This week, our 2025 Alabama Preview continues with a look at the offensive line.
As stated in previous articles in this series, in recent years, we’ve waited until fall camp began to take a look at the upcoming team, giving the coaches every possible second to finalize a pre-camp roster. This has led to content droughts, however, so we’ve chosen to break up the 2025 Alabama team preview into eight segments, following our traditional eight-category game previews.
This week, we take a look at the entire offensive line, all five positions. Given that Alabama rotates linemen between all three roles (center, guard, tackle) throughout the season, predicting an exact depth chart is not only difficult, but nigh impossible, especially at this stage of the year.
Fans who are familiar with our preview articles know we rate each unit and place them in one of five categories: Excellent, Very Good, Average, Fair and Poor. New for 2025, we do a little advance scouting at the player level as well; if there is something that stands out, good or bad, it is noted for the players.
No walk-ons are rated in these articles – outside of the Special Teams preview, which will be the final in this series – unless we believe the walk-on in question has a real chance of making the actual playing rotation, not just playing in blowout situations. Players are listed below in the way we believe they finished spring camp. For players who were not yet on the team in the spring, they are listed at the end of their respective categories.
The offensive line is listed by platoons, five players at the time.
OFFENSIVE LINE (Rating: Vg)
Starting group – Kadyn Proctor, Kam Dewberry, Parker Brailsford, Jaeden Roberts, Wilkin Formby
1. #72 Parker Brailsford (C, Jr., 6-2, 290)
Strengths: Strong center-specific technique, quick footwork, master of angles cover up his smaller size
Weaknesses: Lack of top-level bulk, can get bull-rushed by elite NTs
Analysis: Brailsford may have been the most important person on the plane to Tuscaloosa from Seattle outside of Kalen DeBoer and Courtney Morgan. He’s the top center in America and the top lineman on the Alabama team. While Brailsford isn’t the biggest guy you can find at center by any measure, he makes up for it with nearly flawless technique, great footwork and a dedication to not repeating mistakes. Alabama doesn’t have to worry about the line calls with him in the lineup, and he provides a strong anchor in the middle of the offensive line. He can have trouble with the largest defensive linemen, but he’s probably close to the limit of how much weight he can add and not lose quickness.
2. #74 Kadyn Proctor (LT, Jr., 6-7, 360)
Strengths: Massive size and the ability to move it, quicker than he looks especially when kicking out and covering DEs
Weaknesses: Hasn’t been able to stay healthy and has missed a lot of practice time, not instinctive or comfortable when pulling, still needs to cut a bit of weight
Analysis: If Proctor can stay out of the medical tent in 2025, there’s a chance he could become the top left tackle taken in next year’s NFL Draft. He was the No. 1 offensive line recruit in the country when he signed with Alabama, but his true freshman year was beset by injuries and the need for better conditioning. Last year was more of the same. In addition to the weaknesses listed, Proctor probably would do better without so much mobility behind him at the QB spot; his strengths as a pass blocker come when he can help set a pocket and maintain it. He’s got good lateral quickness going to his left, which adds some plus value as an edge neutralizer. It would be nice if he could be more fluid pulling in the running game, but that’s not likely to come without some negative effect on the rest of his skillset. Staying healthy is the key here.
3. #77 Jaeden Roberts (RG, Sr., 6-5, 325)
Strengths: Plays mean and is always looking for work, incredibly fit and athletic for his size, good combo blocker in a zone rushing game
Weaknesses: Average pass blocker, stronger than he is quick, has fought the injury bug too often
Analysis: Roberts looks like a left tackle but has found a home at Alabama at right guard. He has a strongman’s build without a lot of visible body fat, and while it translates well to pure strength and power, he isn’t necessarily as quick as one might think. His value comes in his aggressiveness, the ability to work with other linemen to deliver devastating combo blocks and a legitimate tough-guy attitude without playing dirty – a delicate balance to strike, and Roberts does it. If he could stay healthy for an entire year, there’s a good chance he could play his way into the middle draft rounds. He uses his hands well most of the time, but could benefit from more consistency across the board.
4. #75 Wilkin Formby (RT, So., 6-7, 322)
Strengths: Solid run blocker, has improved greatly in base technique, works hard and is coachable
Weaknesses: Borderline foot quickness as a pass blocker, doesn’t flow naturally when working laterally, needs to watch spine tilt and not let it get him out of balance
Analysis: Formby is said to be one of the staff’s favorite prospect linemen, to the point that Alabama made him a priority for retention when other schools were trying to pick talent off the Tide roster following the 2024 season. Having said that, he’s a guy with his best football far in front of him, and it’s imperative that he closes the gap heading into 2025. Formby took the right tackle job from Elijah Pritchett, then lost it, then got it back again at the end of the year and by that time, it was evident to most that Formby probably should have been the starter throughout the year, come hell or high water. He’s still a work in progress with respect to technique, especially spine tilt and hand strike, but he had a solid spring and should be an improvement over the disaster that was Pritchett in 2024.
