Rolando McClain

The grand prize in head coach Nick Saban's first recruiting class at Alabama, McClain rapidly developed into one of the premier players in the SEC. Looking to rebuild the program around a strong defense, the middle linebacker played a vital role in the team's rapid progression from also-ran to national champion. The defensive signal-caller has the power and downhill ability to excel in stuffing the inside run. He also has the balance, speed and pursuit quickness to string plays wide. Before his arrival, the Tide ranked 46th in the nation vs. the run in 2006. During his freshman campaign, McClain helped Alabama finish 28th in run force (124.15 yards per game). McClain and crew ranked second vs. the run in both 2008 (74.14 yards per game) and 2009 (77.92 yards per game). While most college middle linebackers are a bit deficient in pass coverage, McClain was not. His loose hips, ability to stay on the hip of the receiver and refusal to bite on play action help him defending vs. the pass as well as he did the run. Alabama would improve from 48th in the nation vs. the pass (221.31 yards per game) during his first season with the Tide, to ranking 10th nationally, allowing just 166.0 passing yards per game during his final campaign. McClain was regarded by many to be the top linebacker in the nation during his days at Decatur High School. Rivals.com ranked him 25th overall in the prep ranks and the top player in the state of Alabama. He ranked 10th nationally by Scout.com and was the top-rated linebacker on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Top 100 list. McClain was an Orlando Sentinel 2006 All-Southern team member, earning Parade All-American honors in his final season. He also received All-Region VIII honors as a linebacker and All-State accolades on defense and as a tight end. After his senior season, he competed in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl. In 2006, McClain recorded 106 tackles, including 13.0 stops for loss. He posted 104 tackles, 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage, four sacks, an interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a junior. He had 24 catches for 436 yards in his junior season and also started on the basketball team. McClain made a big impact during his first season at Alabama. He was a first-team Fresh-man All-American pick by The Sporting News and a first-team Freshman All-Southeastern Conference choice by the league's coaches. He was also the recipient of the team's Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award in 2007. That season he started nine of the 13 games in which he appeared. McClain finished fourth on the team with 75 tackles (38 solos) that included a sack, five stops for loss and a pressure. He also broke up four passes and had two interceptions. In 2008, McClain not only established himself as one of the leaders on Alabama's defense as a sophomore, but as one of the best linebackers in the SEC and the country. The heady MIKE linebacker had a firm grasp of what the Crimson Tide was trying to accomplish in its complex 3-4 defensive scheme. A finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker, he was a third-team All-American pick by The NFL Draft Report and the Associated Press. The consensus All-SEC first-team selection started all 14 games, leading the team with 95 tackles (48 solos) while being the focal point of opponent's blocking schemes. He ranked 12th in the league with 6.79 tackles per game, recording 12.0 stops for loss that included three sacks. The Lombardi Award Watch List member deflected six passes, picked off another and recovered two fumbles. The consensus All-American and All-SEC pick was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, Butkus Award and Bednarik Award. He became the second Tide player and third SEC member to capture the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker. He also earned team Player of the Week honors nine times. McClain anchored a deep and talented linebacker corps that helped the Crimson Tide rank fourth nationally in total defense (242.22 yards per game) and second in rush defense (68.22 yards per game). He led the team with 105 tackles, adding four sacks while placing eighth in the conference while leading the Tide with 14.5 stops for loss. He also broke up four passes and intercepted two others. McClain was held out of several practices leading up to the BCS Championship Game vs. Texas. When he missed the BCS Media Day with a case of stomach flu, questions about his availability for the title game began to swirl. He was limited in practice Tuesday, but Saban said that McClain was feeling better and would play if his condition continued to improve. "We're not going to let him play unless the doctors say he can play," Saban said. "If he's sick, dehydrated, he's not going to play in the game. We're not going to put a player at risk regardless of what the circumstance relative to the game is. He's better today (but) he did not do much in practice." The linebacker would record two tackles for loss vs. Texas in the title clash. It was later revealed that McClain has been battling Crohn's Disease since his high school freshman campaign. Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It usually affects the intestines, but may occur anywhere from the mouth to the rectum. Symptoms depend on what part of the gastrointestinal tract is affected. It can range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups. McClain, who takes medication for the disease, said it has never been a problem during game action. Quarterback David Garrad of the Jaguars has also played with the illness. Shortly after Alabama defeated Texas to capture the national championship, McClain announced that he was leaving the school and applying for the 2010 NFL Draft.