Nick Saban ‘Are You An “And” Or “But” Player?’

Nick Saban has been around football for quite some time now. He recently shared some insight on how teams go about evaluating potential prospects as they prepare for the NFL Draft. Saban, talking to the Louisiana Football Coaches Association stated that, "And & But" are the two most compelling words that you may hear these NFL coaches and scouts use.

If a guy is an "and" player that means he adds more to what he displays on the field. If he is a "but" player, then teams may have concerns on a players actions outside of football.

"As soon as you put your name in the draft, people are looking for a reason to not hire you," Saban expressed when speaking on what he tells his players entering the NFL.

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Teams have always done a thorough background check on any potential draft prospect for their organization. Saban then goes on to elaborate that if you do not give any teams a reason to be a "but" kind of player, then you instantly add value to yourself. Many of Alabama's players have been judged by coaches and scouts about the talent they were surrounded by at Alabama. However, there are rarely any reports on teams finding a reason to make one of these Alabama players a "but" kind of guy.

Coach Saban even has talked about this exact thing during his HBO special with Bill Belichick. The two can be seen talking inside Saban's house, and they are explaining how important it is to be an "And" player. If the two GOAT's are talking about it, then it is obvious that any player entering the NFL should consider how they can become an "And" player and not a "But" kind of guy.