Saban won't go to the NFL, even with full control.
The players would not play for him. They play for him in college for one reason only: the chance of playing in the NFL. Ala Calipari, he can point to his ability to place players in the pros, and that is all they see. There is no other viable reason why a 5 star stud would go to Bama, knowing full well that they most likely will have to sit a year or two before ever seeing the field.
That won't fly in the Pros, and he knows it.