While the Alabama basketball team is currently making the most important headlines, Alabama football is gearing up for the start of spring practice.Here’s a look at position battles to watch as we get ready for Kalen DeBoer’s second season at the helm of the program.
Walk-ons of note are designated by an asterisk (*).
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
Returning Starter(s): None
On Campus: Ty Simpson (Jr.), Austin Mack (So.), Keelon Russell (Fr.), Cade Carruth* (Jr.)
Arriving Later: None
Predicted Depth Chart: Simpson, Mack/Russell, Carruth
Analysis: On one hand, it could be said that Alabama has a true quarterback competition for a change, but on the other, Ty Simpson is considered such a strong favorite to win the job that any other permutation of the depth chart would be taken as a major surprise. Simpson has looked generally favorable in his limited opportunities since at least the second half of the 2023 season, but Alabama needs him to be a difference-maker. The offense is being retooled, albeit in relatively minor fashion compared to last year’s total rebuild, now that Ryan Grubb has been added to the staff and given the title of offensive coordinator. The 2025 offense is expected to lean more heavily on quick passing and complicated route trees and less on the quarterback run that was a function of having Jalen Milroe as the quarterback before. Fans will most likely be watching Simpson and true freshman Keelon Russell more than they do Austin Mack, given Russell’s incredibly impressive senior season in high school. All three should get snaps over the course of the season, but if Simpson is as good as his supporters believe he is, he’ll get every snap that matters, barring injury.
RUNNING BACKS
Returning Starter(s): Jamarion Miller (Sr.)
On Campus: Richard Young (So.), Dre’lyn Washington (Sr.), Daniel Hill (So.), Kevin Riley (RFr.), Akylin Dear (Fr.), J.R. Gardner* (So.), Michael Lorino III* (Jr.)
Arriving Later: None
Predicted Depth Chart: Miller/Washington, Young, Hill/Riley, Dear
Analysis: The addition of Louisiana transfer Dre’lyn Washington went a bit under the radar, but that’s the kind of athlete the transfer portal was designed to favor: the small-school talent who transfers up to a larger program late in his career and takes advantage of an opportunity. Even though 2024 co-starter Jam Miller returns, this job should be considered open. Neither Miller nor Justice Haynes put up enough production in 2024 to seal the job. Observers in Tuscaloosa say that Washington has an excellent chance to push for the outright starting job, and at worst replace Haynes in a two-back rotation with Miller. Richard Young made some waves late in 2024 and if he can stay healthy, he has a chance to fill the role as the third back. That would likely relegate Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley to special teams work and blowout carries, and talented true freshman Akylin Dear would probably end up redshirting. Riley showed some pop last year due to his impressive speed, and if he proves he can take the pounding of an SEC schedule then he may be a darkhorse in this. We would not be surprised at all to see Washington take the first snaps this fall.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Returning Starter(s): Ryan Williams (So.), Germie Bernard (Sr.)
On Campus: Cole Adams (So.), Jalen Hale (So.), Rico Scott (RFr.), Jaylen Mbakwe (So.), Isaiah Horton (Jr.), Derek Meadows (Fr.), Aeryn Hampton (RFr.), Lotzeir Brooks (Fr.), Jay Loper* (Jr.), Colby Cruz* (Sr.)
Arriving Later: None
Predicted Depth Chart: Williams/Bernard/Horton, Hale/Adams/Mbakwe, Scott/Meadows/Brooks, Hampton
Analysis: We expect this position group to be a lot better in 2025, and quite frankly it just has to be. Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard were as good as any in 2024, but the third starting receiver position was mostly a bust outside of Cole Adams, who was lost mid-year with an injury. Miami transfer Isaiah Horton will be given every chance to win the third starting spot, and he has the height and size necessary to be a matchup issue for defenses depending on how Alabama chooses to set its alignment. There are plenty of younger players with potential to fill out the depth chart, but Bama needs a minimum of three of them to step up. Included in that group is the recovering Adams, along with Jalen Hale, who was expected to be the third starter in 2024 until suffering a major knee injury during fall camp. Rico Scott showed a lot of potential in very limited snaps; he didn’t even get enough work to burn his redshirt. Jaylen Mbakwe is converting from cornerback, while true freshmen Lotzeir Brooks and Derek Meadows are both intriguing prospects. Brooks is a slot receiver with blistering top-end speed, while Meadows pushes 6’6” and could be a mismatch on the outside. It’s go time for Aeryn Hampton, who came to campus with a lot of hype as a slot receiver, but he has yet to make an impact.
