Leave it to Nick Saban to say what everyone else is thinking — or at least what only he was thinking. During ESPN’s live NFL Draft coverage, the legendary coach didn’t mince words when the Dallas Cowboys made their first-round selection at No. 23 overall.
As the broadcast returned from a break, Saban was caught on a hot mic muttering, “This is a reach.” The comment came just before the Cowboys officially announced they had selected UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence.
Once the pick was made public, Saban quickly tried to backpedal. “I hate to use that word, but this guy was actually one of my sleepers for tomorrow,” he said, prompting a chuckle from fellow analyst Desmond Howard. It was an awkward moment that underscored the tension between Saban’s on-air candor and the typical draft-day hype machine.
But here’s the thing: Saban appears to be on an island with this take. While the seven-time national champion may have his doubts, the rest of the football world is singing a different tune about Lawrence.
Lawrence was a force at UCF, racking up 28 tackles for loss and 20 sacks over 39 games while earning All-Big 12 honors in 2025. Analysts across the board have praised the Cowboys for landing a player many considered a top-10 talent in this draft class.
“Oh baby Malachi Lawrence to the Cowboys. Pure pass rush skills — he’s a Top 10 pick. Gotta work on the other stuff. But that Dallas D really has a different look now,” wrote NBC’s Chris Simms on X.
ESPN’s Peter Schrager echoed the sentiment: “I love this fit for him… I love what the Dallas Cowboys have done tonight.”
Jordan Schultz added, “Malachi Lawrence was a name who gained a ton of steam as a bona fide first rounder. Super productive and talented rusher who the Cowboys fell in love with. Nearly 6-5, 253 pounder as well.”
So why did Saban call Lawrence a reach? It’s possible he was caught off guard by the pick’s timing — the Cowboys traded down from No. 12 to No. 23, a move that raised eyebrows given the team’s recent history of draft-day trades. Some fans are still smarting from the team’s decision to pass on a top wide receiver earlier in the round.
The Cowboys, however, clearly targeted Lawrence as a cornerstone for a defense that’s undergone a major overhaul this offseason. With several teams making bold moves in the first round, Dallas’s selection of Lawrence is being viewed as a savvy play by most insiders.
Only time will tell whether Saban’s skepticism is warranted or if Lawrence will prove him wrong. For now, the coach’s hot-mic moment has become one of the most talked-about highlights of a chaotic first round — one that also saw controversy over the league’s shortened draft clock.
Regardless of where you stand, one thing is clear: Nick Saban isn’t afraid to speak his mind, even if it means going against the grain.
