced multiple first-rounders in 13 of the last 16 NFL drafts. Since 2000, Alabama has produced an NCAA-leading 49 first-rounders, which is 11 better than the next closest school Ohio State. Since 2010, the Tide has had an NCAA-leading 46 players selected in the first round, nearly double OSU (25). <\/p>\n Arnold going to the Lions reunites him with former Alabama defensive back Brian Branch<\/a><\/strong> in Detroit\u2019s secondary. The Lions, which played in the NFC Championship Game last season, have now selected four Crimson Tide players in the last three drafts, and that includes three straight NFL drafts of using a first-round pick on a former Alabama football starter. <\/p>\n