TIGHT ENDS
Returning Starter(s): None
On Campus: Danny Lewis Jr. (Sr.), Josh Cuevas (Sr.), Jay Lindsey (RFr.), Peter Knudson (Sr.), Peyton Fox* (Jr.), Marshall Pritchett (Fr.)
Arriving Later: Kaleb Edwards (Fr.)
Predicted Depth Chart: Lewis/Cuevas, Lindsey/Knudson, Edwards/Fox, Pritchett
Analysis: Lewis went into and out of the transfer portal, a good thing because Alabama needed a big Y-type tight end with some experience. Josh Cuevas established himself as a top-flight receiver as a reserve H-back last year, but he probably isn’t big enough to play on the line. That will make it hugely important for Lewis, redshirt freshman Jay Lindsey and signee Kaleb Edwards to work it out in fall camp, as all three will likely be needed. Cuevas will probably move up to the starting H-back role, with Weber State transfer Peter Knudson, walk-on Peyton Fox and a developmental signee, Marshall Pritchett, as the other options. Pritchett probably needs 20-30 pounds of good weight, so in the immediate future, Knudson and Fox are probably the depth options there. Other than Cuevas, there are no known quantities here as receivers; Lewis needs to emerge early in 2025.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Returning Starter(s): Jaeden Roberts (Sr.), Parker Brailsford (Jr.), Kadyn Proctor (Jr.)
On Campus: Geno VanDeMark (Sr.), Wilkin Formby (So.), Casey Poe (RFr.), Kam Dewberry (Sr.), Roq Montgomery (So.), Olaus Alinen (So.), Arkel Anugwom (So.), Michael Carroll (Fr.), Micah Debose (Fr.), Joe Ionata (RFr.), Will Sanders (RFr.), Jackson Lloyd (Fr.), Mal Waldrep (Fr.)
Arriving Later: None
Predicted Depth Chart: Formby/Roberts/Brailsford/VanDeMark/Proctor, Poe/Dewberry/Montgomery/Alinen/Anugwom, Carroll/Debose/Ionata/Sanders/Lloyd, Waldrep
Analysis: Kadyn Proctor will miss spring camp, so fans will get to see a lot of true freshman Jackson Lloyd and the Tide’s most intriguing offseason transfer, Arkel Anugwom. Anugwom has been playing football for about 20 months; he went from 275 pounds as a true freshman in the Ball State program to 325 pounds last year and is 6’8”. He is as green as grass but the athleticism is there. Lloyd, meanwhile, was one of the Tide’s most heralded recruits, and given the struggles of Alabama’s tackles in 2024, having Proctor take his time and get healthy while developing two younger players isn’t the worst thing that could happen this spring. Jaeden Roberts seems locked in at right guard and Parker Brailsford has a dead-solid lock on center, so the real questions are at right tackle and left guard. Coaches seem to really like the potential of RT Wilkin Formby, who was said to have turned down multiple, lucrative offers to hit the transfer portal after losing the job in 2024 to Elijah Pritchett. Left guard will likely be either Geno VanDeMark or Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry. VanDeMark started slowly in 2024 after coming in from Michigan State but eventually became a key cog in the interior OL down the stretch, especially with Roberts battling multiple injuries. There are two major points of concern otherwise: finding a backup right tackle and a backup center. Roq Montgomery and Joe Ionata are the likely combatants at center, with Ionata also in the mix at right tackle along with Casey Poe. One of the true freshmen, Michael Carroll, could wind up being the guy at right tackle; he has some of the most entertaining tape you’ll see for a high school offensive lineman. Fixing the tackle positions will be crucial to the development of the eventual starter at quarterback, and Alabama has to have the guts to pull Proctor if he struggles the way he did at times in 2024.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Returning Starter(s): Tim Keenan III (Sr.), Jah-Marien Latham (Sr.)
