Alabama’s Hall, Castille join Gilberry on Senior Bowl roster

MOBILE | Alabama receiver DJ Hall and cornerback Simeon Castille will play in the Senior Bowl to begin their auditions for NFL teams.

They join Crimson Tide defensive end Wallace Gilberry on the South roster for the Jan. 26 game for senior NFL prospects.

Hall finished his college career holding virtually every major school receiving mark for a game, season and career. He had two 1,000-yard receiving seasons and broke Freddie Milons’ single-season mark with his 67th catch in the Tide’s Independence Bowl win over Colorado.

Castille was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick by the coaches after leading the Tide with 10 pass break-ups as a senior. He also had 63 tackles and two interceptions after recording six picks the previous season.

He had a season-high nine tackles and a sack against Auburn.

Castille’s father, Jeremiah, was an All-America defensive back at Alabama and played in the 1983 Senior Bowl and was inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame in 2003.

Gilberry led the SEC in tackles for loss and was the defensive MVP in the Independence Bowl.

Since the Senior Bowl’s inception in 1950, a total of 200 University of Alabama players have appeared in the contest, more than any other school.

The Senior Bowl is coached by the entire coaching staffs from two National Football League teams. The Senior Bowl is also attended by more than 800 NFL coaches, scouts and other front office personnel each year.

More than 575 former Senior Bowl players are currently active in the NFL, and the 2007 Pro Bowl rosters featured 25 former Senior Bowl players. A total of 90 players from the 2007 Senior Bowl were selected in the NFL Draft, including 12 first-round picks.

The game will be played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. and the game and its week-long practice sessions will be televised live by the NFL Network.