"Didn't come away very impressed": When 3x national champ Barrett Jones revealed how Nick Saban impacted his recruitment

Barrett Jones, a former offensive lineman, is one of college football's most decorated players. He played for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2008 to 2012, helping the team win three national championships.

In a 2018 docuseries, "Turning of the Tide," Jones shared how Nick Saban convinced him to join Alabama. He was selected to represent Alabama in the 2024 SEC Legends Class.

"Initially, I wasn't that interested in Alabama. I came to a camp here. I was being recruited by their staff," Jones said (7:50).

"We didn't come away very impressed, and I was probably, honestly, leaning towards Florida. I went to Florida. Took a visit. Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow hosted me. I thought they were going to win a lot of games, and then everything changed, obviously. Alabama got a new coach. Nick Saban called me up one of his first weeks on the job."

Jones noted that the coach didn't promise him a prominent role on the team but convinced him that Alabama was the right team for him.

"He didn't necessarily promise that I was going to play or make any outlandish statements. He really just, almost challenged me. He said, 'Come to Alabama, and you'll have an opportunity to play against the very best.'"

Barrett Jones shared what makes Nick Saban different from other coaches in recruiting players

Barrett Jones also discussed how some coaches would make promises to players, like becoming a dynasty and winning championships that they couldn't achieve. He said that when Saban said he wanted to make Alabama a dynasty, he believed him.

Jones was a three-time All-America player and earned first-team honors in his final two seasons at Alabama.

Nick Saban's career to be celebrated at the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame

Nick Saban will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December. The announcement was made during the Jan. 10 episode of ESPN's College GameDay, where co-hosts surprised him with the news. Saban joins a legendary class of coaches, including Urban Meyer and Larry Korver.

His induction comes nearly two years after he retired from coaching at Alabama.