2026 NFL Draft: Nick Saban caught on hot mic trashing Cowboys' first-round pick: 'Wow, this is a reach'

A word of warning to all broadcasters: If you’re wearing a microphone, don’t risk saying anything that you wouldn’t repeat in front of millions. You never know when that microphone is still on.

Former Alabama coach-turned-analyst Nick Saban learned that the hard way during the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday. As ABC returned from a commercial break, Saban was caught on a hot mic trashing the Dallas Cowboys’ upcoming selection in the draft.

Just before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Cowboys’ selection of edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the No. 23 overall pick, Saban could be heard saying, “Wow, this is a reach” on the broadcast.

The comment came at an awkward time. The broadcast had just come back from a commercial break, but had not officially welcomed back viewers yet. Saban almost certainly believed his mic was muted or that the program had not come back from break yet when he made that comment. After a few beats of silence, Rece Davis re-introduced the program to viewers.

To Saban’s credit, he didn’t completely walk back that criticism when breaking down the pick on the broadcast, per Awful Announcing.

“Actually, this guy was one of my sleepers for tomorrow,” Saban admitted, which garnered some laughter from the rest of the panel. “But he is a good player … this guy is a good player. I thought he was someone that was getting overlooked in the draft, but obviously the Cowboys didn’t overlook him.”

There’s a difference between bluntly calling a pick a “reach” and saying a team drafted a player you liked in the second round, but at least Saban didn’t lie about his true feelings. Instead, he found a way to make them sound less severe while still getting across the point that he believed Lawrence should have been selected later.

Saban’s critique of the Cowboys on Thursday was only limited to the Lawrence pick. He, like many others, was a big fan of the team trading up to select safety Caleb Downs with the No. 11 overall pick. Some considered Downs to be the best player in the entire draft. Yahoo Sports gave the Downs pick an “A+,” citing his ability to develop into an All-Pro safety moving forward.

The Lawrence pick, on the other hand, received a “C-” grade from Yahoo Sports analyst Charles McDonald. While Lawrence has clear ability as a pass rusher, he could have a lower floor than most first-round picks, leading to his “C-” grade.