Alabama will look to repeat as national champions this year as it aims to add a 19th title to its trophy case. The Crimson Tide opens its season on Sept. 4 against Miami inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To help pass the time until then, BamaInsider is delving into 21 topics and questions concerning the 2021 season.
Today we continue our series by examining Alabama’s top options at inside linebacker.
Despite losing its leading tackler from last season in Dylan Moses, Alabama will boast one of the nation’s deepest units at inside linebacker. The Crimson Tide returns starting Will linebacker Christian Harris and brings in Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o into a position group that already featured several established talents such as Jaylen Moody and Shane Lee. Here’s a look at each one of the Tide’s top options at the position.
Christian Harris
No matter how Alabama lines up on defense, it’s a safe bet that Harris will be on the field. After starting at Will linebacker during his first two years with the program, the junior is the favorite to take over Moses’ signal-calling duties this year.
Harris was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award last season, finishing second on the team with 79 tackles, including seven stops for a loss with 4.5 sacks. He also recorded two pass breakups and an interception in coverage.
Harris, 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, was a defensive back in high school and offers sideline-to-sideline athleticism at the position. He’ll need to improve on his 50.7 coverage grade he earned from Pro Football Focus last season but should still be the lone inside linebacker on the field when Alabama works out of its dime set.
Early NFL mock drafts are currently projecting Harris as a first-round pick next year. If the junior can keep up his current trajectory, he should be one of the best defenders in the nation.
Henry To’o To’o
Nick Saban warned that the NCAA’s instant eligibility rule would make the talent-rich programs even richer. This season, the head coach backed up his words by filling one of his biggest needs on defense with one of the SEC’s top defenders.
Alabama still needs the SEC to alter its intraconference transfer policy in order for To’o To’o to become eligible to play this season. However, with several other conferences making amendments to their policies earlier this year, the SEC appears poised to follow suit when it meets over the ruling next month.
Assuming To’o To’o is cleared to play, he gives the Tide another All-SEC caliber option inside. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker led Tennessee with 76 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss. While he also recorded two pass deflections and an interception for a touchdown, he’ll need to improve drastically on his 38.2 coverage grade.
Jaylen Moody
It’s easy to focus on the shiny new toy that is To’o To’o, but don’t count out Moody to land the starting spot beside Harris. The former unheralded recruit is coming off a junior season in which he proved to be a solid backup off the bench, especially against Arkansas where he tallied a career-high seven tackles while filling in for an injured Harris.
Moody’s career got off to a slow start as he was passed up by Harris and Shane Lee during Alabama’s injury crisis at linebacker in 2019.
However, the Conway, S.C. native didn’t get discouraged, carving out a key role on special teams while working his way back up the depth chart on defense.
“He’s got a great attitude; he plays with a lot of energy,” Saban said of Moody during camp. “Now he has an opportunity to start and he’s certainly taken advantage of that. We’re happy that he’s here and he’s doing a good job for us.”
Moody has nice athleticism and is one of the hardest-hitting defenders on the roster. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker also recorded a respectable 61.4 coverage grade last season, making him a viable option for passing downs.
Shane Lee
Lee was Alabama’s second-leading tackler two seasons ago when he recorded 86 stops, including 6.5 for a loss with 4.5 sacks during his freshman year. Last season was a bit of a step back for the former Rivals100 linebacker as he lost his role to a recovered Moses while suffering a sports hernia injury that limited him to just five games.
Now back to full health, Lee should be in a better position to provide the production from his freshman season. The 6-foot, 240-pound defender is a throwback to Tide linebackers of old. He’ll need to improve his athleticism to keep up with the rest of the options in Alabama’s unit, but he should once again compete for playing time this season.
Demouy Kennedy
If you’re looking for a sleeper pick in Alabama’s defense, Kennedy is one of the best options. The former five-star recruit saw the field for just six snaps over three appearances last season, serving exclusively on special teams.
Last month, Kennedy reminded Alabama fans of his high-end potential, leading the first-team defense with seven tackles and a sack on A-Day. The Theodore, Ala. native is still listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds on the team’s official roster and will need to add more bulk if he is going to hold a significant role in the middle of the defense. Still, as he proved recently, he’s one to keep an eye on for the future.
Deontae Lawson
Deontae Laeson was included in our “biggest freshmen to watch” segment earlier in this series, so it’s no surprise to see him make this list as well. Like his fellow South Alabama native, Kennedy, Lawson is coming off a big performance on A-Day where he recorded four tackles, including one for a loss, with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Lawson comes to Alabama as the No. 65 overall player and No. 2 inside linebacker in this year’s class. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound defender has all the tools to be the face of the Tide’s defense in future years, but he’ll likely need to wait his turn behind a stacked unit this season. Like several other former star linebackers to come out of Tuscaloosa, Ala. in recent years, don’t be surprised if he starts his career on special teams.
