Carson Tinker has gone from the top of the world, playing for the No. 1 college team in the country, to being a rookie trying to work his way to the top in the NFL. At the same time, he’s working on publishing his first book.

Tinker, 23 and a former long snapper at The University of Alabama, was on all three of Nick Saban’s national championship teams. He graduated from the University in August 2012 with a marketing degree and has nine hours left to complete a master’s degree in marketing. Tinker has accomplished more than most people could imagine. He has gone through more transitions than anyone would ever want to.

“Everyone has a circumstance, but you either live in circumstance or you live in vision,” Tinker said. “My big thing is to live in vision.”

April 27, 2011, is a day most people of Tuscaloosa will never forget. Tinker’s girlfriend, UA senior Ashley Harrison, who was with him at the time, was killed by the F4 tornado, in addition to it destroying his home and belongings. The tornado, which made national news, left him hospitalized with little memory, bruises and broken bones. He was not sure if he would play football again.

After months of rehabilitation, prayer and faith, Tinker came back stronger than ever, doing good for the community and ready to get back to football.

The way Tuscaloosa and the community responded to Tinker through the difficult time inspired him to write a book.

“A lot of people really reached out to me and helped me personally get through what I had to get through,” Tinker said. “This is my way of giving back.”

His book is not only intended to reach out to tornado victims or people who lived through the storm, but is also designed to inspire anyone to do better things.

“I wrote the book to where hopefully anyone can read it and be inspired by it. No matter what anyone is going through, they can be inspired,” Tinker said. “I want to be a blessing to other people.”

The book, co-written with Tommy Ford, director of donor programs for UA Athletics, transitions between Tinker’s childhood, the tornado that changed his life and the 2011 national championship season.

“I liked writing about the season because I talk about how in every game of the season there is a life lesson … that I learn from coach Saban,” Tinker said. “Talking about that was one of my favorite parts.”

The title of Tinker’s book is “A Season to Remember, Finding Faith in the Midst of the Storm.” It is scheduled for publication in spring 2014.

Along with writing his first book, Tinker is also pursuing his dreams of making it in the NFL.

On the two-year anniversary of the tornado, Tinker got a call from the Jacksonville Jaguars that he hopes will change his life. The team offered him a chance to try out for its organization.

He knew going from the No.1 college team and being a collegiate player to being an NFL rookie would be difficult.

Tinker is preparing his mind and his body this summer for the Jaguars’ football camp at the end of July. More than 90 people are trying out for the team. By the end of camp, coaches must narrow the roster down to 63 players.

“Coach Saban and the staff at Alabama really prepare all the players for the NFL,” Tinker said. “Nothing has changed in terms of football, but in terms of me, long snapping is something that is up to you. I’ve really been focusing on doing my job and being the best long snapper that I can be.”

Tinker said the biggest difference between college football and the NFL is not having class.

“That might sound funny to most, but now it’s a job. Football is what you are doing 24 hours a day,” Tinker said.“Class does take a huge toll out of the day. Now it’s a lot easier. I can eat right all of the time, and I don’t have a schedule that I have to go around. It’s just football.”

Tinker’s love for the game is not something that goes unnoticed.

“He really loves football, especially snapping,” said Alex Harrelson, current UA long snapper. “He always jokes about how ‘he’s the greatest snapper alive,’ and in a sense, I think that he believes that. His drive to be the best really shows, and the hard work is paying off.”