On Campus: L.T. Overton (Sr.), James Smith (Jr.), Edric Hill (So.), Jordan Renaud (So.), Kelby Collins (Jr.), Jeremiah Beaman (RFr.), Keon Keeley (So.), Isaia Faga (RFr.), Kevonte Henry (Jr.), Steve Mboumoua (So.), Lane Whisenhunt* (So.)
Arriving Later: London Simmons (Fr.)
Predicted Depth Chart: Keenan/Smith/Overton, Hill/Renaud/Latham, Collins/Beaman/Keeley, Simmons/Faga/Henry, Mboumoua, Whisenhunt
Analysis: This one is a bit hard to figure out at the moment because we’re not sure how Alabama is going to address the subject of depth at tackle. We think Bama might end up taking a spring portal transfer or two, because for now the cupboard is somewhat sparse. There isn’t going to be an issue at Bandit end, where both L.T. Overton and (somewhat unexpectedly) Jah-Marien Latham return. Having two seniors there is not a small deal, and both can slide inside when needed. There’s also excellent competition going down the depth chart, as Keon Keeley will try to hold off transfers Kevonte Henry and Steve Mboumoua. At tackle, Tim Keenan and James Smith are the clear starters, but the backups are basically Edric Hill and a lot of questions. Jordan Renaud looked excellent at Bandit last year but can he grow into a tackle? Jeremiah Beaman was trapped on the bench until the bowl game, where he looked quite sharp in limited work. Florida transfer Kelby Collins is another DE/DT hybrid player, while Isaia Faga is small for a tackle. True freshman London Simmons could wind up being the answer but he wasn’t an early enrollee. An injury to either Smith or Keenan would be catastrophic at this point.
LINEBACKERS
Returning Starter(s): Qua Russaw (So.), Justin Jefferson (Sr.), Deontae Lawson (Sr.)
On Campus: Yhonzae Pierre (So.), Noah Carter (RFr.), Justin Hill (Fr.), Nikhai Hill-Green (Sr.), Quinton Reese (RFr.), Darrell Johnson (Fr.), Cayden Jones (So.), Abduall Sanders Jr. (Fr.), Luke Metz (Fr.), Noland Asberry* (Sr.)
Arriving Later: None
Predicted Depth Chart: Russaw/Jefferson/Lawson, Pierre/Hill-Green/Jones, Carter/Reese/Sanders, Hill/Johnson/Metz, Asberry
Analysis: A lot happened here during the latter stages of the winter transfer portal period and not all of it was good. First, the pluses: Alabama got Deontae Lawson to come back for his senior season, fellow senior Justin Jefferson became the beneficiary of a judge’s ruling on JUCO eligibility to also return for a final year, and the Crimson Tide signed former Colorado linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green. In doing so, however, the very talented Justin Okoronkwo decided to hit the transfer portal, as did Sterling Dixon, Jeremiah Alexander and Jayshawn Ross, all expected to be contributors to one degree or another. Alabama now has three seniors who figure to see almost all the available minutes at inside linebacker, which means the future 2026 depth chart will be full of either another set of transfers or a bunch of greenhorns. For now, Qua Russaw appears to have the Wolf LB/DE spot locked up, and the only question will be what the ILB rotation eventually looks like. Lawson is expected to miss all or most of spring practice, so Hill-Green has a chance to state his case. The other question is how much work will holdovers Cayden Jones and Quinton Reese get given that Alabama has three talented true freshmen that are expected to push the issue. A lot is expected of OLB Yhonzae Pierre in his second season, with Noah Carter moving up to take the snaps left on the table by Ross’ transfer.
