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Ex-Bama DB Ronnie Harrison Responds To Nick Saban's Comments About Players Leaving Early
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Crimsons Tide head coach Nick Saban recently made some comments about players leaving college early for NFL, referencing a third-round NFL draft pick, not by name, who left Alabama a year early...
quote:

“If you’re a third-round draft pick, and we had one here last year — I’m not going to say any names — goes and starts for his team, so he’s making third-round money, which is not that great,” Saban said Saturday, clearly referencing Harrison. “He’d be the first guy taken at his position this year, probably, and make $15-18 million more. So, the agent makes out, the club makes out, and now they’ve got a guy that’s going to play for that kind of money for three more years.”
That player was former Bama DB Ronnie Harrison, who had this response...
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Harrison left after his junior year was taken 93rd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2018 draft.

(The Spun)

Filed Under: Alabama Sports
57 Comments
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PhilipMarlowe60 months
While third round money might not be shite to lil Nicky, it is to most people. And it’s certsimly better than no round money if the kid gets hurt.
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Pavoloco8360 months
Its the kids life. Let him do what he wants. Perhaps he needed to upgrade from a charger to a Benz. Nick owns a Benz dealership, he ought to be happy about that.
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Jester60 months
Is Lil Nicky's implication that he took a pay cut by leaving Tuscalousy? That's kind of the only way he has a point.
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bamagreycoat61 months
Boy that 8 in a row has really chapped a bunch of coon asses.
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JBearden61 months
Sabans right and Ronnies mad about it.
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ApexTiger61 months
"always make it about the players and their goals" -Nick Saban "When they get in trouble, we remind them how their decisions are making an negative impact towards achieving their goals" _Nick Saban
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TigerBite61 months
First, he's having to take a pay cut to go to the pros, but he has the endorsement opportunities which can help offset things. Second, he likely won't make his 2nd contract because a lot of Bama players break down after they get off the HGH/steroids.
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Bige1161 months
It’s a complicated situation. Many of these kids are in situations of extreme poverty. Even a third round pick can forever change the quality of life for him and his family. Some things are more important than football. On the other hand, Little Nicky is right too. The NCAA should offer insurance to guarantee kids like this that security but allow them to improve their stock and finish their commitment.
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Saban isn’t always right . What happens when the guy comes back and blows out his knee ?. Then goes undrafted ?
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luciouslou61 months
Another words: I can buy my own charger
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HammerheadLincoln61 months
"Another words" Now that's one I haven' seen before
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JHH4LSU61 months
I assume you mean haven’t. Karma.
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slammer6661 months
The guys that listen to Saban tend to get way richer than the ones who don't. Guys should user their heads and not their emotions to make decisions like this.
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arcalades61 months
What's great is how Nick Saban has always stayed around for less money.
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JakeFromStateFarm61 months
Third round money may not be a lot to a millionaire head coach, but to the kid getting drafted, it’s life changing money. Not everyone is as well off as Nick Saban.
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AndrewD61 months
Not everybody likes Dodge Chargers
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Philippines4LSU61 months
Cheap MF owns a Mercedes dealership and has his players driving around in Dodges
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Freon61 months
Ask Marcus Lattimore how staying worked out
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tenderfoot tigah61 months
He made millions off of his insurance package.
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225Tyga61 months
Sabans right on this one. The pandemic that is college athletes leaving early to go pro needs to stop. Its frustrating to keep losing talent year in, year out to the pros. Wonder what we can do to stop this? I would like athletes to have the option to either 1) go pro out of high school or 2) be required once in college to stay a minimum of 4 years or graduation, what ever comes first. (would help entice athletes to get a degree)
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StupidBinder61 months
That’s a terrible idea. Guys develop at different rates. Why make a guy stay to get a degree he will almost certainly never use when he’s as ready as he’ll every be to play pro now? It’s also unenforceable. What are you going to do to a guy who skips his senior year? How do you make him stay?
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Alltheway Tigers!61 months
Have to weigh that vs earning $15 million dollars more.
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denvertiger61 months
So you're proposing a rule change that would force a guy like D White to stay in college one more year so we can all watch him play in the P&G? Sounds reasonable.
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MrKnowItAll61 months
Perhaps Saban and Alabama need to make the Alabama compensation package more attractive to the young man than what a 3rd round draft pick can get from the NFL. Come on Nick, if they gonna stay...you got to pay.
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Cobb Dawg61 months
Bama’s just going to have to start matching NFL money. What they’re currently paying players is just not attractive enough to make them want to stay.
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atxfan61 months
Some kids don't have the luxury of being able to wait and play their hand out. Saban has a point but that's only considering best case scenario and not acknowledging the risk. One thing is for sure, the motivation for his comments come from his own interests/depth chart concerns and not for the player's. "You should have to win your conference to be in the CFB playoff" -Nick Saban "I think this team deserves the opportunity to get in the playoff by what they've been able to accomplish" -Nick Saban
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idlewatcher61 months
Some kids don't have the luxury of being able to wait and play their hand out. lol wut?
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StupidBinder61 months
Saban’s analysis here is oversimplified. Yes, Harrison will make 3rd round money for a few years, but if he’s that good (and Savanna thinks he is), then he’s a year closer to his big money contract. Yes, it is a gamble, but so is staying in school for more rookie contract money. But of course, Sagan won’t tell that side of the story.
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ScaryClown61 months
nah the money is still more if he stayed in school to get drafted in first round and plays on that bigger rookie deal. The one year difference between getting the big contract is less money than the money he would make over a bigger rookie deal and then get the same big contract. The time/injury ratio is also less if he stayed in school one more year to get the bigger rookie contract, compared to playing on a lower rookie deal for 3 years before being eligible for a big contract.
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StupidBinder61 months
That’s assuming he goes first round. What if he stays and is still a 3rd round pick, or even a second. Again, there is risk in staying that Saban isn’t acknowledging. And the risk of catastrophic injury is the about the same whether he plays at Bama next year or in the NFL. Being one year closer to his 2nd contract (and the guaranteed money that goes with it) means he has to shoulder that risk one less year.
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litenin61 months
Agree. Also curious how often a projected 3rd round pick after his junior year plays so much better as a Senior to move into the 1st round. I'm assuming it's very rare although honestly do not know.
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