Nick Saban's biggest football failing has proven a blessing for the NFL. Proof comes every time a game is played.

Saban's own time in the league is remembered primarily for his unsuccessful stint as Dolphins head coach in 2005 and '06. It’s actually in the aftermath where Saban has made a greater impact on both the pro and college games.

The NFL is now flooded with players Saban has produced since he left the AFC East and became the Crimson Tide's version of Bill Belichick. All but five NFL teams (Dallas, Minnesota, Carolina, Pittsburgh and Cleveland) have at least one Alabama gridiron alumnus on their rosters.

There were 44 Crimson Tide players in the league when NFL offseason workout programs opened this month. Among them are some of the league's best players at their respective positions like Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones, New Orleans running back Mark Ingram, Baltimore linebacker C.J. Mosley and New York Giants safety Landon Collins.

Miami (52), LSU (49), Florida (46), Florida State (45) and USC (44) actually have greater or equal representation in the NFL, per ESPN, but when it comes to individual coaches churning out those numbers, leading the way are Saban and Jimbo Fisher from his time at Florida State. Two other Saban disciples, Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain, have contributed to Florida's totals. The above figures also don't include the Alabama players who transferred elsewhere and found their way into the league through other schools, like New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara, the 2017 Sporting News Rookie of the Year.

As for the marriage of college achievements and NFL production, the Crimson Tide reign supreme since Saban's 2007 arrival with a staggering five national titles and one runner-up finish.

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Nick Saban (Getty Images)

Another reminder of the program's dominance will come at the 2018 NFL Draft in Arlington, Texas. Four more entries — defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, linebacker Rashaan Evans and defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne — are considered likely first-round selections. That would mark 22 such picks since 2009, including nine in the past two years.

According to CBS Sports' draft rankings, 11 Crimson Tide players are rated highly enough to be chosen. Should such forecasting become reality, that figure would break the school record of 10 set during the 2017 NFL Draft.

There’s no sign of the pipeline clogging in future years, either, with Crimson Tide left tackle Jonah Williams and defensive end Raekwon Davis already generating first-round hype for the 2019 NFL Draft.

"He has built a phenomenal program," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. Harbaugh knows firsthand.

Baltimore has selected five Alabama players in the Saban era, four of whom — cornerback Marlon Humphrey (2017), Mosley (2014), outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw (2012) and defensive lineman Terrence Cody (2010) — arrived in the first two rounds. The attraction stems from more than the fact Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is an Alabama alumnus.

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"The thing you know about those Alabama guys is that football is important to them," Harbaugh said. "They understand the value of competing every day at practice and working hard in the offseason. They understand pressure and that you have to do things right, that there is a line and you can’t go below it if you want to be successful and be on the field.

"They know everything is earned. I don't think they come in with any sort of entitlement. To me, that's a credit to coach Saban."

Saban established a track record of grooming NFL talent during previous head coaching stints at Michigan State and LSU, but since returning to the college ranks after his time with the Dolphins, Saban has created a factory that runs with as much efficiency as that of the Mercedes-Benz plant located on the outskirts of Tuscaloosa.

How does the Crimson Tide assembly line work? Start with the plant foreman: Saban himself.

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Saban knows exactly the types of recruits he's seeking from a physical standpoint. Alabama does not pursue players who fail to fit a specific size/speed metric even though they may prove quality players for other programs.

"They have a template, and it matches what most NFL teams are looking for," Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director and Crimson Tide radio analyst Phil Savage told Sporting News. "When they come out of the locker room on any given Saturday, you can see that all the DBs are of a certain height, all the defensive linemen are of a certain shape and the offensive linemen are big. It's not like you have one DB who is 5-7 and another who is 6-2.

"The philosophy doesn't always work, but they believe bigger, stronger, faster players can be better developed toward where they want to be. They try to play the percentages by recruiting prototype prospects at all the positions."

Saban is heavily involved in the process personally with his own player evaluations followed by home visits to potential signees. He travels nationally rather than just regionally to land blue-chip players like Fitzpatrick (New Jersey), as well as current and former NFL players such as Indianapolis center Ryan Kelly (Ohio), Washington defensive end Jonathan Allen (Maryland) and ex-Seattle defensive lineman Jesse Williams (Arizona). The usually high-strung Saban will even dance if it helps him land a five-star prospect.

Quality of education is stressed to parents, but it’s the pedigree of Saban and his well-regarded assistants with extensive college and/or pro backgrounds that usually carries more appeal to the high school athlete fostering NFL aspirations.

Longtime Cowboys personnel director and renowned draft analyst Gil Brandt told Sporting News that Saban actually "coaches his coaches" to learn NFL-style techniques if such fundamentals are not already being taught.

Said Fitzpatrick, who is widely regarded as a probable top-10 pick in this year’s draft: "They preach that if you buy in and do what you're supposed to do, you're going to be more prepared because you're being coached by a coach (Saban) with 40-plus years of experience. He’s coached in the NFL, and most of the other coaches have been in or played in the NFL.

"The program is really hard and challenging. We run an NFL-caliber defense. I think it's kind of understood, but we do say it a little bit that you're a step ahead of the game when you come here."

Alabama is especially appealing for defensive backs because of Saban's background coaching the position. Even when he was the Dolphins' head coach, Saban ran secondary drills during practice as a highly regarded position coach (Mel Phillips) stood in the background.

