BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- Two players who had suited up for the Alabama Crimson Tide last fall are now living out their dreams of playing in the National Football League.
This football season, Jaylen Key and Darrian Dalcourt were picked up by the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens respectively. They were two of 11 Crimson Tide players who were pulled up to the big leagues this year. Going into the weekend, both players will have the chance to make their professional debuts with their teams.
"It was pretty surreal. I mean, it's something that you kind of think about your whole life when it's something that you're working for your whole life and to be like a less than one-percenter is pretty cool. I think about the phone call, like the big phone call," said Key. "That's probably one of the coolest things about it. You just see your phone ring, and you see the team that it is, you answer it and you're talking to the coaches, the GM, the owner."
Key had transferred to Alabama after spending four seasons at UAB. During his four seasons in Birmingham, Key finished with 74 total tackles, five pass breakups and three interceptions. In his lone season with the Tide, he totaled 60 tackles and one interception. As the last pick of the 2024 Draft, Key was signed by the New York Jets, who gave him the moniker "Mr. Irrelevant."
As part of his contract with the Jets, Key signed a $4.1 million deal over four years, including an $80,000 signing bonus.
Dalcourt was a consensus four-star and one of the top players in the state of Maryland during his high school career. He started three seasons at center for Bama and in the 2023 season, was a part-time starter with five starts at guard. Dalcourt had a different draft experience from Key in that he was undrafted, but was later selected by the Baltimore Ravens, his hometown team.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I think it's everybody's dream to hear their names called in the draft, whether it was a first round through the last round. I was disappointed for sure, but I think the next step immediately after that was, 'Alright, what's my next step to, you know, ensure that I have the future that I always wanted?,' said Dalcourt. "So it kind kind of went from disappointed to like eagerness, ready to take that next step, whatever that may be, to get this journey started and it happened to be hometown team with the Ravens. So I was very happy about that."
Key said that although getting a call to join the Jets was a dream come true, there had been 19 safeties taken before him. For him, it's nothing new to be the underdog, to be flying under the radar. Nonetheless, he said he'll continue to do the things that have gotten him to this point, all while keeping a chip on his shoulder.
"That's a position that I'm pretty used to, I've kind of been there," he said. "I would say kind of my whole life to where I was kind of, you would say kind of doubted to where people would say, he won't be able to do this, he won't be able to do that and I was always able to do it. So for me, this is not uncharted territory, I'm able to come in and do my thing, so it's not uncharted territory. So for me, of course I put a chip on my shoulder and we're going to keep working towards it."
Both Key and Dalcourt are still adjusting to the NFL life, most of their time going into perfecting their craft. They agreed that playing for Alabama has made the transition easy.
"The biggest difference for me, probably, I would say is going from a Coach Saban practice to NFL practice is pretty different," Key said. "When you come in, you're kind of thinking about or have jitters of what is practice going to be like. It's not like the dog days at Built by Bama over fall camp, to where we out there with Coach Saban in 100-degree weather, everybody's tired, you're taking close to, I don't even know, 100 plays a day."
"So that was the biggest change for me, I wouldn't say it was that much of a change of speed. Of course the people you're going against are the premier athletes here in the league. That was kind of different but not that much different, because at Alabama you're going against the best in the country," said Key.
"Honestly, the biggest difference I've seen so far is just like, this is your job now. There's no outside stuff, whether it's school, you know, stuff like that. The NFL is your job, this is what you get paid to do is play football," Dalcourt said. "So you know, being able to focus all your attention on football has been a great blessing. I would say the thing that Bama prepared me for the most is just competition."
"You go to Bama to be the best player, get coached by the best. I think that kind of breeds that into you, you know, willing to be able to go against the best every day and practice hard every day because that's what separates you," he said.
For an undrafted player like Dalcourt, the preseason is his opportunity to show the Ravens that he's worthy of making the 53-man roster. Ravens starting center and Pro Bowl selection Tyler Linderbaum is dealing with an injury, which means more reps for Dalcourt and the opportunity to show coaches and fans what he's made of. He said he's taking it everything day by day.
"Honestly, I'm just taking it a step at a time," he said. "I don't know what my journey will be, I know all I can do is control what I can and that's going out there, giving it max effort, learning my plays, being the best teammate I could be...so I think with that aspect is just, you know, trying to become better every day and, you know, see where the dominoes fall."
The Ravens will be starting the preseason with a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday while the Jets face off against the Commanders Saturday.