🏈 Spring Camp - 2017

[TerryP]

First there's fake news, and now you're telling me there are fake plays?

 

[Alabama17Tide]

Monday’s practice report

By Tony Tsoukalas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama players practiced outside under sunny, 78-degree weather Monday for their 10th practice of spring camp. Players were dressed in full pads for the practice.

Here are a few notes from the media view period:

— Bo Scarbrough (leg), B.J. Emmons (foot), Shaun Dion Hamilton (ACL) and Jared Mayden (hip) all remained in black jerseys. However, Mayden participated with the safeties during team drills for the first time this spring. Hamilton has not returned to the inside linebackers and is still rehabbing on his own during practice. Emmons and Scarbrough continue to work with the rest of the running backs.

— Damien Harris (sprained foot) was not in a black jersey but did not participate with the rest of the running backs during drills. Following Saturday’s scrimmage, Saban said he doesn’t think the injury is serious.

— Alabama quarterback Mac Jones worked on handoffs with the running backs, while Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagvailoa threw passes to the receivers. Both Hurts and Tagovailoa looked sharp on their passes, working on intermediate routes and slants.

— With Damien Harris out, Scarbrough led the running backs and was followed by Emmons, Josh Jacobs, Brian Robinson and Najee Harris.

— Alabama had a change in its offensive line, as redshirt freshman Chris Owens was participating at right guard on the first-team between Bradley Bozeman and Matt Womack. Owens has not seen his name mentioned much this spring, so he’s definitely one to keep an eye on now.

— Cam Sims appears to still be working with the inside receivers during practice. Typically the slot features smaller receiver, which makes Sims’ 6-5 frame stand out. However, the senior could create a huge mismatch problem if he sticks at the position.

— Rashaan Evans led the inside linebackers and was followed by, Keith Holcombe, Dylan Moses, Joshua McMillon and Shawn Jennings. Mack Wilson continues to bring up the rear behind two walk-ons.

— After starting at left cornerback during the scrimmage, Trevon Diggs was back with the corners on Monday. Minkah Fitzpatrick continued to practice with the safeties. Saturday, Saban said he would evaluate whether or not he would keep Diggs at the position after looking back the scrimmage.

— Tony Brown, who has been playing Star on Alabama’s first team, pulled up favoring his right ankle during a contact drill against Ronnie Harrison. However, he appeared to shake off the injury and didn’t miss a rep.

— The defensive line worked on double teams. Da’Shawn Hand continues to be the most impressive defensive end during practice.

— Former Alabama players Gehrig Dieter and Cam Robinson were spotted in the weight room before practice.

Practice No. 10 (Practice report, Interviews, Highlights Added) | BamaInsider.com

 

[Tidestalker]

Now we're getting somewhere!

-Diggs CB, Minkah Safety, Tony Brown at Star. With Harrison and Avarett filling out the line up, this has to be fastest secondary in history of college football. Big change from the Justin Woodall and Mark Barron type thumpers back in the day.

-Owens over Cotton... Not a huge surprise. We just need someone to step up and be solid, the rest of the line is $.

-What happened with Mack Wilson??? Sounds like he's in the dog house (unless there's an injury I wasn't sure about)

 

[TerryP]

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-Diggs CB, Minkah Safety, Tony Brown at Star. With Harrison and Avarett filling out the line up, this has to be fastest secondary in history of college football. Big change from the Justin Woodall and Mark Barron type thumpers back in the day.

Your mention of Woodall/Barron ... had the same type of thought the other day but mine was thinking about John Fulton's size versus Cyrus Jones in '13. Definitely a transition in the type of safety, but still falling back to the ol' fundamentals thing.

-Owens over Cotton... Not a huge surprise. We just need someone to step up and be solid, the rest of the line is $.

— Alabama had a change in its offensive line, as redshirt freshman Chris Owens was participating at right guard on the first-team between Bradley Bozeman and Matt Womack. Owens has not seen his name mentioned much this spring, so he’s definitely one to keep an eye on now.

In the 10 minutes, roughly, the media gets to watch practice they see as many as 12 guys go through reps. The OL preliminary drills shuffle guys in and out more than Walmart changes cashiers. Remember, there was a little "uproar" the other day about Tennison getting reps with the ones. Then, he was "one to keep an eye on now." Owens has had more reps backing up Lashley at LT than he's received playing guard. Kennedy more reps at guard than Owens has at tackle.

