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All-Alabama Teams: The 85 Best Players Born in "The Yellowhammer State"

It's no secret that the Heart of Dixie churns out football talent like an assembly line. Whether we're talking about all-time NFL Draft picks, the best college football players to ever do it with the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers, or high school football legends making their hometowns proud, there's no shortage of talent hailing from the state of Alabama.

Setting out to find the greatest Alabamians ever, I started with one question: What homegrown products blossomed into prolific NFL talents? Some are Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, several won Super Bowls during their professional careers, and a few others are still making a name for themselves today in the National Football League.

If you came looking for strictly University of Alabama players, you'll find some, but there is so much more talent to behold than what Nick Saban has produced. Don't expect to see names like Derrick Henry (Yulee, Florida), Tua Tagovailoa (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) or DeVonta Smith (Amite City, Louisiana) on here. While I landed on 85 names, I guarantee there are hidden gems from all corners of Alabama who deserve honorable mentions as well.

Here are some of the best football players from Alabama — followed by the city in which they were born — and broken into three teams, both on offense and defense.

85 Great Football Players From Alabama

First-Team Offense

QB: Bart Starr, Montgomery

RB: Bo Jackson, Bessemer

WR: Terrell Owens, Alexander City

WR: Julio Jones, Foley

WR: John Stallworth, Tuscaloosa

TE: Ozzie Newsome, Muscle Shoals

C: Tom Banks, Birmingham

OG: Woody Peoples, Birmingham

OG: Evan Mathis, Birmingham

OT: Walter Jones, Aliceville

OT: Chris Samuels, Mobile

First-Team Defense

DT: Buck Buchanan, Gainesville

DT: Leon Lett, Mobile

DE: Justin Tuck, Kellyton

DE: Tony Tolbert, Tuskegee

LB: Robert Brazile, Mobile

LB: DeMarcus Ware, Auburn

LB: Andre Tippett, Birmingham

DB: Speedy Duncan, Tuscaloosa

DB: Captain Munnerlyn, Mobile

DB: Hanford Dixon, Mobile

DB: Roman Harper, Prattville

Second-Team Offense

QB: Philip Rivers, Decatur

RB: Cadillac Williams, Gadsen

RB: Joe Cribbs, Sulligent

WR: Gene Washington, Tuscaloosa

WR: Jerricho Cotchery, Birmingham

TE: Rich Caster, Mobile

C: Ben Jones, Centerville

OG: Chris Gray, Birmingham

OG: Charley Hannah, Albertville

OT: Dave Hill, Lanett

OT: Howard Ballard, Ashland

Second-Team Defense

LB: Maxie Baughan, Forkland

DT: Marcell Dareus, Birmingham

DT: Dave Butz, Lafayette

DE: Dee Ford, Odenville

DE: Dave Edwards, Columbia

LB: Cornelius Bennett, Birmingham

LB: Lee Roy Jordan, Excel

DB: Eric Davis, Anniston

DB: Marlon Humphrey, Hoover

DB: Vann McElroy, Birmingham

DB: Wes Hopkins, Birmingham

Third-Team Offense

QB: Ken Stabler, Foley

RB: Antowain Smith, Millbrook

RB: T.J. Yeldon, Daphne

WR: Clifton McNeil, Mobile

WR: Henry Ruggs III, Montgomery

TE: Jared Cook, Birmingham

C: Bradley Bozeman, Roanoke

OG: Charley Long, DeKalb

OG: Lester Cotton, Tuscaloosa

OT: Willie Anderson, Whistler

OT: David Stewart, Decatur

Third-Team Defense

LB: C.J. Mosley, Theodore

DT: Grady Jackson, Greensboro

DT: Cornelius Griffin, Brundidge

DE: Quinnen Williams, Birmingham

DE: Tim Harris, Birmingham

LB: Adalius Thomas, Equality

LB: DeMeco Ryans, Bessemer

DB: Dre Kirkpatrick, Gadsen

DB: James Bradberry, Pleasant Grove

DB: Bobby Hunt, Lanett

DB: Darian Stewart, Huntsville

Honorable Mentions (Offense)

QB: Jameis Winston, Bessemer

QB: JaMarcus Russell, Mobile

QB: AJ McCarron, Mobile

RB: Clarence Davis, Birmingham

RB: Tony Nathan, Birmingham

RB/WR: Rickey Young, Mobile

WR: Dwight Stone, Florala

TE: Marcus Pollard, Valley

TE: Ed West, Colbert County

OT: Andre Smith, Birmingham

OT: Herman Lee, Phenix City

Honorable Mentions (Defense)

LB: Karlos Dansby, Birmingham

DE: Bryan Thomas, Birmingham

DE: Michael Johnson, Selma

DT: Mike Pitz, Pell City

DT: Steve McLendon, Ozark

LB: Keith Butler, Anniston

LB: Jeff Herrod, Birmingham

DB: Kerry Rhodes, Birmingham

DB: John Rowser, Birmingham

Many Alabama legends on this list made their marks as NFL players. They played for teams like the Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

Do you agree or disagree with the players on these all-Alabama teams?

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