30 best Alabama football players to play for Nick Saban

Best Alabama football players under Nick Saban: 17. Marcell Dareus

Marcell Dareus was a star at a position with very few. He clogged up the middle of the defensive line for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Right off the bat, it became clear this kid was going to be a force on the defensive line. He had four tackles and three quarterback hurries in his first game against the Clemson Tigers. The Crimson Tide already had Terrance Cody to stop the run, but Dareus was a great pass rusher and demanded time at nose tackle.

In his second season, Alabama moved him to defensive end to get him more playing time. He became Alabama’s top pass rusher, and he had his breakout performance officially in the 2010 BCS Title Game. He was named MVP after drilling Colt McCoy and knocking him out of the game. McCoy was trying to keep the ball on an option play and run into the endzone. Dareus was not having it and stopped him for no gain, hurting his shoulder in the process.  It turned the game around for Alabama and all but spelled doom for Texas. He also stole a bad shovel pass by McCoy’s replacement Garrett Gilbert and took it for a 28-yard touchdown return.

That game was the peak of the Marcell Dareus experience, but he was a phenomenal pass rusher for his entire career at Alabama. There was a reason he was the third-overall pick in the NFL Draft. His career in Tuscaloosa was a lot of fun mostly because he got good at getting past blockers to take out the competition.