Today we continue our series by examining Alabama’s top options at inside linebacker.
Despite losing its leading tackler from last season in Dylan Moses, Alabama will boast one of the nation’s deepest units at inside linebacker. The Crimson Tide returns starting Will linebacker Christian Harris and brings in Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o into a position group that already featured several established talents such as Jaylen Moody and Shane Lee. Here’s a look at each one of the Tide’s top options at the position.
Christian Harris
No matter how Alabama lines up on defense, it’s a safe bet that Harris will be on the field. After starting at Will linebacker during his first two years with the program, the junior is the favorite to take over Moses’ signal-calling duties this year.
Harris was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award last season, finishing second on the team with 79 tackles, including seven stops for a loss with 4.5 sacks. He also recorded two pass breakups and an interception in coverage.
Harris, 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, was a defensive back in high school and offers sideline-to-sideline athleticism at the position. He’ll need to improve on his 50.7 coverage grade he earned from Pro Football Focus last season but should still be the lone inside linebacker on the field when Alabama works out of its dime set.
Early NFL mock drafts are currently projecting Harris as a first-round pick next year. If the junior can keep up his current trajectory, he should be one of the best defenders in the nation.
Henry To’o To’o
Nick Saban warned that the NCAA’s instant eligibility rule would make the talent-rich programs even richer. This season, the head coach backed up his words by filling one of his biggest needs on defense with one of the SEC’s top defenders.
Alabama still needs the SEC to alter its intraconference transfer policy in order for To’o To’o to become eligible to play this season. However, with several other conferences making amendments to their policies earlier this year, the SEC appears poised to follow suit when it meets over the ruling next month.
Assuming To’o To’o is cleared to play, he gives the Tide another All-SEC caliber option inside. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker led Tennessee with 76 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss. While he also recorded two pass deflections and an interception for a touchdown, he’ll need to improve drastically on his 38.2 coverage grade.
Jaylen Moody
It’s easy to focus on the shiny new toy that is To’o To’o, but don’t count out Moody to land the starting spot beside Harris. The former unheralded recruit is coming off a junior season in which he proved to be a solid backup off the bench, especially against Arkansas where he tallied a career-high seven tackles while filling in for an injured Harris.
Moody’s career got off to a slow start as he was passed up by Harris and Shane Lee during Alabama’s injury crisis at linebacker in 2019.
However, the Conway, S.C. native didn’t get discouraged, carving out a key role on special teams while working his way back up the depth chart on defense.
“He’s got a great attitude; he plays with a lot of energy,” Saban said of Moody during camp. “Now he has an opportunity to start and he’s certainly taken advantage of that. We’re happy that he’s here and he’s doing a good job for us.”
Moody has nice athleticism and is one of the hardest-hitting defenders on the roster. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker also recorded a respectable 61.4 coverage grade last season, making him a viable option for passing downs.
Shane Lee
Lee was Alabama’s second-leading tackler two seasons ago when he recorded 86 stops, including 6.5 for a loss with 4.5 sacks during his freshman year. Last season was a bit of a step back for the former Rivals100 linebacker as he lost his role to a recovered Moses while suffering a sports hernia injury that limited him to just five games.
Now back to full health, Lee should be in a better position to provide the production from his freshman season. The 6-foot, 240-pound defender is a throwback to Tide linebackers of old. He’ll need to improve his athleticism to keep up with the rest of the options in Alabama’s unit, but he should once again compete for playing time this season.
Demouy Kennedy
If you’re looking for a sleeper pick in Alabama’s defense, Kennedy is one of the best options. The former five-star recruit saw the field for just six snaps over three appearances last season, serving exclusively on special teams.
Last month, Kennedy reminded Alabama fans of his high-end potential, leading the first-team defense with seven tackles and a sack on A-Day. The Theodore, Ala. native is still listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds on the team’s official roster and will need to add more bulk if he is going to hold a significant role in the middle of the defense. Still, as he proved recently, he’s one to keep an eye on for the future.
Deontae Lawson
Deontae Laeson was included in our “biggest freshmen to watch” segment earlier in this series, so it’s no surprise to see him make this list as well. Like his fellow South Alabama native, Kennedy, Lawson is coming off a big performance on A-Day where he recorded four tackles, including one for a loss, with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Lawson comes to Alabama as the No. 65 overall player and No. 2 inside linebacker in this year’s class. The 6-foot-2, 217-pound defender has all the tools to be the face of the Tide’s defense in future years, but he’ll likely need to wait his turn behind a stacked unit this season. Like several other former star linebackers to come out of Tuscaloosa, Ala. in recent years, don’t be surprised if he starts his career on special teams.
