Alabama wrapped up its spring camp last weekend with its annual A-Day scrimmage. Now that the Crimson Tide has 15 workouts under its belt, it should have a better feel of what it has moving forward into the fall as it looks to repeat as national champions.
Here’s a projection of how Alabama could line up on defense this season.
Freshmen who are set to arrive in the summer are marked with an asterisk.
DE
LaBryan Ray
Byron Young
Stephon Wynn Jr.
Braylen Ingraham
Damon Payne*
DT
D.J. Dale
Tim Smith
Jamil Burroughs
Tim Keenan
DE
Justin Eboigbe/Phidarian Mathis
Monkell Goodwine
Jah-Marien Latham
Anquin Barnes*
Outlook: This is Alabama’s deepest position group on defense and could see several players get first-team action this fall. Assuming LaBryan Ray can finally fend off the injury bug, the redshirt senior should lead the unit this year. D.J. Dale figures to be the man in the middle as he enters his third season as the starter at nose guard. Alabama’s other starting defensive end role will likely rotate between Justin Eboigbe and Phidarian Mathis while Byron Young figures to get significant minutes as well.
Alabama loses its sacks leader from last season in defensive tackle Christian Barmore. While Dale has been a sturdy run-stuffer during his first two seasons, he doesn’t provide the same pass rush up the middle that Barmore did. The role could now fall to Tim Smith, who showed plenty of promise during his freshman season last year.
True freshman Monkell Goodwine had a solid spring camp and is a player Alabama coaches are excited about moving forward. The Tide also brings in three promising summer enrollees in Damon Payne, Tim Keenan and Anquin Barnes.
Sam
Christopher Allen
Chris Braswell
King Mwikuta
Quandarrius Robinson / Keanu Koht
Jack
Will Anderson Jr.
Drew Sanders
Dallas Turner*
Jarez Parks
Outlook: Alabama should have no problem getting to opposing quarterbacks this season as it brings back an embarrassment of riches in terms of edge rushers.
Will Anderson Jr. returns after a breakout debut season that saw him lead the nation’s freshmen with seven sacks while finishing second on the team with 10.5 tackles for a loss. On the opposite side of Alabama’s defense is Christopher Allen, who led the SEC with 13 tackles for a loss while also registering six sacks last season. The pass-rushing duo of Anderson and Allen figures to be one of the best in the nation this season and should make life difficult for opposing passers.
Alabama also features plenty of depth at the position as Drew Sanders and Chris Braswell return for their second seasons. Braswell, a former five-star recruit, is coming off an excellent A-Day performance in which he tallied three sacks and a forced fumble for the first-team defense. Following the scrimmage, head coach Nick Saban said the 6-foot-3, 220-pound defender “will be a guy we find a role for."
King Mwikuta adds some experienced depth while Quandarrius Robinson will make his debut after sitting out his first season on campus. The Tide also added two Rivals100 freshmen in early enrollee Keanu Koht as well as five-star talent Dallas Turner, who is set to arrive in the summer.
Mike
Jaylen Moody
Shane Lee
Deonte Lawson
Kendrick Blackshire*
Will
Christian Harris
Demouy Kennedy
Jackson Bratton
Ian Jackson
Outlook: Alabama needs to find a new defensive signal-caller as it loses Dylan Moses this offseason. Fortunately, the Tide has plenty of talent to choose from when it comes to filling that role.
It’s unclear whether Christian Harris will shift over to the Mike linebacker position to replace Moses or if that role will be reserved for Jaylen Moody. Either way, those two figure to be the leading candidates to lock down starting roles at inside linebacker this fall.
With Harris and Shane Lee out during A-Day, freshman Deonte Lawson worked beside Moody on the first-team defense. The Mobile, Ala. native looked comfortable on the field, recording four tackles, including one for a loss, with a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Lawson and Lee will likely battle for the backup role behind Moody this fall.
After hardly featuring during his freshman season last year, Demouy Kennedy showed his five-star potential on A-Day, leading the second-team defense with seven tackles, including a sack. The Theodore, Ala. native will likely serve as Harris’ backup this season as he offers the same amount of athleticism at the position.
