The wait is almost over. Alabama is set to kick off its fall camp as players report back to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Thursday before opening up practice on Friday. Before Alabama hits the practice field, BamaInsider.com will take a look at each of the position groups. We continue our series today by examining the defensive backs.
Where things stand now
The reinforcements have arrived for Alabama’s secondary. After barely scraping enough bodies together to make it through the spring, the Crimson Tide received the shot in the arm it needed as freshmen Patrick Surtain Jr., Jaylen Armour-Davis, Josh Jobe and Eddie Smith joined the mix this summer. All four arrivals have the talent to contribute right away and should compete for playing time this fall.
Alabama's secondary returns just two players with starting experience. Deionte Thompson started both of Alabama’s playoff games in replacement of injured safety Hootie Jones, while Trevon Diggs started the season-opener before being replaced by Levi Wallace. Other than that, there will be plenty of new faces as Alabama looks to replace its top six defensive backs from last season.
Diggs and JUCO transfer Saivion Smith appear to be the most likely options to fill the two starting cornerback slots, while Thompson and sophomore Xavier McKinney should offer a hard-hitting duo at safety. Shyheim Carter played the Star position with the first-team defense this spring and joins Jared Mayden as veterans who could play at multiple positions.
Alabama could also see several players emerge this season. Redshirt sophomore Nigel Knott has had a quiet start to his college career but could provide depth at cornerback. Sophomore Daniel Wright shined on special teams and could compete for a role in Alabama’s dime package, as could redshirt freshman Kyriq McDonald. Redshirt junior Keaton Anderson might also add depth to the unit at safety.
What we expect
Following A-Day, head coach Nick Saban listed Saivion Smith, Diggs, Thompson, McKinney, Carter and Mayden as trusted defensive back options while stating that “significant improvement” was needed from the rest of the secondary. While Alabama’s four freshmen had yet to arrive on campus at that point, it’s still likely Alabama’s starting secondary will be primarily comprised of those six players.
Barring any surprises, Alabama’s base secondary will be comprised of Saivion Smith and Diggs at corner and Thompson and McKinney at safety. However, Alabama runs the majority of its defense out of the nickel package, which should create a stiff competition for the fifth cornerback spot. Given their experience, Carter and Mayden might have the slight edge to begin camp. If a freshman does enter the mix it will likely be Surtain, who has already drawn comparisons to Minkah Fitzpatrick. Surtain, the son of three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Surtain, was the No. 1 cornerback and No. 8 player overall in the 2018 class.
“Patrick’s a little longer type guy, the kind of guy we like here,” Saban said this spring. “He’s a very instinctive player. Has a good long speed. Uses his length well. Has good ball skills, good ball judgment. Can play man-to-man. Not afraid to get up and press people — that’s a good style for him and that’s our style here. We’re excited about having him in the program, and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”
Potential surprise
While Surtain is the most likely of Alabama’s four freshmen to see early playing time, he isn’t the only one capable of breaking into the rotation. Armour-Davis, 6-1, 181 pounds, fits Alabama’s mold of tall, lanky cornerbacks. The four-star signee was the No. 1 cornerback in the state of Alabama and helped lead St. Paul’s Episcopal School to the 5A state title last season. Armour-Davis was also a track star during high school and is one of the fastest defensive backs on Alabama’s roster.
Jobe is another player who turned heads after arriving in the summer. While he will likely start out at cornerback, the 6-1, 191-pound defender also has the size to move to safety where Alabama might have more of a need this season.
