Nick Saban Implies NFL Draft Deadline Had a Role in Alabama's Loss to Ohio State

SEC Media days are overrated and mostly full of the media pumping up the best college football conference in the country – though that honor could be up for debate this Fall thanks to all the best QBs playing in the Big 10 – but Alabama’s Nick Saban said something this morning that, depending on your point of view, could become a story.

These are only tweets, and I’m looking forward to video just in case there’s context missing:

In small media session, Nick Saban said he wants NFL Draft underclass grades moved until after the season. Said it impacted Ala bowl prep
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) July 15, 2015

Nick Saban wants NFL Draft grades moved back. Said grades delivered on Dec. 15, so some players played not to get hurt in Sugar Bowl
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 15, 2015

Saban's comments abt NFL underclassmen TL/distraction & how team was affected by "something" will be seen by many esp #Buckeyes as an excuse
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) July 15, 2015

Does that sound like an excuse to you? There’s no chance Saban would have called out any of his players, but given that the Tide defense gave up 537 yards and 42 points, you wouldn’t be wrong to assume he’s talking about his defense.

Safety Landon Collins was drafted 33rd overall.

Offensively, the Tide did rush for 170 yards, but star TJ Yeldon only had 10 carries for 47 yards. It was his fewest number of carries since a non-conference game in September. Yeldon was taken in the 2nd round by Jacksonville.

As for the draft grades, Saban could have a point, though I believe he’d be the first coach to bring up that point. (Few coaches can boast about having that many players potentially getting drafted.) When players are given their draft grades by the NFL Draft Advisory Committee on December 15, it gives them an idea of where they could go if they entered the draft.

In defense of Saban: Sure, some players probably see “2nd round” and think dollar signs and future and what shredding your Achilles or absorbing a knockout blow might do for the future. I remember seeing Collins have an rough game.

But how could Saban know? Was it something he specifically saw? Is he implying that players didn’t want to get in front of the tank that is Cardale Jones?

To me, it reeks of an excuse six months after getting beat up by the underdog Buckeyes.