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Saban reportedly closes Alabama's practices to NFL scouts

Alabama football coach Nick Saban has closed his team's practices to NFL scouts, The Tuscaloosa News reported Wednesday.

A longtime NFL scout confirmed Saban's actions to the newspaper.

"Alabama is keeping guys out for the time being, but, as I understand it, that will be lifted at a certain point," said the scout, who asked not to be identified and said he had confirmed the lockout with multiple other scouts. "It also looks like Florida is doing the same thing."

Saban, who coached the Miami Dolphins in 2005 and '06, suggested last month that he would consider restricting NFL scouts' access to Crimson Tide players. He called upon the NFL Players Association to police unscrupulous sports agents who entice players with financial favors.

Agents' ethics came under more scrutiny earlier this summer after the NCAA ruled that current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his family accepted improper benefits while he was at USC. The Trojans received four years' probation, a two-year bowl ban and scholarship restrictions as a result.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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