“They’re f*cking problems”: Giants HC Brian Daboll reveals 2 players Nick Saban couldn't stop raving about during 2024 NFL draft

Nick Saban found himself mentioned in the latest episode of "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants" as fans got an inside look at the team's NFL draft strategy. The episode revealed a conversation between Giants coach Brian Daboll and the former Alabama coach.

Daboll reached out to Saban for advice, and the response was candid and emphatic. According to the Giants HC, Saban heavily praised two players: Georgia tight end Brock Bowers and LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

"They’re f*cking problems," Saban said, according to Daboll.

Safe to say, Saban’s analysis impacted the Giants' decision-making process, with Nabers eventually being picked sixth. Daboll, who can boast about working under Saban at Alabama in 2017, clearly valued his mentor’s opinion. (Bowers went No. 13 to the Las Vegas Raiders.)

The Giants were initially looking to trade up for a top quarterback, but general manager Joe Schoen made it clear that drafting either Nabers or Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. was the priority if no trade materialized. (Harrison went No. 4 to the Arizona Cardinals.)

Also read: Is Nick Saban coming back to Alabama? Looking at 7x National Champ's future with Crimson Tide after retirement

Nick Saban to take ESPN's CFB analyst role seriously

Nick Saban is taking on a new role as ESPN’s top college football analyst, and he does not intend to take the job lightly. During SEC media days, the legendary coach got a whiff about his role as he talked about his transition.

"You guys have been killing me for all these years," Saban quipped. "You have the opportunity to do it again. So, (I'm a) glutton for punishment."

The 72-year-old’s switch to television has been seamless, and he’s already committed to bringing the same level of intensity to his analyst role as he did to coaching. Saban revealed he spent 200 hours preparing for analysis of the 2024 NFL draft.

"For this (media days), I talked to every coach, I watched everybody's spring game," Saban said. "I looked at some film to try to figure it out. I'm going to do the same thing in the fall when it comes to 'GameDay.'"

Saban’s commitment to his new role is clear. This isn’t just a retired coach filling time; it’s a passionate football mind bringing his expertise to fans every week.

Also read: "That's my only concern about it": Nick Saban details the "downside" of new College Football Playoff format