The real issue is numerical achievements vs. the competition and the way the game was played at the time. Plus, the number of games played by the NFL has crept forward over the years. I have personal memory of a 12-game NFL season. Now, it's...what...17 games? Plus playoffs? Makes it a whole lot easier to pile up statistics.
For example, Don Hutson's numbers have long since been eclipsed. But during his playing days, he had more receiving yards than half the NFL combined. My memory is fading, so maybe selma could help --- but I think one year he had more receiving TDs than the whole rest of the NFL combined. You think Jerry Rice was dominant in his day? Versus the league of the day, Rice doesn't hold a candle to what Hutson did in his own prime.
Dwight Stephenson's career was shortened by injury, and he played at a weight that would never work in today's game. Still, in his time, he was the best center in the NFL.
Bart Starr's numbers would be absolutely pedestrian today -- probably not good enough to even keep him on any team. But in his day, they were fine. And oh, by the way, he was the quarterback on a bunch of NFL championship teams and the first two Super Bowls.
Lee Roy Jordan would be hopelessly undersized in today's game. Shoot, he'd be hopelessly undersized in the late '70s. But in his day, he was a towering presence in college and the league.
Of course, some players -- Ozzie Newsome and John Hannah, for example -- transcend time, playing styles and competition.
My take is that you have to compare the performance against competition and prevailing game strategy of the day. Using those criteria, and limiting picks to Alabama players' performance in the NFL (as opposed to their collegiate performance), my quick list is:
WR -- Don Hutson
WR -- Julio Jones
TE -- Ozzie Newsome
OT -- Chris Samuels
OT -- Andre Smith -- a long NFL career, but could have accomplished so much more if he'd done the hardest pushup of all -- the 18-inch push away from the dinner table.
OG -- John Hannah -- simply the best of all time. Still.
OG -- Landon Dickerson -- it's early, but he's looking stout
C -- Dwight Stephenson
QB -- Bart Starr or Jalen Hurts -- too early to tell for sure on Jalen, but he's headed that direction
RB -- Derrick Henry, and it's not close
RB -- Najee Harris
DL -- Jonathan Allen
DL -- Marty Lyons
DL -- Q
DL -- Daron Payne
LB -- Lee Roy Jordan -- "If they stay in bounds, Lee Roy'll get 'em."
LB -- DeMeco Ryans -- a great player and leader. Literally a coach on the field. No surprise he's a HC in The Show.
LB -- C. J. Mosley
DB -- Marlon Humphrey
DB -- Eddie Jackson -- we win the 2016 NC if he's still on the field
DB -- Kyree Jackson -- better as a pro than he was in Tuscaloosa
DB -- Patrick Surtain -- stats understated in college because after his freshman year, nobody threw his way. Same story, albeit to a lesser extent, in the NFL.
P -- JK Scott
PK -- Not sure. Not a lot of professional success on this one.
