A total of seven Alabama players with eligibility remaining opted for the NFL over another season in Tuscaloosa.

Some were obvious -- Quinnen Williams, Jonah Williams and Josh Jacobs -- are first-round guys. Cornerback Saivion Smith wasn’t necessarily on the list of no brainers after one season in a Crimson Tide jersey. Five days after losing to Clemson, however, Smith said he was entering the draft.

Walter Football has him as the No. 36 cornerback in a class full of SEC talent at the top while CBS Sports had him No. 12. Smith on Sunday at the NFL Combine spoke about his decision to leave Alabama, his final game with the team and the injury that ended it.

Smith said Saban told him his grades were coming back between a second- and fourth-round selection. What did the coach say about Smith’s decision?

“He told me to think about it some more,” Smith said. “So I thought about it and talked to my family and my supporting staff and we agreed it was time to come out.”

One major hurdle stood between him and the ultimate verdict to enter the draft. His performance in the 44-16 national title game loss to Clemson weighed heavily with an opportunity at redemption in his mind.

Smith, who started 12 of the 15 games, was beaten on several key plays in Clemson’s stunning blowout win over the reigning national champions.

The final play of his collegiate career came on the 74-yard touchdown from Trevor Lawrence to Justyn Ross. It was practically the back breaker that put the Tigers up 37-16 three plays after Alabama’s failed fake field goal in the third quarter.

Smith went down after Ross made a quick move at the line to find green grass on a short pass. The cornerback didn’t get up as medical staff rushed to his side before he was carted off the field with an apparent ankle injury.

Smith said he had been dealing with a bone bruise on that foot dating back to the SEC Championship Game win over Georgia.

“I just kept reaggravated it," Smith said, "and it kind of gave out on me.”

Smith said he had been rehabbing the ankle up until the game but “just couldn’t take the pain after I injured it again.”

And on that final play?

“I rolled my ankle, which the talus is the joint that connects your foot and your ankle,” Smith said. “So, when I went to plant and cutting back off, my ankle just rolled and got caught in the turf. I just went down.”

The injury kept him sidelined from training for two weeks, Smith said. That’s the reason he will not run the 40 on Monday at the NFL Combine.

Overall, Smith said his Alabama experience was “amazing.” He points to better performances that he hopes NFL teams see as well as the Clemson tape.

“I think everybody would agree I had a great game against Missouri,” Smith said. “I had two interceptions against Drew Lock. I think everybody would agree I had a great game against LSU. I was pretty pumped up for that game.”

The extra inspiration for Baton Rouge came from Smith’s time playing for LSU in 2016. He went to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for a season before signing with Alabama for 2018.

Heading back to Tiger Stadium was quite an experience.

“It was fantastic,” Smith said. “Being on the other side, just listening to the crowd from another point of view. When I was at LSU it was always a motivation factor. You know, we wanted the crowd in the game but definitely hearing that loud stadium, it was a different pump-me-up.”

Smith had six tackles and broke up two passes in Alabama’s 29-0 win over LSU. It wasn’t weird returning to his old home, Smith said.

“I just took it as a business approach,” Smith said. “It was just fun going against guys I actually played with and guys I was roommates with.”

That was one of the better days in his Alabama tenure.

The Clemson loss lingered a few days after returning from California. It weighed heavily into the thought process of going pro or a second Alabama season.

“Of course,” he said. “That was the main reason I wanted to come back, but I just thought about it and talked about it with my family. And I thought it was the right decision to come out.”

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.