Jumbo Package: Linebacker officially leaves the team, and Damien Harris continues to build a name for himself

Veteran Alabama LB moving on from football

Keith Holcombe appears to be done with football.

Alabama had hoped the veteran linebacker would return to the team after focusing exclusively on baseball during the spring. However, Holcombe has decided to move on from football and play strictly baseball, Nick Saban announced Wednesday.

We’ve all pretty much known that Holcombe didn’t intend to play this upcoming season since the spring, but Saban speaking of him in past tense today combined with him not being listed on the RollTide.com official roster pretty much puts the nail in that coffin.

Holcombe was a phenomenal special teams player during his four seasons on the Alabama football team, and was a steady reserve linebacker as well. Here’s to hoping the best for him.

Hate Nick Saban all you want, but his teams are still winning big and yours aren’t

It’s often marveled the way Saban, who also has a national title and two SEC championships to his credit in his five seasons at LSU from 2000-04, has consistently destroyed competition in the traditionally toughest college football conference.

Yet, it also causes anguish from victims absorbing beatings that often create job opportunities.

Since 2006 when Saban came to Alabama, where he has won five national titles, four SEC championships and has averaged 12.2 victories per year in his last 10 seasons, 27 head football coaches have been hired by the 13 other league members.

Looks like even NOLA.com has now been Processed. This is actually a really good article on just how dominant Nick Saban has been while focusing on how likely it is that he keeps this golden age at Alabama going for at least 5 more years.

2019 NFL Draft: Six players who could be in the next wave of first-round picks from Alabama

Raekwon Davis, DL

A colossal defensive lineman, the 6-foot-7 Davis has shades of Calais Campbell to his game. He doesn’t win the center-of-gravity battle often yet thrived in his first season as a full-time contributor with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks because of quickness off the snap and immense upper-body strength, which allows him to explode through the line of scrimmage as a towering wrecking ball.

Like Campbell, Davis projects to a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid role in the NFL, and after what should be another monster season in Tuscaloosa, he’s a prime candidate to be the Crimson Tide’s third-straight first-round pick on the defensive line.

CBS Sports is getting an early look at the potential first-round picks in the 2019 NFL draft. Raekwon Davis heads the group with his freakish size and speed combination, but is followed by Jonah Williams, Damien Harris, Mack Wilson, Ross Pierschbacher, and Anfernee Jennings.

Also, it is mentioned that Alabama has 12 first round draft picks in the last 5 years, leading all other college teams. Ohio State is in second place with 11, but Florida is a distant third with only 7.

SEC Media Days: Harris takes place front and center for Tide

Center Ross Pierschbacher thinks he might have some clue what it is Harris ultimately wants to achieve after his football career finishes. It could be that all the media attention Wednesday was just one of many practice sessions.

“Well, he loves doing this stuff,” Pierschbacher said. “I think he wants to do this when he grows up. Yeah he’s just always got very intellectual, great responses.”

Harris’ quick wit and media savvy were put on display when he got the better of an Alabama-based reporter during a friendly back and forth over if the reporter in question ever asked players about the quarterback competition.

“You’ve never asked? Not one time? Not one time?” Harris joked. “I’m pretty sure you’ve asked me about the quarterback situation. So I know for a fact that you’ve asked that question before.

“So yeah, I’ve been asked about it a million times. Somebody asked me earlier if I get tired of it. I get to support my teammates so why I would get tired of it.”

I’ve been trying to avoid linking any SEC Media Days stuff since Josh is covering that for us all week. But I just couldn’t pass up the chance to talk even more about who is possibly my favorite player to play for Nick Saban at Alabama so far. After he’s done with a Hall of Fame NFL career, Harris will pretty much be a shoe-in for a top media job, if he chooses to go that route with his life.

Roll Tide!