5. #71 Kam Dewberry (LG, Sr., 6-4, 345)
Strengths: Big power with a low center of gravity, pulls better than his size would indicate, good at closing gaps that form around him in the formation
Weaknesses: More of a Saban-era lineman than what DeBoer usually favors, pass blocking is just adequate, unknown whether his conditioning will allow him to play high snap counts
Analysis: A transfer from Texas A&M, Dewberry seems to have beaten out Geno VanDeMark for the left guard spot headed into the fall. Fans were expecting new linemen to look more like Parker Brailsford or VanDeMark than Dewberry, but playing every week in the SEC probably led to an editing of DeBoer’s preferred prototype for linemen. Dewberry looks like a throwback: a nearly-square build, powerful legs, and the ability to close gaps and redirect defenders without much help. He appeared more adept at pulling in the spring than expected, but there are a lot of unknowns here: Does he have the conditioning to play entire games? Can he hold his own as a one-on-one pass blocker? So far the feedback has been nothing but positive, but the games haven’t been played yet.
Second unit: LT Jackson Lloyd, LG Geno VanDeMark, C Roq Montgomery, RG Olaus Alinen, RT Casey Poe
6. #56 Geno VanDeMark (G/C, Sr., 6-5, 325)
Strengths: Can play all five line spots, quick and has the ability to redirect his focus during the play, instinctive pass blocker who can diagnose rushes
Weaknesses: Not as big as the numbers say, struggled at times in 1-on-1 matchups against bigger DL, jack-of-all-trades/master-of-none kind of player
Analysis: A Sixth Man straight out of central casting. VanDeMark, a Michigan State transfer, provided valuable depth last year when Jaeden Roberts went through a tough period due to several small injuries. He’s still locked into a battle with Dewberry for the starting left guard spot, but his value comes as being not just the best backup left guard Alabama has, but also the best backup center, right guard and possibly right tackle as well. Only as a left tackle would VanDeMark seem to be a subpar fit, but his technique is sound enough that he would eventually figure it out. Even if Dewberry wins the job in fall camp, look for VanDeMark to get plenty of work.
7. #73 Olaus Alinen (G/T, So., 6-6, 325)
Strengths: Tackle length with guard footwork, athletic and still raw with plenty of development to come
Weaknesses: More athletic than instinctive, may be more of a tweener than a two-position talent
Analysis: Alinen got work at both guard and tackle slots in the spring. He seems to have settled in at guard, but depending on what the coaches want to do with Jackson Lloyd regarding a potential redshirt, Alinen may wind up being one of two swing players along with VanDeMark. He looked solid in the spring at both guard and tackle, but we haven’t seen him play tackle under live fire. At worst, he’s going to develop into another VanDeMark or at least on that peer level. He’s also not completely out of the battle for the open left guard position right now.
8. #78 Jackson Lloyd (T, Fr., 6-7, 310)
Strengths: One of the top offensive tackle prospects in the country for 2024-25, great footwork and lateral quickness, uses leverage well to overcome still-developing frame
Weaknesses: Needs a shade more bulk, can get overpowered
Analysis: Very talented, but also still a true freshman at arguably the hardest position on the field to play as a true freshman. Lloyd’s spring work showed a ton of promise and he did well enough as Proctor’s backup at left tackle that Olaus Alinen might be left to his more natural position of guard. If nothing else, the fear of Kadyn Proctor leaving for the NFL after a strong junior season has been quelled, as Lloyd should be able to step right in for Proctor in 2026 if needed.
9. #50 Casey Poe (G/T, RFr., 6-4, 318)
Strengths: Can play any position on the line, good fundamentals and athleticism
Weaknesses: Has lost valuable time to injury already, may still need additional weight, doesn’t appear to have a true position
Analysis: Poe came to campus around 290 yet was still the star OL recruit in the 2023-2024 recruiting class, which was not one of Alabama’s strongest in recent years. He’s probably on the Geno VanDeMark track to some extent, as he is a swing guard/tackle who might also get a look at center. Poe’s biggest challenge will be holding off younger players from the 2024-25 class. For now, it appears he will enter fall camp as the presumptive leader of a pack of multiple players competing for the right to challenge Wilkin Formby for the starting job.
10. #55 Roq Montgomery (G/C, So., 6-3, 330)
Strengths: Strong square-shouldered build, aggressive posture and attitude, can play guard or center
Weaknesses: Struggles at times with shotgun snaps, footwork rates as OK, doesn’t convert strength to power consistently when attacking
Analysis: Montgomery could fall to third team if Joe Ionata continues to push from behind for the backup center spot. Montgomery’s first work at center last year looked like … a converted guard trying to play center. Over the course of the season, things improved a bit, but there’s a huge drop-off from Parker Brailsford and in reality, Geno VanDeMark would be more likely to play center than Montgomery if Brailsford were to be lost for more than just a few plays. Montgomery is a can-do kind of guy and has the build for the position; he just needs to clean up the technique and get more consistent with his shotgun snaps, which sometimes float.
