McCants was named the CBS Player of the Game for Alabama with 18 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. A high point for the Tide from the game was McCants' display of "incredible athletic talent" in running down Auburn receiver Shane Wasden from behind and preventing a touchdown. Additionally, it was the second straight Iron Bowl in which McCants led the Tide in tackles, combining for 35 total between the 1988 and 1989 matchups. Even with the loss to Auburn, Alabama would still claim the title of 1989 SEC Champions, the school’s first conference title since 1981. Among a number of individual honors, McCants finished his college career with 197 total tackles, including 16 tackles for a loss. Additionally, McCants 119 tackles that year puts him tied for 6th all time for tackles in a single season by an Alabama player. The February 12, 1990 issue of Sports Illustrated ran an article that focused on McCants titled "The Young and the Restless", that profiled his and other college juniors' eventually successful attempts to declare for the NFL Draft before their senior season, a then-uncommon practice. In December 2010, Bleacher Report named McCants the 33rd greatest player in Alabama Crimson Tide History. Before the draft, Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune described McCants as "the biggest star around", with pro scouts "drooling over him", and projected him to be "a virtual lock to be the top pick in next spring`s NFL draft". `BAMA STAR WEIGHS THE PROS, CONS Professional career McCants was for a time expected to be the first player selected in the 1990 NFL draft, but the Atlanta Falcons backed off due to rumors of knee trouble and allegations that his family had been paid money by a sports agent while he was still in college. Still, McCants' strength and 4.51 second time in the 40-yard dash guaranteed he would still be a high pick, if not #1. After being drafted fourth overall by the Buccaneers in 1990, McCants signed a 5-year, $7.4 million deal with the team, including a then-record $2.5 million cash signing bonus. A highly touted prospect, McCants rookie card by Score quoted former Kentucky head coach Jerry Claiborne as saying "Keith is one of the best football players I have ever seen. Have you ever seen a linebacker as big as he is? I never have. He looks like an elephant and he runs