Anthony Averett recently learned how much further advanced he is from an Xs-and-Os standpoint compared to other college defensive backs, as well as the respect Saban carries when the cornerback was asked extensively about Alabama coaching by NFL teams during the pre-draft interview process.

"They'll ask what coverages we'll play,” said Averett, who is projected as a second-day pick. "I'll say, 'Cover 1, cover 2, cover 3, cover 4, cover 5, cover 6, cover 7 ...'"

Players who have been taught concepts that transfer to what NFL teams are running are easier to scout than players from systems used predominantly in college.

"You see players doing things they're going to be asked to perform at the pro level,” said Savage, who wrote about the Crimson Tide program in his 2017 book "4th and Goal Every Day: Alabama's Relentless Pursuit of Perfection." "The projection is not as different as when you go to a school running all spread offense and some things defensively where guys are in a niche role that may not necessarily translate to the NFL. It's easier to forecast.

"A scout can write in their report, ‘I’ve seen (linebacker) Rashaan Evans do this, this and this, which is required in our defense.' It makes those players a little more readable and a scout more confident in that regard."

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Crimson Tide players also get an early taste of the pressure that comes with trying to make, and then remain on, an NFL roster. That's because incoming Bama recruits are quickly challenging for snaps themselves.

Current Dolphins coach Adam Gase witnessed that during his three years working as a graduate and recruiting assistant under Saban at LSU in the early 2000s. Gase also fields a running back (Kenyan Drake) whose perseverance as a Crimson Tide backup behind future NFL RBs Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry helped him get a starting shot in the pros.

"No one's ever complacent in Nick's program," Gase said. "You might be a senior, but you never know. There might be a freshman coming on. The best players play. There are no promises.

"That's something I always appreciated working for him. It didn’t matter if you were a coach, player or involved in something where you're in recruiting. Everybody was challenged to be the best that they needed to be to keep their job."

MORE: Ranking Saban's Alabama teams

Saban's accomplishments have led to other college teams hiring away Alabama staffers as head coaches in efforts to duplicate the results. Seven ex-Crimson Tide assistants are currently college head coaches elsewhere, three of whom — Fisher (Texas A&M), Kirby Smart (Georgia) and Jeremy Pruitt (Tennessee) — are now with SEC rivals.

But just like with Romeo Crennel, Josh McDaniels and Eric Mangini under Belichick in the NFL, having worked under Saban does not guarantee head-coaching prosperity. Being a standout Crimson Tide player does not assure NFL success, either.

Excluding injury issues like the ones experienced by ex-Jets cornerback Dee Milliner, there are two common threads for high Alabama picks who fail to fulfill their lofty draft status, a la guard Chance Warmack (No. 10 overall pick, 2013), guard/tackle D.J. Fluker (No. 11, 2013), tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (Round 2, 2014) and cornerback Cyrus Jones (Round 2, 2016).

The first is simply a bad personnel evaluation by an NFL team. Such a mistake can happen when scouting a powerhouse program like that of the Crimson Tide.

"The question is, how can you best assess individual talent?” said Savage, who was Cleveland’s general manager from 2005-08. "When there are so many great players around a position like quarterback or safety, is he standing out alone because of his own ability?

"One of the challenges for the scout is to really break down, 'What is this player going to bring to the table in our facility wearing our uniform and helmet when not necessarily surrounded by the types of core players they have in Tuscaloosa?'"

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Nick Saban and Trent Richardson (Getty Images)

Other NFL busts like running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Rolando McClain and Cody experienced a rough time dealing with life off Alabama's campus. San Francisco linebacker Reuben Foster looks like he might soon become the latest washout. The 31st overall pick in last year's draft, Foster faces as many as 11 years in prison if convicted on felony domestic violence charges stemming from an offseason arrest.

"This is a very structured program with accountability to go to class, study hall, the weight room and practice," Savage said. "You have to determine how much help this particular prospect is getting. Are they knocking on the door each morning to wake him up or sending a monitor to make sure he goes to class? Those failures in the NFL are the ones who do not handle life outside of the facility very well.

"Julio Jones has a Superman work ethic. He adjusted to the NFL. It was inside him. He wanted to be a great player. He worked at it. He understood when he got to the league what was required to do it. Several others like Trent or Terrence Cody, they got to the league and could not handle their affairs off-field well enough to keep on the field and be productive players."

Even though Saban posted a 15-17 record as coach in Miami — which primarily was the result of never finding an answer at quarterback — the dynasty he built at Alabama has led to persistent speculation about whether he would be willing to give the NFL another shot. Such chatter has gradually quieted through the years. Saban is now 66 and seemingly content in trying to further his standing among the all-time college coaching greats.

MORE: Alabama's ranking among top college football programs

Savage believes Saban ultimately would have turned Miami into a "more consistent, winning program," but not necessarily the same kind of gold standard Alabama has become in college football.

"Would he be able to sustain what he's done for the past decade? I don't know, because prior to Alabama, he'd never been anywhere beyond five seasons," Savage said. "Nick is going into his 12th year in Tuscaloosa. I don't think anyone could have predicted that knowing his history.

"It truly has been a perfect marriage."

And the NFL is better for it thanks to the kids that marriage has produced.

Alex Marvez conducted interviews with John Harbaugh, Adam Gase, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Anthony Averett on SiriusXM NFL Radio.