Despite its current depth, the Tide could add to the unit this offseason as Tennessee linebacker Henry To’o To’o is considering transferring to Alabama. Incoming freshman Kendrick Blackshire is also a name to watch as he already has the physique of an NFL linebacker.
CB
Josh Jobe
GaQuincy McKinstry
Brandon Turnage
Jahquez Robinson
CB
Jalyn Armour-Davis
Marcus Banks
Ronald Williams Jr./Khyree Jackson*
DeVonta Smith*
Star
Malachi Moore
Brian Branch
Ronald Williams Jr.
Kadarius Calloway*
Outlook: One of the biggest questions entering spring camp was how Alabama would replace departing All-American Patrick Surtain II at cornerback. Over the last few weeks, that answer appears to be redshirt junior Jalyn Armour-Davis who spent the majority of camp across from returning starter Josh Jobe on the first-team defense.
While Armour-Davis is the favorite to land the opening at cornerback this fall, he will be pushed by junior Marcus Banks and five-star freshmen Ga’Quincy McKinstry. Banks recorded two interceptions during Alabama’s second scrimmage while McKinstry tallied an interception and a fumble recovery during A-Day.
Malachi Moore, who sat out the spring due to injury, should be fully recovered to retain his starting spot at Star this fall. Brian Branch is another possibility at that position. Alabama could even move Moore to the vacant cornerback position to make room for Branch at Star if it wanted to.
S
DeMarcco Hellams
Daniel Wright
Kristian Story
Kaine Williams*
S
Jordan Battle
Brian Branch
Terrion Arnold*
Outlook: Alabama brings back its top three safeties from last year in Jordan Battle, DeMarcco Hellams and Daniel Wright. Battle is all but certain to lock down one of the two starting spots at deep safety while Hellams and Wright will battle it out for the other. One of those two could also play the Money role out of the dime formation. Branch is also a possibility at that spot.
Outside of the experienced options in the safety unit, Alabama returns Kristian Story, who recorded an interception for the second-team defense on A-Day. The Tide also brings in a pair of talented newcomers in Terrion Arnold and Kaine Williams.
Here’s a projection of how Alabama could line up on defense this season.
Freshmen who are set to arrive in the summer are marked with an asterisk.
DE
LaBryan Ray
Byron Young
Stephon Wynn Jr.
Braylen Ingraham
Damon Payne*
DT
D.J. Dale
Tim Smith
Jamil Burroughs
Tim Keenan
DE
Justin Eboigbe/Phidarian Mathis
Monkell Goodwine
Jah-Marien Latham
Anquin Barnes*
Outlook: This is Alabama’s deepest position group on defense and could see several players get first-team action this fall. Assuming LaBryan Ray can finally fend off the injury bug, the redshirt senior should lead the unit this year. D.J. Dale figures to be the man in the middle as he enters his third season as the starter at nose guard. Alabama’s other starting defensive end role will likely rotate between Justin Eboigbe and Phidarian Mathis while Byron Young figures to get significant minutes as well.
Alabama loses its sacks leader from last season in defensive tackle Christian Barmore. While Dale has been a sturdy run-stuffer during his first two seasons, he doesn’t provide the same pass rush up the middle that Barmore did. The role could now fall to Tim Smith, who showed plenty of promise during his freshman season last year.
True freshman Monkell Goodwine had a solid spring camp and is a player Alabama coaches are excited about moving forward. The Tide also brings in three promising summer enrollees in Damon Payne, Tim Keenan and Anquin Barnes.
Sam
Christopher Allen
Chris Braswell
King Mwikuta
Quandarrius Robinson / Keanu Koht
Jack
Will Anderson Jr.
Drew Sanders
Dallas Turner*
Jarez Parks
Outlook: Alabama should have no problem getting to opposing quarterbacks this season as it brings back an embarrassment of riches in terms of edge rushers.
