Alabama football, what else is there to say at this point? The Crimson Tide probably have the most prestige in college football, with a whopping 16 national championships in their storied history. With the two greatest coaches in the history of the sport, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Saban, Alabama is the bluest of blue bloods.

Of course, Alabama football has also had a major impact at the professional level. The Crimson Tide have sent a plethora of talented players to the NFL, and more are joining each year. They have produced eight Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees, tied with Syracuse for the seventh-most of any school. Years down the line, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them top that list.

With the NFL Draft just around the corner and another generation of Alabama players set to begin their careers, it seems like a good time to reflect on some of the school's best NFL players. Now, we are leaning more into the historical side with this list, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention some of the modern greats like Julio Jones and Derrick Henry. Additionally, honorable mentions go out to Joe Namath, Ozzie Newsome, and Dwight Stevenson, the three Hall of Famers who just barely missed the list and easily could have made it.

With that being said, here are the five best NFL players who played college football at Alabama.

5. Ken Stabler, QB, 1970-84

Ken Stabler is undoubtedly an NFL legend, being arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the Raiders franchise. Of course, he got his start playing at Alabama, recording over 3,000 total yards and 27 touchdowns in his three seasons with the team. He was a backup on the 1965 Crimson Tide team that won the national championship, before being a first-team All-American in 1967. He impressed enough for the then-Oakland Raiders to select him in the second round of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft.

Stabler didn't become the Raiders' primary starter until 1973, but once he did, he never looked back. He earned Pro Bowl nods in four of his first five seasons as the starter, won league MVP and offensive Player of the Year in 1974, and led the Raiders' to their first Super Bowl in 1976. With an amazing receiver corps consisting of fellow Hall-of-Famers in Cliff Branch, Fred Biletnikoff, and Dave Casper, as well as legendary coach John Madden, Stabler and the Raiders dominated throughout the mid-70s.

Stabler had two more seasons with the Raiders in 1978 and 1979, but the team missed the playoffs both years. The Raiders traded Stabler to the Houston Oilers ahead of the 1980 season, and he would play two seasons with them before being released. He then closed out his career with three seasons with the New Orleans Saints, but it was clear that he wasn't the same quarterback anymore. Still, his career was nothing short of legendary, and he's more than worthy of appearing on this list.

4. Bart Starr, QB, 1956-71

Bart Starr is one of the NFL's first great quarterbacks, and almost a mythical figure in Green Bay, Wisconsin. At Alabama, though, Starr wasn't exactly as legendary. He was a backup in 1952 and had a good 1953 season playing quarterback, safety, and punter, but didn't play much in his final two seasons due to a variety of factors. However, then-Alabama basketball coach Johnny Dee recommended Starr to Packers' director of personnel Jack Vainisi, giving him a clear foot in the door. The Packers selected Starr in the 17th round of the 1956 NFL Draft, and the rest is history.

Starr played well in limited action throughout the late 50s, but the 60s were what really made him a legend. Led by legendary coach Vince Lombardi, Starr and the Packers won five championships between 1961 and 1967, including the first two Super Bowls in NFL history. Starr earned four Pro-Bowl nods, won league MVP in 1966 and won Super Bowl MVP twice. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, his first year of eligibility.

Injuries forced Starr to retire after the 1971 season, but his 15-year career was simply incredible. The Packers have had several great QBs in their history, and it all started with Starr.

3. Derrick Thomas, LB, 1989-99

Derrick Thomas has definitively earned his spot among the greatest pass-rushers in football history. He was incredible at Alabama, recording 52 sacks, which would be an FBS record if the NCAA counted defensive stats back then. His 1988 season was simply legendary, as he recorded 39 tackles for loss and 27 sacks, both FBS records (or would be for sacks). The Kansas City Chiefs selected him fourth overall in the 1989 NFL Draft, and he absolutely lived up to the hype.

Thomas was a dominating presence on the Chiefs' defense for his entire career. In 11 seasons, Thomas racked up 641 tackles, 126.5 sacks, including 20 in 1990 alone, and 41 forced fumbles. He also holds the NFL record for most sacks in a game with seven. Thomas earned Pro-Bowl selections in each of his first nine seasons, and earned two All-Pro selections in 1990 and 1991.

Tragically, a car crash in 2000 cut Thomas' life short at just 33 years old. His legacy speaks for itself, though, and he finally received his posthumous induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

2. John Hannah, OG, 1973-85

When talking about the great offensive linemen in NFL history, John Hannah is one of the first names to come up. Hannah is also a legend in Tuscaloosa, earning All-American nods in 1971 and 1972, the latter being consensus. He was so good that the New England Patriots selected him fourth overall in the 1973 NFL Draft, and boy did that pay off.

Back long before the Patriots' dynasty under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, Hannah was probably the greatest player in franchise history. He earned 10 straight All-Pro nods from 1976 to 1985, seven of them first-team, and nine Pro Bowl nods. Hannah also helped the Patriots reach their first Super Bowl in 1985, but they fell to the Chicago Bears in his final NFL Game. He was a first-ballot Hall-of-Fame inductee in 1991, becoming the first Patriot to reach Canton.

1. Don Hutson, WR, 1935-45

Compared to other players on this list, Hutson may not be as immediately recognizable. However, that doesn't make him any less of a legend at Alabama or in the NFL. Hutson was great with the Crimson Tide, being a consensus All-American and winning a national championship and a retroactive Heisman Trophy in 1934. He didn't plan on playing professionally, but he wound up doing so, and he became a legend.

Hutson played 11 seasons for the Packers, racking up 488 receptions for 7,991 yards and 99 touchdowns. That may not seem like a lot of yards by today's standards, but at the time it was simply unprecedented. In fact, many cite Hutson as the first modern wide receiver in NFL history. He was also an eight-time first-team All-Pro and two-time MVP, and helped the Packers win three championships.

The fact that Hutson basically defined a position is what lands him atop this list. Very few players could say that they did that, but Hutson absolutely did.