The motto of this year’s University of Alabama football team has made it to the National Football League.
Evan Neal, a former Crimson Tide offensive lineman, was the first alumnus of Alabama football to receive a “LANK” care package in the NFL from his Alma mater. Neal, a native Floridian, was selected at No. 7 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
He came to the Tide as a five-star from IMG Academy in 2019 and helped the program to a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2020. Neal earned first-team All-SEC and Consensus All-American honors in 2020.
A few more Alabama alums have received LANK gift boxes. Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, and Mack Wilson shared theirs on social media.
Mack Wilson representing Alabama at the podium this morning. pic.twitter.com/1KY9L0PzC8
— Christopher Price (@cpriceglobe) December 28, 2023
Gibbs and Branch played with Jalen Milroe and Terrion Arnold, the creators of Let All Naysayers Know, last season.
RELATED: Former Alabama player receives “LANK” gift box from current Crimson Tide players
Both guys were selected by the Detroit Lions in this year’s draft and turned in great rookie seasons. Gibbs and Branch have the Lions in the playoffs as NFC North Division Champions for the first time in 30 years. Gibbs, a running back, became the third rookie in Lions history to record 1,000 scrimmage yards — joining Barry Sanders and Billy Sims. Branch, a defensive back, has been one of the highest graded rookies via Pro Football Focus. Both have Detroit in a position to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Wilson, a linebacker for the New England Patriots, was a two-time Southeastern Conference Champion (2016, 2018) and a CFP National Champion (2017) at Alabama.
Alabama takes on Michigan next Monday in one of two CFP Semifinal matchups at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