Third team and reserves: Michael Carroll, Micah Debose, Joe Ionata, Will Sanders, Arkel Anugwom, Mal Waldrep
11. #64 Michael Carroll (G/T, Fr., 6-6, 315)
Strengths: Athleticism to burn, upperclassman-level footwork, launches into drive blocks
Weaknesses: Green and still growing into his frame, will need to learn how to protect the edge
Analysis: Carroll could start out at guard but his likely future is to bookend the Bama offensive line opposite classmate Jackson Lloyd. Carroll has some of the best tape on the internet, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into immediate effectiveness. However, right tackle is the closest thing Alabama has right now to a wide-open competition, and Carroll getting onto the field as a true freshman wouldn’t be hard at all to do given the circumstances. Carroll played both ways in high school and his defensive tackle tape is almost as good as his tape as an offensive lineman; the athleticism is immediately noticeable, as is the aggressiveness.
12. #69 Joe Ionata (C/G, RFr., 6-5, 310)
Strengths: Quick feet, doesn’t take long to get going into his blocks, can also play guard or tackle
Weaknesses: Doesn’t play as big as listed, still learning center technique
Analysis: Ionata came as primarily a right guard/tackle prospect but he had the flexibility to play center, and that’s where he found himself slotted. A year later, Ionata is probably no worse than bracketed with Montgomery as the backup on paper to Parker Brailsford, although Geno VanDeMark is the likely backup center in reality. Ionata is active and decently quick, but it took him awhile to stop spraying snaps and he projects as more of a quick center than power. In order to play that role, he has to develop a mastery of technique and angle the way Brailsford has, and Ionata is simply behind in doing those things.
13. #65 Micah DeBose (G/T, Fr., 6-5, 325)
Strengths: Good upper-body strength, explodes into blocks, strong hands and uses them well
Weaknesses: Needs more lower-body development, doesn’t always keep balance when attacking, not as quick into his stance as you might think
Analysis: DeBose played left tackle for most of his senior year and as a run blocker, there probably weren’t a lot of defensive linemen who relished the thought of going up against him. DeBose was better at pulling than most left tackles his size, but he takes a while to accelerate when going laterally and isn’t as quick into his burst step as one might surmise, looking at his body type. He gets forward easily – sometimes too easily – and can tend to use his strength to overpower rather than rely on technique. He’s green for a college offensive lineman but he doesn’t have to play immediately. Some conditioning work in the lower body will help.
14. #70 Will Sanders (G, RFr., 6-3, 310)
Strengths: Quick feet with the ability to play across the line and even tight end, blue-collar practice worker who wins marks for coachability
Weaknesses: Classic tweener build, can get twisted up trying to close off the edge
Analysis: Sanders spend most of the spring playing tight end as Alabama found itself in an all-hands-on-deck situation due to multiple injuries. Sanders was a red-chip prospect out of Brookwood High School and viewed as more of a project, so it remains to be seen where he lands. We expect he will settle in at one of the two guard slots eventually. Like Casey Poe, Sanders needed some weight and functional strength after joining the Alabama program, and he still could improve in each area. Larger defensive linemen can overpower him inside, while he is sometimes not quick to diagnose and adjust to the speed rush.
15. #52 Mal Waldrep (G/T, Fr., 6-5, 322)
Strengths: Quick and choppy feet, wins on technique, frustrates quicker edge rushers when he’s able to lock up
Weaknesses: Needs more lower-body development, doesn’t overpower the assignment
Analysis: Another high school left tackle, Waldrep looks more like a right tackle or guard at the college level. He’s a technique hound who plays with a high motor and doesn’t take plays off. Almost approaches the game like a tweener, but he’s not a tweener so much as he’s just green. He’ll need some weight room work on the legs and hips, and for that reason looks like a pretty certain redshirt.
16. #76 Arkel Anugwom (T, So., 6-6, 330)
Strengths: Still growing body, athletic and lean build, reasonable strength at this level of his development
Weaknesses: Has only been playing football a few years, rough around every edge imaginable
Analysis: Alabama took Anugwom from Ball State despite him playing in just a handful of games up to this point in his college career. The growth chart tells the story, though. Three years ago, Anugwom was about 6-3 and 235 pounds. He has grown three inches and put on nearly 100 pounds. The hope is that he’ll be ready to compete for the left tackle job in 2026 if Proctor departs. He didn’t get as much action in the spring as we had hoped to see, and it’s entirely possible that this might have been a lottery ticket signing that just doesn’t work out. But if you’re going to take a flier on a young player, left tackles in the middle of a growth spurt are a pretty good place to start.