9 Best Alabama Crimson Tide Football Players, Ranked

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the Alabama Crimson Tide have certainly made college football entertaining over the years. 

Today, markets like college football live betting odds are available at BetMGM. 

Below, I have a list of the top 10 Crimson Tide players of all time.

9 Best Alabama Crimson Tide Football Players, Ranked

Who Are the Best Crimson Tide Football Players Ever?

1. Derrick Thomas

The Butkus Award winner in 1988, Thomas still holds the Crimson Tide’s all-time sack record with 52. The next closest is Will Anderson Jr. with 34.5. In 1988, he had 27 sacks, which is the most in a season in Alabama history. 

Who’s No. 2 on that list? Thomas as well, with 18 in 1987. He had five sacks in one game against Texas A&M and four against Kentucky. 

He’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

2. Derrick Henry

Henry played three seasons and is second all-time in rushing yards (3,591) and rushing touchdowns (42). 

Henry scored 28 touchdowns on the ground and rushed for 2,219 yards in the 2015 season. Alabama won the national championship that season. 

In 2015, he won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp Award, and was a unanimous All-American. 

3. DeVonta Smith

There aren’t too many college football receivers who have had better college football careers than Smith. 

Smith ranks first in Alabama history in receptions (235), receiving yards (3,965), and receiving touchdowns (46).

He won the Heisman in 2020, the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Biletnikoff Award, and many more. 

Smith also won two national championships with the team. 

4. Najee Harris

Beginning his college career in 2017, Harris is another great Crimson Tide running back, ranking first all-time in rushing yards (3,843), rushing touchdowns (46), and eighth in touchdowns responsible for (57). 

He won two national titles with the Tide and rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior. 

5. Tua Tagovailoa

After beginning his career as a backup to Jalen Hurts, Tagovailoa eventually got his shot, leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship after the team benched Hurts in that game. He threw for 166 yards, three touchdowns, and had 27 rushing yards in one half. 

He ranks fourth all-time in passing yards (7,442), first in passing touchdowns (87), fourth in combined yards (7,782), and first in touchdowns responsible for (96). 

He was named the CFP National Championship MVP in 2017. 

6. Amari Cooper

Playing just three seasons with the Tide, Cooper is second all-time in receptions (228), receiving yards (3,463), and receiving touchdowns (31). 

Cooper won a national championship and was the Biletnikoff Award winner in 2014. 

As a freshman, he caught 59 passes for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

7. A.J. McCarron

There’s no denying the accomplishment McCarron had while at Alabama. After redshirting in 2009, McCarron went on to play for the program from 2010 to 2013. He didn’t start in 2010, but did the last three seasons.

He ranks first in passing yards (9,019), third in passing touchdowns (77), first in combined yards (8,969), and third in touchdowns responsible for (46).  

He won three national championships with Alabama. 

8. Mark Ingram

Before Harris and Henry, there was Ingram. 

The winner of the 2009 Heisman Trophy, Ingram now ranks seventh in program history in rushing yards (3,261) and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (42).

Over his three-year career at the school, he rushed for at least 12 touchdowns in each season. 

9. Calvin Ridley

Ridley is another more recent player on this list, but he was fantastic in his three years at Alabama. 

He ranks third all-time in program history in receptions (224), fourth in receiving yards (2,781), and fifth in receiving touchdowns (19). 

Ridley won two national championships, was a freshman All-American, and a first-team All-SEC recipient.