Jumbo Package: Alabama players get paid, and 2021 looks to be another stellar draft class

Happy Monday, everyone. The NFL Draft is in the books, and we now know that Tua Tagovailoa will be making $30 million over his first four years in the NFL, with almost $20 million guaranteed. All of the first round salaries are listed there, and all look just fine from here. if you are interested in the salaries of Alabama players drafted after the first, you can find that information here.

You know what always happens the day after the draft ends? Stupid mock drafts for the following year.

• Sporting News has five Alabama players in the first round.
• CBS has the Tide putting six in the first.
• Sports Illustrated has Alabama with five as well.

Consensus first rounders are Devonta Smith, Alex Leatherwood, Patrick Surtain II, Jaylen Waddle, and Dylan Moses. The two most polarizing prospects seem to be Moses and Waddle, as both show up very high on at least one list and near the end, or even out, of the first on another. Josh Jobe is the sixth first rounder listed by CBS and he is also listed in the top 40 according to Sporting News. If he plays well enough to be drafted that high, it will be a very good season for the Tide.

Travis Reier over at BamaOnline has started a series of Saban’s best wins by year.

With a very limited selection of wins to choose from, that 41-17 victory over Tennessee is our choice for the best Alabama victory in 2007. The Vols would represent the Southeastern Conference East Division in the SEC Championship Game (falling to LSU) and finish the season 10-4, including 6-2 in the league.

It would also mark the first of Saban’s two Crimson Tide wins over a Philip Fulmer-coached Tennessee team and the start of what is now a 13-game winning streak against the Vols.

Beating Tennessee is always good.

Speaking of the Vols, they managed to pull the #1 ranked player in Alabama over the weekend in five-star pass rusher Dylan Brooks. Reading the tea leaves, Alabama’s insane haul of edge rushers in the 2020 class caused both sides to deprioritize the other. If he goes up there and blows up, we will never hear the end of it.

Last, in the latest sign of hope for pro sports to be played this year, the NBA is allowing players to work out at team facilities in states where shelter in place has been lifted.

The NBA plans to reopen team practice facilities on Friday for players in cities and states that have loosened stay-at-home orders during the novel coronavirus outbreak, a person with knowledge of the league’s decision told USA TODAY Sports. The person was granted anonymity because the NBA has not announced the news.

The facilities will only be open for individual workouts — not any group workouts or organized team practices — the person stressed.

It’s a small step, but the main barrier to play will be the willingness of the union represented athletes to participate. Early indications are that the majority, if not all, will be more than ready to get back on the court or field at the first opportunity. Hope for the best.

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

Roll Tide.