When former Michigan State football coach Nick Saban was hired at Alabama in 2007, he delivered few surprises. The Crimson Tide almost immediately returned to its dominance of college football from a generation prior, winning the SEC West in his second season, and a national championship (the first of his six in Tuscaloosa) in his third.
That first title came with Saban’s calling card at his many stops: a tough-nosed, old-school defense. But the five since have featured a surprising turn: reliance on outstanding wide receivers. And the NFL took notice.
In 15 NFL drafts since Saban took over (beginning with 2008), 57 wide receivers have been first-round picks.