MLB Chris Jordan spends the day at 'Sam'; NG Josh Chapman brags about some teammates

Chris Jordan, a 6-foot-3, 232-pound junior from Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy said Monday that all of the Crimson Tide's linebackers have been moving around the various positions so far this spring. He's most comfortable at the middle spot, because that's where he has experience. But he had a new experience Monday.

"Today I practiced at the Sam (strong outside linebacker)," Jordan said. "That was a different kind of look, but I kind of liked it, because every play is contact. You're hitting somebody."

>> Jordan was asked how two newcomers - true freshman Jalston Fowler and grayshirt freshman Petey Smith - are looking.

"Fowler, he's learning real fast," Jordan said. :He moved from running back, like I did. He's real instinctive. He's going to be a good player.

"Petey, he's learning real fast, too, but he moved to one of the hardest positions on the field, which is Mike (middle linebacker). You've got to be vocal, lead the team, make all calls and everything like that.

"They're going to come around."

>> Josh Chapman, a 6-1, 310-pound junior from Hoover, is settling in at nose guard, where two-time All-American Terrence Cody is gone. The Tide, in fact, must replace all three starters in its defensive line.

Chapman was asked which young linemen have impressed him. He started with redshirt freshman Darrington Sentimore.
"The boy's fast and aggressive," he said.

Chapman then mentioned redshirt freshman Brandon Moore, junior college transfer Brandon Lewis and grayshirt freshman Anthony Orr.
"They're learning faster than we did when we were coming in," Chapman said. "They pick it up before they come on the field."

>> And which young offensive linemen have caught Chapman's eye?
He mentioned guard Chance Warmack and tackle D.J. Fluker, both redshirt freshmen.
"They're aggressive," Chapman said. "They like to learn. They take it to the heat. They come in after practice and try to learn more. I'll tell them something they messed up on, and they learn fast and don't mess up again on the same drill."
>> Reserve quarterback Star Jackson missed his third consecutive practice on Monday. On Alabama, coach Nick Saban said academic issues are keeping Jackson off the field, but he will be welcomed back if/when he gets things straightened out.

>> The Tide practices again Wednesday, then holds its first scrimmage of the spring on Friday.

Video: Crimson Tide practices in full pads

Alabama football team practices in full pads

Coach Saban and the Trophies

Coach Saban and the Trophies

Gadsden City WR Daryl Collins commits to Alabama

Gadsden City wide receiver Daryl Collins has become the fifth high school player to commit to Alabama for the 2011 season.
Collins is a 6-foot, 190-pound standout who plays for coach Joe Billingsley, as did current Alabama football players Jerrell Harris, Dre Kirkpatrick and Kendall Kelly.

Collins returns kicks for Gadsden City and is expected to be a slot receiver in college. He is the third receiver to commit to Alabama. He joins Vigor's Marvin Shinn and LeFlore's Danny Woodson Jr.

Two linebackers -- Shannon Brown of Adel, Ga., and Brent Calloway of Russellville, also are committed to Alabama.

