Best Alabama football players under Nick Saban: 15. Cam Robinson
Cam Robinson is one of the best offensive linemen to walk through the hallows of Bryant-Denny Stadium. In his freshman season, he took over a starting role and protected quarterback Blake Sims. Sims was only sacked three times in over 800 snaps with Robinson protecting him. He also led to the superstardom of three running backs in T.J. Yeldon, Kenyan Drake (who got hurt this season), and Derrick Henry. Robinson became the first freshman to play every game as the left tackle since Andre Smith in 2006.
In 2015, he was even better despite playing on a revamped offensive line. He was one of only two returning starters on the like, plus he was now blocking for Jake Coker, a completely different type of quarterback than Sims. In the College Football Playoff, he didn’t allow a sack to either Clemson or Michigan State, and he earned Offensive Player of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff against the Spartans. He made things much easier for Coker, who excelled in both games on their way to a National Championship.
In his third and final year with the Crimson Tide, Robinson was once again dominant. This season, he was named an All-American and won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and Outland Trophy. Those two trophies celebrate the best offensive linemen in the country.
It’s always hard to compare offensive linemen, a position that comes without stats, to skill position players or defensive players. However, Robinson was one of the very best to ever play for Saban at any position.