CORNERBACKS
Returning Starter(s): Domani Jackson (Sr.), Zabien Brown (So.)
On Campus: Cameron Calhoun (So.), Dijon Lee Jr. (Fr.), Chase Davis* (Jr.)
Arriving Later: Chuck McDonald (Fr.)
Projected Depth Chart: Jackson/Brown, Calhoun/Lee, Davis/McDonald
Analysis: This is actually a pretty thin group thanks to transfers and position changes. Alabama should be in great hands with starters Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown, but spring depth will be exceptionally thin. Utah transfer Cameron Calhoun and signee Dijon Lee Jr. figure to both play a bunch given how the Kalen DeBoer staff likes to rotate corners. The question is how much work will walk-on Chase Davis get before signee Chuck McDonald shows up. This is another spot where Alabama could add a transfer or two after spring work is finished. If pressed, Zavier Mincey could move back from safety, but he appears to have a bright future there. DaShawn Jones can also play both positions.
SAFETIES
Returning Starter(s): Bray Hubbard (Jr.), Keon Sabb (Sr.)
On Campus: DaShawn Jones (Sr.), Zavier Mincey (So.), Rydarrius Morgan (So.), Kameron Howard (Jr.), Ivan Taylor (Fr.), Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. (So.), Kolby Peavy* (So.), Prince Butler* (Jr.), Peyton Yates* (Jr.), Ty Roper* (Jr.)
Arriving Later: None
Projected Depth Chart: Hubbard/Jones/Sabb, Mincey/Morgan/Howard, Taylor/Peavy/Kirkpatrick
Analysis: Keon Sabb’s injury in the Tennessee game last year opened the door for Bray Hubbard to take a starting spot, and he enters 2025 as one of the SEC’s best deep safeties. Sabb returned for his senior season, so they’ll work together, likely alongside DaShawn Jones, who might play a bit of cornerback as well. Two of the primary backups figure to be locked in – sophomores Zavier Mincey and Red Morgan. Beyond that, the only real question of note is whether signee Ivan Taylor will leapfrog junior Kameron Howard in the depth chart. Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and walk-on Kolby Peavy are both in the mix for time, and there are roughly 10 other walk-ons that will be suiting up for at least the spring. Given the way the injury bug ran rampant through the 2024 depth chart, anyone in the top nine seems like a good bet to play.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Returning Starter(s): None
On Campus: PK Conor Talty (So.), P Blake Doud (Sr.), P Alex Asparuhov (Fr.), PK Tucker Cornelius* (RFr.), P Anderson Green* (RFr.), LS David Bird (Jr.), LS Jay Williams* (RFr.), LS Alex Rozier* (Sr.)
Arriving Later: PK Peter Notaro (Fr.)
Projected Depth Chart: Talty/Doud/Bird, Cornelius/Asparuhov/Williams
Analysis: Everyone is being replaced from the 2024 team, with the semi-exception of PK Conor Talty, who was Bama’s kickoff specialist a year ago. Talty now would seem to have both jobs, competing against walk-on Tucker Cornelius and, at last report, an incoming signee named Peter Notaro. There shouldn’t be much of a hiccup at longsnapper, where Cal transfer David Bird is expected to be a plug-and-play replacement for the departed Kneeland Hibbett. Blake Doud, who was a standout for the Colorado School of Mines, was one of the Tide’s first transfer portal additions over the winter. He’s a big body at the position, much like James Burnip was. Alex Asparuhov will compete at punter, but he’s coming off injury. It’s all walk-ons after that, with Jay Williams expected to be the snapper-in-waiting and Anderson Green, last year’s backup punter, fighting to stay ahead of one of the new additions. It remains to be seen how Alabama will handle the holder’s duties. Burnip had the role in 2024, and it’s more advantageous to have a punter or kicker handling the role for practice purposes, but WR Cole Adams is in the mix there as well.
Follow Jess Nicholas on Twitter at @TideFansJessN