K Jackson's stock soaring, Tebow still looking at 3rd or 4th round

Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson's NFL draft stock has risen steadily since he posted a 4.48 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. Count ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay among the believers. McShay, who held a teleconference with media members on Thursday, rates the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Jackson as the third best cornerback in the draft behind Florida's Joe Haden and Boise State's Kyle Wilson and believes Jackson may have pushed himself into the first round.
"He might be the most underrated player in the entire draft right now," McShay said. "For some reason, people have not caught on to him. He's about as good as Wilson, he should go in the top 25 picks and he has a chance to make an immediate impact coming from Nick Saban's system."
Haden, who had run poor times at the combine, solidified his stature as the draft's top corner by posting 40 times between 4.39 and 4.45 at Florida's recent pro day.
Tim Tebow also turned heads in Gainesville, showing off a quickened release in hopes of answering some of his critics and pushing himself into the top two rounds of the draft. McShay said he was impressed with how far Tebow has come, but still isn't convinced he'll go before the third round.
"I thought he aced the test. I don't think you can do a better job in a five-week span of bascially retooling your entire mechanics as a passer," McShay said. "I think you have to keep it in perspective. ... You know he's a work in progress.
"As much as I love him from an intangible, toughness and character standpoint, I've got to draft in the first two rounds players who can start and hopefully make an impact right away. He's not ready. He's going to need two, maybe three, years of developing. When you get into the third round, fourth round, that's where I think he's worth it as a developmental project."
Although Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody answered some questions about his weight by coming into the TIde's pro day at 349 pounds, McShay said those questions will linger.
"If you draft Terrence Cody, you've got to have a plan to keep him motivated, keep him in shape," McShay said. "He's phenomenally gifted, but the weight fluctuates and he didn't always play to the level he should  have.
"I do think he'll go in the second round. There are too many teams looking for 3-4 nose tackles."
As for the Gulf Coast's NFL team, the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, McShay said he believes there will be several high-value defensive players available for their pick at No. 32.
"The teams at the final four or five (slots) can just sit back there and wait for the teams that are pressing, wait for them to make mistakes," McShay said. "With so much depth on the defensive side, somebody's going to fall to them. ... I think in the front seven, somebody's got to fall."
McShay's take on some other top NFL draft hopefuls:
Alabama LB Rolando McClain -- "There are more and more questions about his speed and about his (recently revealed Crohn's disease). Even if he drops a little bit, he's going to step right in and be a starter somewhere."
Texas QB Colt McCoy -- "As much as I love him, I think he's overrated and I think he's going to have a big shock when he gets to the next level."
Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen -- "The bottom line is, there are at least 10 different teams I've talked to that have concerns about the intangibles and the leadership."
Tennessee S Eric Berry -- "I don't think a comparison to (Baltimore Ravens All-Pro) Ed Reed is so far off."
Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant -- "There hasn't been a receiver as talented as him since (Detroit's) Calvin Johnson," McShay said, but added that his off-the field baggage may push him down many draft boards. "There's a real good chance that he doesn't go in the top 10, 11 spots."
Florida LB Brandon Spikes, who didn't break 5-flat in the 40 at the Gators' pro day -- "I still think he's a real good football player. Whether he drops to the second round or the third round, I think a team is going to get a really good value."

Crimson Tide Gets Big Committment today

Danny Woodson became the fifth commitment of the class of 2011 for the Tide on Saturday.

"I called Coach (Jeremy) Pruitt and then I called Coach Saban. They both said that the news made them very happy," said Woodson who stands 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. "I decided late last night my recruitment was over. I was going to wait awhile, but I started thinking about it and it made no sense to keep it going. I wanted to play for Alabama all of my life, and I couldn't be happier with my decision.

"Just being on campus yesterday made me feel like I was home. My whole family just about is Alabama fans and they have all wanted me to play in Tuscaloosa like my dad since I was a little kid. This made more sense than anything I could have ever done in my entire life."

Woodson gave Auburn serious consideration before the Tide formally offered Woodson on Friday.

"Getting that offer pretty much sealed it for me. Auburn showed me a good time, but Alabama is in my blood. I bleed crimson and I knew I had to give Alabama an opportunity after last weekend," said Woodson. "I really have a lot of respect for Auburn though. I still like their coaches and players but I had to make the right decision for me."

Woodson indicated that his commitment is 100 percent solid.

"I am done with recruiting. Roll Tide. I am looking forward to winning championships at Alabama with my future teammates."

Video Analysis of Fridays Practice

Tide RB Terry Grant decides to forgo a fifth year of college football

The running back from Lumberton, Miss., has decided not to come back for a fifth year of eligibility, as has receiver Travis Sikes.
"He's been injured two years in a row," Alabama coach Nick Saban said of Grant, who had two surgeries for a sports hernia.
"He decided because of injuries -- he's already graduated -- that he would not come back for his fifth year. He does qualify for a medical, if we need to do that, so he can continue academically. ..."
Sikes also has graduated, Saban said.
Grant played in three games as a true freshman in 2006, carrying two times for 22 yards against Louisiana-Monroe. He missed the final nine games with an injury and received a medical redshirt year.
As a redshirt freshman in 2007, Saban's first year at Alabama, Grant led the Crimson Tide in rushing. He carried 180 times for 891 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 176 yards and one touchdown.
But Glen Coffee and Mark Ingram emerged as primary ball-carriers in 2008, and Ingram and Trent Richardson carried the load last season. Ingram became the first player in Alabama history to win the Heisman Trophy.
In 2008, Grant ran 35 times for 88 yards. Last season, he ran 40 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

'I take four to five pills a day,' Tide's McClain says of his battle with Crohn's disease

