Earlier this week, Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley revealed to al.com that former Crimson Tide star and former Oakland Raider and Baltimore Raven Rolando McClain is not only back in school at Alabama working toward a degree, but he's been around the football team as well.
McClain won a national championship and the Butkus Award in 2009 as the nation's top linebacker, and the Raiders made him the No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 draft. Just three disappointing seasons and a suspension by the Raiders later, McClain announced his retirement amid a series of scrapes with the law.
Mosley never played a down with McClain for the Crimson Tide -- their careers missed each other by one year thanks to McClain's early entry into the draft -- but Mosley said McClain's presence has commanded respect just the same.
"He'll come with the linebackers and show us little drills that they did in the NFL," Mosley told the news outlet. "Hopefully we'll see him around during the season. ... The main thing is he's a leader. Everybody had heard of him and you know what he's done."
Due to his legal issues and reputation, one might assume Alabama coach Nick Saban would be reluctant to allow McClain around his players. The truth, however, is much the opposite.
"We've never had any problems with Rolando," Saban said. "It must be something in the water in Tuscaloosa. He’s always had a really positive impact on other players."
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.