Breaking News: Three players return to Alabama….
Three Former Alabama Football Players Selected on Day Two of 2024 NFL Draft
4/26/2024 10:34:00 PM | Football
The Crimson Tide had six total players selected across two days of this year’s NFL Draft
DETROIT – Three additional University of Alabama football players were drafted on night two of the 2024 NFL Draft Friday, including two second round picks and a third-round selection.
Former Crimson Tide cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (No. 41, New Orleans Saints) came off the board early in the second-round selection, while outside linebacker Chris Braswell followed close behind (No. 57 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wide receiver Jermaine Burton had his name called 16th pick of the third round (No. 80 overall) by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Draft Notes
Since 2009, Alabama has produced 129 draft picks, the most by any college football program during that span.
Since 2010, Alabama’s had 67 players taken in the first two rounds, including McKinstry and Braswell’s selections Friday, the most by any college football program during that span.
That number nearly doubles the next closest school Ohio State (37).
With Alabama’s six selections through the first three rounds at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide has had at least six selections in the NFL Draft for five straight years (2020-24) and seven years total under Saban,
With the conclusion of the second round, the Crimson Tide remains the NCAA leader in most first- and second-round picks all-time.
The 2024 NFL Draft concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. CT. It will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
Alabama
McKinstry served as a true lockdown corner during his career with the Tide, seeing significant time as a freshman before starting each of his final two seasons. He earned first team All-America honors from the Associated Press and The Sporting News in 2023 while also being named a first-teamer by four other outlets. Additionally, McKinstry was selected to the All-SEC First Team by the AP and conference coaches as a junior. Despite teams avoiding his side of the field, McKinstry still managed to break up seven passes while adding 32 tackles, including two for loss (-4 yards), as a junior. He also played a key role on special teams in 2023, returning 14 punts for 86 combined yards. In 2022, McKinstry picked up first team All-America accolades from Pro Football Focus as a corner while also earning All-America nods as a returner and being named first team All-SEC by both the AP and coaches. He ranked second Division I punt returners with 332 yards while averaging 15.8 yards per return, good for second nationally and tops in the SEC. In addition to his return skills, McKinstry totaled 35 tackles, including two for loss (-16 yards) and one sack (-12 yards), to go with 15 pass breakups, an interception and two fumble recoveries. In his true freshman season of 2021, McKinstry earned a role in the Tide’s deep secondary unit during fall camp and was later selected to the Freshman All-SEC Team by the conference coaches. That 2021 season saw McKinstry post 25 tackles, including one sack (-13 yards), while also picking off and breaking up one pass apiece across his 15 games of action.
Chris Braswell, Outside Linebacker (No. 57 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Braswell excelled during his senior campaign, playing in all 14 games with two starts, while playing in 41 career games for Alabama. His senior season saw the Baltimore, Md., native record 42 total stops, including 10.5 for loss (-61 yards) to go with eight sacks (-57 yards). He also notched five quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, an interception with a return for a score, one blocked field goal and a team-best three forced fumbles. As a junior in 2022, Braswell saw time in all 13 games, totaling 20 tackles, including four for loss (-23 yards) and 2.5 sacks (-12 yards), to go with six quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. Braswell’s sophomore season saw him accumulate 13 total tackles, one of which was for loss (-1 yard), in addition to two quarterback pressures. A major contributor on special teams in 2021, Braswell also blocked a punt that was returned for a score.
Jermaine Burtron, Wide Receiver (No. 80 | Cincinnati Bengals)
A two-year contributor at Alabama, Burton started 24 of his 26 games in the crimson and white. He put together a solid campaign in 2023, racking up a team-high 798 yards and eight touchdowns across 39 catches. Burton led the SEC and ranked sixth nationally with an impressive 20.5 yards per catch average as a senior. In his first season with UA, the Calabasas, Calif., native started 12 games while seeing time in 13 contests. He tied for sixth in the conference for touchdown catches with seven, part of his 40 receptions for a team-high 677 yards. Before joining the Crimson Tide, Burton began his collegiate career at Georgia.
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