"Nick Saban was brilliant": SEC admirer Paul Finebaum approves Alabama legend's broadcasting career debut on College GameDay

The former Alabama head coach, Nick Saban, recently made his ESPN debut as an analyst during the network's NFL Draft coverage. Paul Finebaum, after his initial evaluations of Saban, looked quite impressed.

Finebaum lauded Saban's debut on "McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning," on Monday, calling him "brilliant" and praising his ability to break down complex football concepts in a clear and concise manner.

Finebaum even suggested that Saban has the potential for a "long and brilliant career in broadcasting" if he chooses to pursue it.

"I thought he was brilliant, and he was exactly the way he was on the field. He was the best at everything he was doing," Finebaum said, via Saturday Down South.

"He broke things down in such a concise, easy-to-understand way. If he really wanted it, he could have a long and brilliant career in broadcasting. The question is how much does he want to do?"

Greg McElroy, a former Alabama quarterback who won a national championship under Saban and now works as a commentator for ESPN, also praised Saban.

McElroy stated that Saban "can do anything" in the broadcasting world and would excel in either a game analyst or studio role.

"No question," McElroy replied. "He can do anything, for sure. If he wanted to do games, by all means. If he wants to do studio, 100 percent,” McElroy said.

Finebaum also agreed to McElroy’s claim that Saban appeared to be more prepared than some of his fellow analysts. Saban took his new role seriously and came equipped with insightful commentary.

The coaching legend also watched 10 of his former Crimson Tide players get drafted across the three-day NFL Draft. This marked the sixth time he's overseen a double-digit selection haul.

Nick Saban jokes about a potential return

Nick Saban's retirement sent shockwaves across the sports fraternity. According to Mike Rodak of Bama 247, Saban jokingly remarked that he might have considered unretiring if some of his senior players had chosen to return for another season.

“After having five of his Alabama players chosen in the first 57 picks, Nick Saban jokes on ABC, “if they would’ve come back, I would’ve come back.”

Coach Saban has secured seven national championships across two programs, one with LSU in 2003 and six others with Alabama.

Even in his final season, he led the Crimson Tide to the playoffs and boasted three first-round picks in the 2024 draft: Dallas Turner, JC Latham, and Terrion Arnold.