In the 2024 NFL season, Za’Darius Smith recorded nine sacks while playing for both the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. This achievement places him in the top 10 for players from Alabama high schools and colleges in terms of career sacks. The NFL has two sets of sack statistics: an official one starting from 1982 and an unofficial one dating back to 1960, thanks to research by John Turney and Nick Webster.
The unofficial stats credit Buck Buchanan, a former Parker High School standout and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, with 70.5 sacks during his career with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1962 to 1975. This would place him ninth on Alabama’s list if using these extended statistics.
Kevin Greene holds the record for most NFL sacks by a player from an Alabama high school or college, with a total of 160. Officially, this ranks him third in NFL history, though unofficial stats move him to fourth behind Deacon Jones. Greene played primarily as a linebacker, whereas Bruce Smith, Reggie White, and Deacon Jones were defensive ends.
Will Anderson Jr., playing for the Houston Texans in 2024, led players with Alabama roots with 11 sacks. Smith’s nine sacks were second-best that season among such players and increased his career total to 69. This moved Justin Tuck off Alabama’s top-10 list.
The single-season sack record for a player from an Alabama high school or college is held by Derrick Thomas (20 sacks in 1990) and DeMarcus Ware (20 sacks in 2008). Derrick Thomas recorded a total of 126.5 sacks during his career with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989 to 1999.
Thomas was selected fourth overall by the Chiefs in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft. Throughout his Hall of Fame career as a linebacker, he also recorded one interception return yard and four fumble return touchdowns.
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