I can certainly see Owens pushing some guys on the rep/depth chart. I can't see him passing a guy like Deonte Brown for a RG spot—and Deonte is probably a solid 3 at the position today.

 

[No Huddle]

First there's fake news, and now you're telling me there are fake plays?

I know right!

 

[Tidestalker]

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Your mention of Woodall/Barron ... had the same type of thought the other day but mine was thinking about John Fulton's size versus Cyrus Jones in '13. Definitely a transition in the type of safety, but still falling back to the ol' fundamentals thing.




In the 10 minutes, roughly, the media gets to watch practice they see as many as 12 guys go through reps. The OL preliminary drills shuffle guys in and out more than Walmart changes cashiers. Remember, there was a little "uproar" the other day about Tennison getting reps with the ones. Then, he was "one to keep an eye on now." Owens has had more reps backing up Lashley at LT than he's received playing guard. Kennedy more reps at guard than Owens has at tackle.

I can certainly see Owens pushing some guys on the rep/depth chart. I can't see him passing a guy like Deonte Brown for a RG spot—and Deonte is probably a solid 3 at the position today.

Fair enough... My main point was that ANYONE over Cotton wouldn't be a huge surprise... Whether it's Owens, Brown, or Kennedy. Personally I like the idea of Owens or Brown because they're a year younger and bigger (Brown = much bigger).

 

[TerryP]

My main point was that ANYONE over Cotton wouldn't be a huge surprise...

It's my opinion a lot of people under-value Lester.

FWIW, at today's practice, Deonte Brown was at right guard. Cotton ran with the 1's at RT, Womack back with the 2's at LT with Leatherwood at RT.

I don't make a damn thing of all of this. We know three of the five. The other two have had a handful of combinations already this spring. Heck, I keep going back to last fall where the team was what, two weeks into fall camp when we saw Bozeman move to center?

Best five. Best five.

I've heard GMac and Spears were on campus today so it'll be a good idea to keep an eye out on SECN the next few days if you're wanting their perspective.

 

[Tidestalker]

-- Both Rashaan Evans and Dylan Moses, two inside linebackers, were working with the outside linebackers in individual drills. Evans would later move back to his usual position when the back seven of the defense went through the motions in the nickel package. It should be noted that both Evans and Moses have the capability to play inside and outside. It's also conceivable Alabama is preparing Evans and Moses for the "nickel rabbits" package that the Tide used with great efficacy against Tennessee last season. In that set, former inside linebacker Reuben Foster was positioned as an edge rusher.

-- Ben Davis, who has been slotted at outside linebacker, traded places with Evans and Moses. He was working with the inside linebackers.

-- Defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand had a brace on his left knee.

-- Running backs B.J. Emmons (foot) and Bo Scarbrough (leg) continued to wear black, non-contact jerseys. So did linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (knee) and cornerback Jared Mayden (hip). All were participating in drills with the exception of Hamilton.

-- The team's first-team nickel formation included cornerbacks Trevon Diggs, Tony Brown and Anthony Averett as well as safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison.

-- The second-team nickel package featured cornerbacks Aaron Robinson, Shyheim Carter and Levi Wallace as well as safeties Deionte Thompson and Hootie Jones.

More here at al.com
Alabama practice report: Top LBs switch spots

 

[Tidestalker]

A few takes on the above info:

-I love the idea of Rashaan Evans rushing the passer. Mainly because he's really good at it. I know we have the depth to allow other guys on the field, but IMO he's just our best front 7 player and quickest player to the ball. The more we can give him the opportunity to impact the game, the better we'll be. I could see him getting more sack-fumbles than INT's.

-Sure seems like Moses has impressed. Love the idea of them grooming him to backup Evans. Says a lot about his athleticism and potential. Most importantly if he gets injured, we have another freak in the wings.

-Making a leap here but seems like the staff trusts Tony Brown more than Hootie Jones. If Tony wasn't up to snuff, I'm sure Saban would go to Minkah at Star. That being said, nice to have the depth because it will come into play. And we've played a ton of Dime the last few seasons so he will get on the field quite a bit.

-SO MANY talented young DB's. I guess Shy Carter has placed himself at the top of the heap... With Robinson not far behind. Knott, Mayden, McDonald, Wright, McKinney, McDonald... Fierce competition for years to come.

