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Evan Neal: It Would Be Special to Be Alabama’s 1st No. 1 NFL Draft Pick in 74 Years

Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal said Thursday he's excited about the prospect of becoming the program's first No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft since Harry Gilmer in 1948.

Legendary Crimson Tide quarterback Joe Namath was taken first in the 1965 AFL draft, but 12th in its NFL counterpart the same year. While Bama has remained one of the nation's most prominent college football teams over the decades, a top NFL pick has been elusive.

"It would mean everything," Neal told reporters at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. "You have a whole lot of Alabama players that were worthy of having the No.