TUSCALOOSA -- On a day when a big ex-teammate's loss of six more pounds caused a little buzz, former Alabama line­backer Rolando McClain recalled a short period of time when he lost 10 times as much weight. He was a freshman at Decatur High School. He was ill.
"I was in the hospital for like two weeks," McClain said. "I lost like 60 pounds, and they diagnosed me with Crohn's disease. Coach (Nick) Saban knows about it. My training staff knows about it. I take about four to five pills a day."
Now the NFL knows about it. A short time af­ter dashing 40 yards twice at Alabama's Pro Day, McClain was running an agility drill Wednesday when suddenly he stopped and stooped.
Was a tender hamstring pulling his leg? No.
"My Crohn's is acting up again," he said of the inflammatory disease of the intestines.. "I've been struggling with it for about two or three days now. I just wanted to go out there and still run no matter what the circumstances were."
No official times, jumps, bench press repetitions or other measurable perform­ances were shared with the news media, but players were free to share their news.
McClain said his 40-yard dash time was "somewhere in the 4.6-(second)" range.
Nose guard Terrence Cody said he weighed 348 pounds, making it 22 pounds he has lost since he alarmed pro football people late in January when he weighed in before the Senior Bowl.
Kareem Jackson, a cornerback who is skipping his senior season, participated in some activities, but he did not run the 40-yard dash.
Jackson answered critics a little more than a week ago when he turned in an official time of 4.48 sec­onds at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
All-American cor­nerback Javier Arenas did not work out because a hamstring he pulled at the combine has not healed. He hopes to run for pro coaches and scouts later this month.
All-American guard Mike Johnson bent over backward and snapped the ball a few times for a rep­resentative of one NFL team, first up close, then from a shotgun distance.
In all, approximately 20 former Alabama players showed off, roughly dou­ble the 10 players who ac­cepted invitations to the combine.
McClain went to the combine but did not work out. The word was he wanted to give his ham­string a little more time to heal.
"I've been battling my hamstring since the mid­dle of the season," he said. "I tweaked it at the (Oct. 24) Tennessee game. We did enough just to keep going. My teammates didn't know about it. I never missed practice or a game. I never showed that I wasn't 100 percent. I'm still not quite 100 percent, but
$ there are 32 teams here. I wanted to show them I can run."
He plans a rerun later this month, not because NFL teams aren't satisfied with his 4.6 time. He's aim­ing for 4.5.
"It's just my own per­sonal goal," McClain said. Citing his size -- 6-foot-4, 259 pounds -- he said "4.6 is fine" for pro teams. "For my own standards, I know I can run a 4.5. I've run it before. It's a 40. When you're on the field, it really doesn't matter, as long as you go sideline to side­line."
Johnson grinned when asked about being asked to snap the ball.
"I've been practicing that a little bit," he said. "A lot of guys think I project well in the NFL at center. I've played all four exterior positions here. I just want to do whatever they want me to and give them what they want to see."
Cody was asked to grade his performance.
"A-minus," he said. Why not an A-plus? "In drills, I was losing my balance. Hey, I'm a big guy."
Just not as big as he used to be. Saban is impressed with Cody's weight loss.
"I told him he could play on the rabbits (pass rush­ing) here if he ever got to 348, and I picked 348 be­cause I knew he was never going to get there," the Ala­bama coach said. "I was really happy to see him get there today."
So how did Cody get from 370 to 348?
"Just been disciplined in what I eat," he said. "Doing extra workouts after my workouts, at least two hours of cardio.
"The main thing is, you've got to be motivated. . . . After all the critics said after the Senior Bowl that I'm not going to do it, I'm not disciplined, I'm like another Andre (Smith), I took that kind of person­ally. I came to the combine light. I showed up today light. It's a big difference. I move a lot better."
Smith's conditioning concerned NFL people last year, but the All-American tackle still was the sixth player picked in the draft.
Cody said he wants to get down to 340 pounds. He claimed he ran the 40-yard dash Wednesday in 5.4 seconds.
"That's pretty fast for a guy my size," he said.
He seems to hope he is changing the minds of people who have been pro­jecting him as -- at best -- a second-round draft choice.
" I'm thinking f i r s t round, very low, top 10 or top 15," Cody said. "I feel like I shocked a lot of peo­ple today and at the com­bine."
And where will he be on April 22, the day the NFL draft begins?
"If I get an e-mail and they want me to come to New York, I'll be in New York," he said.
If not?
"I'll probably be at Coach Saban's house, doing my draft party."

