30 best Alabama football players to play for Nick Saban

Best Alabama football players under Nick Saban: 14. Dont’a Hightower

Dont’a Hightower was someone whose speed and ability were only outdone by his intelligence. He was one of the smartest players on the field at all times. This is why he’s excelled in both the Saban and Bill Belichick system, two systems that have been known to be difficult.

Alabama started Hightower as the Will linebacker (coming off the weakside) in his freshman year. They had a veteran-laden team in 2008, but Hightower was so good he required a starting position, even if it wasn’t where he naturally played. He was really good that season and named to multiple freshman All-American teams.

In his second season, he was on the way to greatness. Four of his first 16 tackles went for a loss. Then, a cut block blasted his knee and he was out of the season. Luckily, he was able to redshirt his season to keep his eligibility.

When he returned, he replaced Rolando McClain as the middle linebacker, and he became the leader of this defense. In his fourth and final season with Alabama, he led one of the greatest defenses in the history of college football. They led every single defensive category that mattered. Number one in the country in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, and pass defense. Teams were averaging less than 200 yards per game against Alabama.

For that, Hightower was a finalist for a slew of awards including the Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, and the Lott Trophy. He finished his career with two national championships and three Super Bowl titles, making him one of the winningest linebackers in football history.