Will Anderson Jr. returns after a breakout debut season that saw him lead the nation’s freshmen with seven sacks while finishing second on the team with 10.5 tackles for a loss. On the opposite side of Alabama’s defense is Christopher Allen, who led the SEC with 13 tackles for a loss while also registering six sacks last season. The pass-rushing duo of Anderson and Allen figures to be one of the best in the nation this season and should make life difficult for opposing passers.
Alabama also features plenty of depth at the position as Drew Sanders and Chris Braswell return for their second seasons. Braswell, a former five-star recruit, is coming off an excellent A-Day performance in which he tallied three sacks and a forced fumble for the first-team defense. Following the scrimmage, head coach Nick Saban said the 6-foot-3, 220-pound defender “will be a guy we find a role for."
King Mwikuta adds some experienced depth while Quandarrius Robinson will make his debut after sitting out his first season on campus. The Tide also added two Rivals100 freshmen in early enrollee Keanu Koht as well as five-star talent Dallas Turner, who is set to arrive in the summer.
Mike
Jaylen Moody
Shane Lee
Deonte Lawson
Kendrick Blackshire*
Will
Christian Harris
Demouy Kennedy
Jackson Bratton
Ian Jackson
Outlook: Alabama needs to find a new defensive signal-caller as it loses Dylan Moses this offseason. Fortunately, the Tide has plenty of talent to choose from when it comes to filling that role.
It’s unclear whether Christian Harris will shift over to the Mike linebacker position to replace Moses or if that role will be reserved for Jaylen Moody. Either way, those two figure to be the leading candidates to lock down starting roles at inside linebacker this fall.
With Harris and Shane Lee out during A-Day, freshman Deonte Lawson worked beside Moody on the first-team defense. The Mobile, Ala. native looked comfortable on the field, recording four tackles, including one for a loss, with a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Lawson and Lee will likely battle for the backup role behind Moody this fall.
After hardly featuring during his freshman season last year, Demouy Kennedy showed his five-star potential on A-Day, leading the second-team defense with seven tackles, including a sack. The Theodore, Ala. native will likely serve as Harris’ backup this season as he offers the same amount of athleticism at the position.
Despite its current depth, the Tide could add to the unit this offseason as Tennessee linebacker Henry To’o To’o is considering transferring to Alabama. Incoming freshman Kendrick Blackshire is also a name to watch as he already has the physique of an NFL linebacker.
CB
Josh Jobe
GaQuincy McKinstry
Brandon Turnage
Jahquez Robinson
CB
Jalyn Armour-Davis
Marcus Banks
Ronald Williams Jr./Khyree Jackson*
DeVonta Smith*
Star
Malachi Moore
Brian Branch
Ronald Williams Jr.
Kadarius Calloway*
Outlook: One of the biggest questions entering spring camp was how Alabama would replace departing All-American Patrick Surtain II at cornerback. Over the last few weeks, that answer appears to be redshirt junior Jalyn Armour-Davis who spent the majority of camp across from returning starter Josh Jobe on the first-team defense.
While Armour-Davis is the favorite to land the opening at cornerback this fall, he will be pushed by junior Marcus Banks and five-star freshmen Ga’Quincy McKinstry. Banks recorded two interceptions during Alabama’s second scrimmage while McKinstry tallied an interception and a fumble recovery during A-Day.
Malachi Moore, who sat out the spring due to injury, should be fully recovered to retain his starting spot at Star this fall. Brian Branch is another possibility at that position. Alabama could even move Moore to the vacant cornerback position to make room for Branch at Star if it wanted to.
S
DeMarcco Hellams
Daniel Wright
Kristian Story
Kaine Williams*
S
Jordan Battle
Brian Branch
Terrion Arnold*
Outlook: Alabama brings back its top three safeties from last year in Jordan Battle, DeMarcco Hellams and Daniel Wright. Battle is all but certain to lock down one of the two starting spots at deep safety while Hellams and Wright will battle it out for the other. One of those two could also play the Money role out of the dime formation. Branch is also a possibility at that spot.
Outside of the experienced options in the safety unit, Alabama returns Kristian Story, who recorded an interception for the second-team defense on A-Day. The Tide also brings in a pair of talented newcomers in Terrion Arnold and Kaine Williams.
