Alabama football: 5 most underrated players in Crimson Tide history

As with linebacking great DeMeco Ryans, running back Shaun Alexander came to Alabama during a down period for the entire program. The star tailback from Kentucky came to Tuscaloosa because of the warm weather and playing in front of a passionate fanbase. Alexander committed to play for Gene Stallings in the twilight of his coaching career, ending up with Mike DuBose.

Though he played on a pair of 10-win teams as a redshirt freshman in 1995 and as a redshirt senior in 1999, the coaching transition largely got in the way of Alexander being one of the greatest running backs in SEC history. I mean, he was an incredible player in his own right, but he’s quickly being lost to history in college with every bell-cow back Nick Saban rolls out there.

Twice did Alexander rush for over 1,000 yards in a college season. In 1999, he helped the Crimson Tide finish with a top-10 final ranking, as he earned First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors. Alexander left Tuscaloosa with 3,433 yards on 701 carries for 40 touchdowns in 41 games. His yardage total was one of 15 school records he held by the time he went to the NFL.

Professionally, Alexander became a legend in his own right. He spent eight of nine NFL seasons with the team that drafted him No. 19 overall in the Seattle Seahawks. The three-time Pro Bowler won NFL MVP in 2005, as he carried the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. He retired with 9,453 rushing yards and 100 career rushing touchdowns.

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