The UAB Blazers football team, representing the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has had 14 American football players drafted into the National Football League (NFL) since the university began its football program in 1991.Alabama–Birmingham Drafted Players/Alumni This includes two players taken in the first round, of which the highest pick was Bryan Thomas at 22nd overall in 2002. No team has drafted more than one player from UAB.Draft History by School–Alabama–Birmingham Only one former Blazer, Roddy White, has been selected for a Pro Bowl; White participated in four consecutive games. Following the end of the 2014 season, UAB's football program was officially cancelled due to low attendance and funding problems. After much debate, UAB president Ray L. Watts announced the program would return after a two-year hiatus, in 2017.
Each NFL franchise seeks to add new players through the annual NFL Draft. The draft rules were last updated in 2009. The team with the worst record the previous year picks first, the next-worst team second, and so on. Teams that did not make the playoffs are ordered by their regular-season record with any remaining ties broken by strength of schedule. Playoff participants are sequenced after non-playoff teams, based on their round of elimination (wild card, division, conference, and Super Bowl).
Seven of UAB's twelve draft picks were taken in the sixth round, and only four were selected in the first three. The highest number of UAB players taken in a single round is two. This occurred on three different years: 1998, with Dainon Sidney and Izell Reese, 2002, with Bryan Thomas and Eddie Freeman, and 2015, with J. J. Nelson and Kennard Backman. In addition, UAB has had two players selected in compensatory picks, which are additional selections awarded to teams who have lost key players. Izell Reese and Kennard Backman are the two players.
Key B BackIn American and Canadian football, a back is a player who is lined up behind the linemen, the players who line up closest to the line of scrimmage. K Kicker NT Nose tackle C Center LB Linebacker FB Fullback DB Defensive back P Punter HB Halfback DE Defensive end QB Quarterback WR Wide receiver DT Defensive tackle RB Running back G Guard E End T Offensive tackle TE Tight end
* Selected to a Pro Bowl † Won a Super Bowl championship ‡ Selected to a Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl
Selections + UAB Blazers selected in the NFL Drafts Year Round Pick Overall Name Position Team Notes1998 3 16 77 DB Tennessee Oilers — 6 35 188 DB Dallas Cowboys — 1999 7 45 251 DT Philadelphia Eagles — 2000 7 32 238 DB Indianapolis Colts — 2001 6 24 187 DE Miami Dolphins — 2002 1 22 22 DE New York Jets — 2 11 43 DT Kansas City Chiefs — 2005 1 27 27 * WR Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 2010 6 30 199 QB Minnesota Vikings — 2012 6 32 201 T New York Giants —2015 5 23 159 WR Arizona Cardinals — 6 37 213 TE Green Bay Packers — 2021 4 16 121 LB Jacksonville Jaguars — 2022 3 14 78 DE Cleveland Browns — 2023 7 5 222 RB Minnesota Vikings — 2024 6 15 191 WR Arizona Cardinals —
Notes
References General
Specific