📡 Alabama returns a few star LBs, now needs depth

[Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com]

Alabama lost a few NFL linebackers, now restocking in spring.

We're taking a look at each position group as Alabama prepares to open spring practice. Thia part of the series series looks at the linebackers.

Alabama's put out its share of high-end running backs during the Nick Saban era. They got more glory than the other positional group that's cranked out just as much, if not more stars in the past 11 years.

The Alabama linebackers will have some new blood moving into the middle while returning the core of an outside group with real potential. New assistant Pete Golding will be in charge of the middle linebackers while promoted defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi will still coach the outside linebackers.

Projected depth chart:
MLB
Dylan Moses: 30 tackles (5.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble.
Markail Benton: Redshirted
MLB
Mack Wilson: 40 tackles (2.5 TFL), 4 INTs, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries
Keith Holcombe: 38 tackles (2.0 TFL), 1.0 sack, 3 pass breakups, 1 QB hurry
OLB
Christian Miller: 6 tackles (2.0 TFL)
OR
Terrell Lewis: 16 tackles (2.0 TFL) 1 sack, 1 pass breakup.
OLB
Anfernee Jennings: 41 tackles (6.0 TFL), 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles
Christopher Allen: 6 tackles (1.0 TFL), 2 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble
Departed
MLB: Rashaan Evans: 74 tackles (13.0 TFL), 6.0 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 7 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble.

MLB: Shaun Dion Hamilton: 40 tackles (5.5 TFL), 2.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles.

Due to arrive in the fall: OLB Eyabo Anoma, OLB Jordan Davis, OLB Cameron Latu, OLB Jarez Parks, MLB Jaylen Moody.

Outlook: Like with the receivers, Alabama loses two veteran starters at middle linebacker and arguably upgraded. The ceiling is that high for Dylan Moses and Mack Wilson in the middle of this defense.

Moses showed flashes of the future late in the regular season before an injury sidelined him for the playoff run. He has the size, speed and instincts and now a season of experience to carry forward. The former national high school player of the year has the potential to be one of the greats at this position.

Wilson also returns after battling injury in 2017 while showing his upside. The four interceptions led a defense stockpiled with experienced defensive backs. His pick-six against Clemson sealed the Sugar Bowl win with an athletic leap into the end zone.

The issue at middle linebacker is depth -- a considerable dilemma since both projected starters missed time with injuries. Keith Holcombe is the lone player with considerable experience at middle linebacker. Markail Benton redshirted last season. The Tide came up short on the recruiting trail in the effort to restock here, so this will be a position to keep an eye on.

For the outside linebackers, injuries were an even bigger storyline. The good news is Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller are in position for the breakout seasons expected of them before injuries took them out for almost the entire year. Both are aggressive, athletic players coming off the edge who can bring back some of that element missing in 2017. Don't forget it was Lewis who sacked Jake Fromm in overtime of the national title game to force the Georgia field goal.

Anfernee Jennings is coming off a knee injury in the Sugar Bowl and it's unclear how available he'll be for spring practice. A few players got experience at outside linebacker because of the injury problems including Jamey Mosley, Christopher Allen and VanDarius Cowan.

Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com
Alabama returns a few star LBs, now needs depth

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

TenBears.Lone Watie,and I have been working on our list of concerns that need to be addressed this spring/fall.

Need to find a center and backup center that can play at a high standard
Need someone to step forward at nose tackle both starter and backups
Need 6 DB's and two backups ...the Juco DB might be one of the better additions Nick and staff made...we'll see
The PK and the Punting situation is an unknown....
Nick normally moves a player or two around during spring drills as an experiment but his reason is more that position needs addressing more than the player moved needs playing time...JMO
I hope all the attention placed on the Hurts QB situation doesn't hinder the progress that Tua needs to make in order for the offense to be much better in the passing game. I hope #2 will stick but again not at the expense that it hinders the progress of the player with the most potential.
Need some more ILBers to step forward.
Need some injury luck for a change

 

[TUSKtimes]

Thompson at safety and Carter at the star position are about all the experience we have, so DB development is going to be priority one. I look forward to watching what coach "Kool" gets out of our D-linemen this season. Raekwon Davis is going to go super ballistic and I'm looking for Quinnen Williams to be the next beast in the interior. Our LBers will be better than last season in the middle and better and more experienced on the outside. We could see the next Derrick Thomas out of this group.

 

[Destiny's Child]

Alabama lost a few NFL linebackers, now restocking in spring.

We're taking a look at each position group as Alabama prepares to open spring practice. Thia part of the series series looks at the linebackers.

Alabama's put out its share of high-end running backs during the Nick Saban era. They got more glory than the other positional group that's cranked out just as much, if not more stars in the past 11 years.

The Alabama linebackers will have some new blood moving into the middle while returning the core of an outside group with real potential. New assistant Pete Golding will be in charge of the middle linebackers while promoted defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi will still coach the outside linebackers.

Projected depth chart:
MLB
Dylan Moses: 30 tackles (5.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble.
Markail Benton: Redshirted
MLB
Mack Wilson: 40 tackles (2.5 TFL), 4 INTs, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries
Keith Holcombe: 38 tackles (2.0 TFL), 1.0 sack, 3 pass breakups, 1 QB hurry
OLB
Christian Miller: 6 tackles (2.0 TFL)
OR
Terrell Lewis: 16 tackles (2.0 TFL) 1 sack, 1 pass breakup.
OLB
Anfernee Jennings: 41 tackles (6.0 TFL), 1 sack, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles
Christopher Allen: 6 tackles (1.0 TFL), 2 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble
Departed
MLB: Rashaan Evans: 74 tackles (13.0 TFL), 6.0 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 7 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble.

