Alabama Walk-On Offensive Lineman Awarded Scholarship

68 Ventures is the parent company for numerous operating businesses along the Gulf Coast, which focus on development, investment and construction. Nathan Cox, the company's founder, helped present the scholarship alongside Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Yea Alabama, UA's NIL collective, announced the news on Friday, which sent the Crimson Tide into a frenzy.

“I know this has been on Nathan’s heart here for quite a while,” DeBoer said on Friday. “We’ve been talking about this and swapping emails. He’s put a lot into what he wanted in this 'scholarship,' we’re going to call it. This 68 Ventures support for one of you walk-ons, including everything that a scholarship player would have — room and board, tuition, books, fees, all of it.

“So this year, the scholarship is going to go to Graham Roten.”

Roten is a redshirt senior and is entering his fifth year at Alabama. This is not the first thing that he's been awarded over the last year, as on Aug. 18, 2024, Roten, Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson and former running back Justice Haynes (transferred to Michigan) were the recipients of the Charlie Compton Award for Christian leadership.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder is from Nashville, Tenn., and played high school football at Christ Presbyterian Academy. He didn't see any time on the field in 2021 and 2022 but played a few snaps against Chattanooga in 2023 and saw some action against Western Kentucky and Mercer last season.

After the noise wound down, Cox told the story of why Roten was picked for the scholarship.

"So I'm at practice this spring and I've got my 68 Ventures hat on," Cox told the team in the meeting room. "I'm standing there and this guy comes up to me and says, 'Sir, are you Nathan Cox?' I was like 'Yeah, man.' [Roten] was like 'Oh, I'm Graham, I've heard about you, I'm in the business school, coaches have talked about you. Let me tell you what I want to do as soon as I get done with football.' He starts talking about business and I'm like, 'Great, man, that's awesome.'

"So I start talking to coach [DeBoer] about doing this scholarship and he goes, 'Man, we've got the perfect kid. His name is Graham.' And I was like, 'Man, that's the only [player] that came up and talked to me. He's going to be glad he said hello.'

"(Talking to Roten) You embody everything I do. Same with everyone I'm associated with. I can relate to a lot of your story. Super, super proud of you. I know these guys are happy for you and you made me tear up."

Roten joins the following Alabama offensive linemen with scholarships: Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford, Jaeden Roberts, Wilkin Formby, Kam Dewberry, Olaus Alinen, Geno VanDeMark, Roq Montgomery, Casey Poe, William Sanders, Joe Ionata, Arkel Anugwom, Jackson Lloyd, Michael Carroll, Micah DeBose and Mal Waldrep.