Does he show them the transfer paperwork for the 10 guys a year he processes off his roster to Division 2?
I agree he’s acting in his best interests. So is Bosa. So is any kid who sits once he has an NFL contract secure.
And your argument presupposes that kids are going to announce they’re going pro in 2 years or that they’re going to sit, while they’re being recruited. They’re not going to do that any more than Saban is going to tell recruits that he’s recruiting 35 guys for 25 spots.
Your overall point seems to be that the players have very little leverage and they should just pipe down and take what they can get. I agree that they have little leverage, and that’s why I don’t fault a kid for looking out for himself when he gets the opportunity.
He tells every recruit the same thing: Come here and work hard, do what we tell you, and you'll always have a spot on this team. The players that don't do what they are told, end up leaving.
Yes, Saban is quite clear about that when he recruits these kids. Kids come here anyway because they know that no program does a better job of sending kids to the NFL. They also aren't idiots, they are well aware that Saban processes kids every year. They know WHY these kids get processed, because they aren't doing what the coaches demand of them. Again, they aren't idiots. And they likely aren't the kind of player who would sit a year just to save himself for the NFL.
My overall point is that if kids start sitting as juniors, it doesn't help anyone.
Players - They will have less development in college, and fewer offers, especially from top schools. So they won't perform as well during the combines and in workouts.
Colleges - Will have to deal with players suddenly announcing as juniors that they have decided not to play. That means the coach has starters that he has to scramble to replace (likely the best player(s) on the team, and the team as a whole is upset that a teammate quit on them. Team chemistry is easily affected.
NFL - They get players who are less ready to play in the NFL. That means they have to hire players then finish developing them because they didn't get the development they needed in college because they sat their junior season.
It seems that you are only focusing on the advantage that the player can get from being less likely to be injured headed to the draft. That's one potential benefit while ignoring the many potential disadvantages.
And you keep talking about life-changing money.....what's the difference in pay between a Top 10 pick and the #1 pick? If it's all about the money, then why shouldn't the kid who is projected to be a Top 10 pick as a junior stay for his senior season and try to be the #1 pick? The bump in salary would be pretty huge. Bama has actually had a couple of kids recently (Jon Allen and Reggie Ragland) who were projected to be 2nd or 3rd round picks as juniors. Saban told them both to come back, they did, both went first round.