MLB: Shaun Dion Hamilton: 40 tackles (5.5 TFL), 2.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 4 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles.

Due to arrive in the fall: OLB Eyabo Anoma, OLB Jordan Davis, OLB Cameron Latu, OLB Jarez Parks, MLB Jaylen Moody.

Outlook: Like with the receivers, Alabama loses two veteran starters at middle linebacker and arguably upgraded. The ceiling is that high for Dylan Moses and Mack Wilson in the middle of this defense.

Moses showed flashes of the future late in the regular season before an injury sidelined him for the playoff run. He has the size, speed and instincts and now a season of experience to carry forward. The former national high school player of the year has the potential to be one of the greats at this position.

Wilson also returns after battling injury in 2017 while showing his upside. The four interceptions led a defense stockpiled with experienced defensive backs. His pick-six against Clemson sealed the Sugar Bowl win with an athletic leap into the end zone.

The issue at middle linebacker is depth -- a considerable dilemma since both projected starters missed time with injuries. Keith Holcombe is the lone player with considerable experience at middle linebacker. Markail Benton redshirted last season. The Tide came up short on the recruiting trail in the effort to restock here, so this will be a position to keep an eye on.

For the outside linebackers, injuries were an even bigger storyline. The good news is Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller are in position for the breakout seasons expected of them before injuries took them out for almost the entire year. Both are aggressive, athletic players coming off the edge who can bring back some of that element missing in 2017. Don't forget it was Lewis who sacked Jake Fromm in overtime of the national title game to force the Georgia field goal.

Anfernee Jennings is coming off a knee injury in the Sugar Bowl and it's unclear how available he'll be for spring practice. A few players got experience at outside linebacker because of the injury problems including Jamey Mosley, Christopher Allen and VanDarius Cowan.

Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com
Alabama returns a few star LBs, now needs depth

Where is Ben Davis? Last time I looked he was still on the team correct?

 

[rammerjammer]

Where is Ben Davis? Last time I looked he was still on the team correct?

This.....

 

[TUSKtimes]

Where is Ben Davis? Last time I looked he was still on the team correct?

Not sure what the writer was getting at. He goes to the trouble of putting Benton on the depth list and he RS for the season. Jamey Mosley, Ben Davis, Joshua McMillon, Vandarius Cowen, are playing football too. He has Jarez Parks coming in the fall. That was about as bad as one of those Saturday Down South articles for accuracy.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Where is Ben Davis? Last time I looked he was still on the team correct?

My glass is always half empty but at this point it looks like Ben Davis signing day show might be the highlight of his entire career.

He looks like his father but he plays like his mother.

 

[EasyTider]

Has anyone heard anymore whispers about Cowen and (Benton I think it was) eligibility being in question. What I read via a link to another website suggested it had to do with a failed drug test and that it was the chronic but PEDs. The fact that I haven't seen it anywhere else leads me to believe it was typical innerweb bull shite (I certainly hope!).

 

[alagator]

Has anyone heard anymore whispers about Cowen and (Benton I think it was) eligibility being in question. What I read via a link to another website suggested it had to do with a failed drug test and that it was the chronic but PEDs. The fact that I haven't seen it anywhere else leads me to believe it was typical innerweb bull shite (I certainly hope!).

It was on SEC Rant, right? The place that we see a lot of fans go to when they've "worn out their welcome" on Bama sites?

Yep. A bastion of reliable information can be found there. No doubt.

 

[T&B]

Vandarius has to move inside, ammaright ?

Way too thin at mlb.

 

[UAgrad93]

Maybe this will be the time that the light flips on for Ben Davis. Have we, as fans, put too much into him being like his Dad?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Maybe this will be the time that the light flips on for Ben Davis. Have we, as fans, put too much into him being like his Dad?

Probably being the #1 LB in the nation and also a legacy player who's dad still holds all time tackle stat at Bama. Being 6'4" at 245 lbs, he's Ro McClain size, and running 4.6 times, benching 500lbs and players constantly telling us he's on his way with constant updates from the media. It's hard to quit on that much potential.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Probably being the #1 LB in the nation and also a legacy player who's dad still holds all time tackle stat at Bama. Being 6'4" at 245 lbs, he's Ro McClain size, and running 4.6 times, benching 500lbs and players constantly telling us he's on his way with constant updates from the media. It's hard to quit on that much potential.

Then again when you spent your career at Gordo playing against 175lb guys you might be overrated?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Then again when you spent your career at Gordo playing against 175lb guys you might be overrated?

You might be overrated if you played 7A. Gordo is also the school of Wayne Davis.

 

[JoshB]

I actually don't think depth is an issue this year. All of the injuries created opportunities for several players to get experience and now with all but two back that is a deep spot, especially if we can finally get guys like Ben Davis on the field.

 

[JoshB]

Has anyone heard anymore whispers about Cowen and (Benton I think it was) eligibility being in question. What I read via a link to another website suggested it had to do with a failed drug test and that it was the chronic but PEDs. The fact that I haven't seen it anywhere else leads me to believe it was typical innerweb bull shite (I certainly hope!).

What site? I've literally heard nothing about that.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

You might be overrated if you played 7A. Gordo is also the school of Wayne Davis.

And Excel for Leroy Jordan......it happens