Jumbo Package: Tide players shine at Combine

Happy Monday, everyone. Alabama’s players are looking good at the Combine, and Calvin Ridley raised some eyebrows with his remarks about the 2017 WR room.

Sooo, it got awkward?

”Sometimes, yeah because some of the guys made comments, throw up the charts,” Ridley said. “Everybody would have like five catches and I had like 50. It’s just kinda weird. I wish we all had the same amount but we won the championship. And everybody was happy.”

“I knew the day Tua got there that he was going to be something special,” Ridley told reporters. “And with the tools he would practice with, he’d do really well. I knew that if he got a chance to get into a game that he would be very successful. And he proved it.”

Ridley showed visible frustration on the field at times last season despite getting the lion’s share of the targets. Read into these comments how you will.

Check out big Da’Ron cooking on the 40:

Payne ran faster than Jonathan Allen did last year. Who saw that coming?

Liars.

Rashaan Evans chose to forgo the 40 but participated in the other agility drills.

It might turn out that it doesn’t matter where Evans plays, or where he’s listed on depth charts. He has real sideline-to-sideline speed, and his next team will deploy him plenty in coverage no matter where he lines up. Evans says he’s comfortable covering not just tight ends, but speedy slot receivers. He did that at least sometimes in Tuscaloosa.

Evans actually got some practice work at safety during the 2016 season. He can do it all, and is going to be a versatile weapon in the pros just as he was for Alabama.

“Because at the end of the day, Coach (Nick) Saban never lied to me,” Foster said. “He promised me I was going to get a degree. He promised me I was going to get a national championship and he promised me I was going to get to play for a national championship. Everything that happened throughout my career, I enjoyed it and embraced it because it was all a blessing because now I have the benefit of what I can do for my kids.”

Foster had something of a star-crossed career at Alabama, but all of the tools are there. His good size and blazing speed are going to get him drafted.

ATKINS: “When I saw the ball in the air, my head dropped. I was like, ‘Oh. My. God.’”

CARTER: “To turn around and see the ball in the air. … It was demoralizing.”

BELLAMY: “I knew it was over. I was like, ‘Man, I hope he drops it.’ But that’s a D-1 wide receiver over there at Alabama. I knew it was game over as soon as the ball left his hand.”

SANDERS: “He kinda looked me off. I kinda opened up toward the middle to try and honor the post that was coming backside. I also had a 9 route on my side to the same receiver. I tried to honor the post, and by the time I opened up, the guy was 5 yards ahead of me and it was pretty much over with.”

Yes it was, and it was beautiful.

“This (class) is the main focus now. The coaches can focus on this class a lot more. The ones (visits) in January were good, too, but they were still worried about the ’18 class and all that stuff. With us being the main focus, there were a lot more people at this one. We had a ton of in-state guys there. The talent in-state for this year’s class and next year’s class is unreal. I think that will help out Alabama’s class this year.”

Important that the 2019 in-state class is strong, after a pretty terrible 2018 crop. The offensive line group is particularly stout with Quick, five-star guard Clay Webb, and massive four-star OT Amari Kight who protects Taulia Tagovailoa at Thompson High in Alabaster. CB Christian Williams out of Daphne will be an important target as well. There are twelve players who currently rate four stars or better on the 247 composite. Hopefully the Tide can land the majority of them.

Emmert said allowing athletes to earn money for things such as endorsements from outside sources is worthy of consideration.

”There’s a lot of discussion about the Olympic model and think it’s well deserving of serious consideration inside the context of college sports,” he said.

Emmert said that the NCAA cannot change the NBA’s so-called one-and-done rule, which prohibits U.S. players from being drafted until they are 19 and at least one year removed from high school.

What, y’all don’t want to talk amateurism rules to start the work week?

Last but not least, Evil Nick is at it again.

Nick Saban, Miss Terry, Alabama football players and Habitat for Humanity works to build the 17th national championship Habitat House for the Smith family, Donna, her daughter Megan and son Andrew, Saturday, March 3, 2017.

That’s about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.