A word of warning to all broadcasters: If you\u2019re wearing a microphone, don\u2019t risk saying anything that you wouldn\u2019t repeat in front of millions. You never know when that microphone is still on.<\/p>\n
Former Alabama coach-turned-analyst Nick Saban learned that the hard way during the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday. As ABC returned from a commercial break, Saban was caught on a hot mic trashing the Dallas Cowboys<\/a>\u2019 upcoming selection in the draft.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Just before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Cowboys\u2019 selection of edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the No. 23 overall pick, Saban could be heard saying, \u201cWow, this is a reach,\u201d on the broadcast.<\/p>\n The comment came at an awkward time. The broadcast had just come back from a commercial break, but had not officially welcomed back viewers yet. Saban almost certainly believed his mic was muted or that the program had not come back from break yet when he made that comment. After a few beats of silence, Rece Davis re-introduced the program to viewers.<\/p>\n To Saban\u2019s credit, he didn\u2019t completely walk back that criticism<\/a> when breaking down the pick on the broadcast, per Awful Announcing.<\/p>\n \u201cActually, this guy was one of my sleepers for tomorrow,\u201d Saban admitted, which garnered some laughter from the rest of the panel. \u201cBut he is a good player \u2026 this guy is a good player. I thought he was someone that was getting overlooked in the draft, but obviously the Cowboys didn\u2019t overlook him.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s a difference between bluntly calling a pick a \u201creach\u201d and saying a team drafted a player you liked in the second round, but at least Saban didn\u2019t lie about his true feelings. Instead, he found a way to make them sound less severe while still getting across the point that he believed Lawrence should have been selected later.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Saban\u2019s critique of the Cowboys on Thursday was only limited to the Lawrence pick. He, like many others<\/a>, was a big fan of the team trading up to select safety Caleb Downs<\/a> with the No. 11 overall pick. Some considered Downs to be the best player in the entire draft. Yahoo Sports gave the Downs pick an \u201cA+,\u201d<\/a> citing his potential to develop into an All-Pro safety moving forward.<\/p>\n The Lawrence pick, on the other hand, received a \u201cC-\u201d grade from Yahoo Sports analyst Charles McDonald. While Lawrence has clear ability as a pass rusher, he could have a lower floor than most first-round picks.<\/p>\n Even if the Lawrence move wasn\u2019t celebrated by every analyst, the Cowboys look to have done a solid job overall Thursday. In addition to grabbing Downs, the team traded down for more draft picks before selecting Lawrence.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n