Barack Obama: 'It's safe to say the Tide is back'

Obama, who arrived alongside Coach Nick Saban, spoke briefly on the Crimson Tide's 2009 accomplishments and then shook hands with each player and coach.
Former Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas presented Obama with a football and a Crimson Tide helmet with the No. 13 on it. Former offensive lineman Mike Johnson presented a No. 1 Alabama jersey with Obama's name on the back.
"It's safe to say the Tide is back," said Obama, who later referenced Paul "Bear" Bryant and said, "I think this team would make him proud because they've got that winning attitude."
During his address, Obama recognized several Crimson Tide team members, including Johnson, Arenas, Rolando McClain, Mark Ingram and Saban.
"There is no question this team is here in large part because of what Coach Saban has done," said Obama, who capped remarks with a "Roll Tide."
UA President Robert Witt and athletics director Mal Moore were also present at the ceremony.
Alabama's trip will continue with a city tour this afternoon. The Crimson Tide flew up this morning and have completed a service project with D.C.-area youth.

Early arrival DeMarcus Milliner right on time for Alabama Crimson Tide

The state's top 2009 prospect enrolled a semester early at Alabama because the Crimson Tide lost six contributing cornerbacks from last season's title team, including both starters.
"Once I heard six or seven DBs were supposed to graduate or leave, I knew I should come in then, because it's a great chance for me to play," Milliner said.
"I can come in and just do what I do. ... Hopefully, I'm at the very top (of the depth chart). But if I'm not, I'm just going to work until I get there."
Along with 10 other new signees, Milliner is already in classes at UA and will participate when spring practice begins March 12.
Milliner and another new arrival, quarterback Phillip Sims, were allowed the rarity of giving interviews to reporters on National Signing Day. It marked the first time coach Nick Saban allowed true freshmen into the media room at the UA football complex.
Saban also stressed the early enrollees as a key to the 2010 signing class.
"We feel very fortunate that we have quality players here that may impact our team and have given themselves a better chance to impact our team because they're going to be here a semester early," Saban said. "I think that's going to enhance their development. Kareem Jackson did that when he was a freshman, and he actually started as a freshman."
Of the Crimson Tide's early enrollees, perhaps the most is expected immediately from Milliner.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound former Stanhope Elmore star was ranked No. 4 on the Press-Register Super Southeast 120, and Rivals.com listed him as the second-best cornerback in the country.
The timing couldn't have been better for Alabama to have one of the nation's best defensive backs in its back yard. Jackson chose to forego his final year of eligibility and enter next month's NFL draft, and Javier Arenas, Marquis Johnson, Chris Rogers, Ali Sharrief and Tyrone King graduated.
Stanhope Elmore coach Jeff Foshee, a former Crimson Tide player, believes his former standout can step in this season.
"He's as athletic as about any kid I've ever been around, even when I was (at Alabama)," Foshee said. "He's got a legitimate shot of playing and playing a lot."
Touted 2008 recruit Dre Kirkpatrick, former Vigor standout BJ Scott and LSU transfer Phelon Jones of McGill-Toolen will be among those vying for positions alongside Milliner in the defensive backfield.
Since Saban's arrival in 2007, only Jackson has consistently started as a freshman in Alabama's secondary. Others like safety Mark Barron needed a year to develop and grow into a complex defensive system, and Saban typically opts for experienced veterans over promising newcomers in that portion of the defense.
Milliner jokes that "I don't believe I've got enough fingers" to show how thick the playbook is for the Crimson Tide's defense.
"That's part of the reason why I came early, so I can go on and try to learn the playbook, get the plays down so when I get on the field I know what I'm doing," Milliner said.
"He's the kind of guy that he's not going to be satisfied unless he's starting," Foshee said. "That's his goal. He wants to start and contribute in that kind of way. If he doesn't get to start, he'll work his butt off until he gets to that point."

NFL Network shows Alabama and Coach Saban some love

INDIANAPOLIS -- Viewers who tuned in Sunday to the NFL Network's coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine heard a broadcast crew give a shout out to Alabama, coach Nick Saban and the 10 players from the 2009 na­tional championship team that were invited to Lucas Oil Stadium.
"They're good players," said Mike Mayock, a draft expert for the NFL Network. "They're well coached.
"Every year I give a shout out, because Nick's just such a good coach and they come out techni­cally sound. It doesn't really mat­ter which guy I'm talking about.
"They're all sound, starting with Rolando McClain."
McClain, a consensus All-Amer­ican middle linebacker as a junior last season, is expected to be the first Alabama player picked in April in the NFL Draft.
"He's the best inside linebacker in the draft," Mayock said. "Obvi­ously he fits in the 3-4 because of where he's coming out of with Ala­bama. He's a sideline-to-sideline guy. I think he'll go somewhere between (No.) 12 and 20. I think the 3-4 teams will really like him."