 

[Tidestalker]

Al.com link:​

'Sky's the limit' for Alabama's freaky athletic freshman linebacker

Dylan Moses took an official visit to LSU two days before he signed his financial aid papers with Alabama, a last chance for that coaching staff to talk the one-time Tigers commit into flipping his commitment from the Crimson Tide back to LSU.

During that visit, Tigers coaches told him LSU was the smarter choice, explaining that he wasn't going to start at Alabama as a true freshman but would have a good chance to do so with the Tigers.

Those who know the five-star linebacker will tell you that he didn't like that and ended up signing with the Tide partly because of all the talent Alabama has at inside linebacker and because he wanted to truly have to earn playing time.

And while it may be tough for the high school Butkus Award winner to win a starting job as a freshman, it's already clear why the Louisiana native was one of the top-ranked players in this year's recruiting class.

Alabama has had a lot of great inside linebackers under Nick Saban. None have been as athletic as Moses, a freakish physical specimen who has the speed of a wide receiver and the size and strength of a much older inside linebacker.

"First impression is he is an athletic guy. That is obvious," fellow inside linebacker Rashaan Evans said. "All it's really going to take is him improving as a player. And once he does that, the sky's the limit."

At 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, Moses ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds during the Tide's spring testing.

That would have been tied for the fastest time run by a linebacker at this year's NFL scouting combine, equaling a time recorded by a player that weighs 20 pounds less than Moses.

No other linebacker ran faster than a 4.58 at the combine.

Making it even more impressive is that Moses posted that time just two months after arriving in Tuscaloosa, without any training for the 40 and after Alabama players had just finished the Tide's grueling winter conditioning program.

It was tied for the seventh-fastest time on the entire team, faster than all but two of Alabama's wide receivers.

In addition, Moses bench-pressed 405 pounds, squatted 500 pounds and was tied for second on the team with a 335-pound power clean.

Freakish.

"I like him a lot," tight end Miller Forristall said. "In the fourth quarter (conditioning) program, he worked really hard and he pushes you. I like him a lot."

Starting inside linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton isn't taking part this spring for the Tide as he works back from a torn ACL, creating additional opportunities for other inside linebackers such as Keith Holcombe, Mack Wilson and Moses.

With Hamilton out, Evans and Holcombe have been the first pairing of inside linebackers during media viewing periods. Moses and Wilson have been second.

At minimum, Moses has intensified the competition for the backup jobs behind Hamilton and Evans while continuing to show that he's a freaky athlete with big upside.

"I think he's going to be a really good player," Forristall said. "He works hard and he's a really smart kid."

 

[JoshB]

Am I missing something with Cotton? When did people suddenly turn on him?

 

[Tidestalker]

Am I missing something with Cotton? When did people suddenly turn on him?

His future came into question last year when he lost his spot due to poor play. Don't know if that's turning on him, but it became apparent he would not be a shoe in to start this season as many of us were hoping.

 

[Alabama17Tide]

By Tony Tsoukalas

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama held its 11th practice of spring camp Wednesday in its final tuneup before its second scrimmage Friday. Players were dressed in full pads in cloudy, 79-degree weather.

Here are some notes from the media viewing period:

— Alabama switched things up at linebacker with Dylan Moses and Rashaan Evans switching to outside and Ben Davis moving inside. While interesting, I wouldn’t make too much of it. Alabama could have been working on its nickel rabbits package. Remember, Reuben Foster basically played outside in that package.

— Alabama practiced out of the traditional nickel package during team drills. Trevon Diggs and Anthony Averett were at corners, while Tony Brown was at Star. Keith Holcombe and Rashaan Evans were the two linebackers. Ronnie Harrison and Minkah Fitzpatrick were at the two safety spots.

— In the second team defense, Aaron Robinson and Levi Wallace were at corner, while Shyheim Carter manned the Star position. Dylan Moses and Mack Wilson were at the two linebacker spots. Deionte Thompson and Hootie Jones were at safety, with Xavier McKinney shadowing Jones at strong safety

— It's interesting to see Dylan Moses earning a spot on the second team alongside Mack Wilson. That could be a devastating duo for the Crimson Tide in the future. Moses received some good instruction from outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi. We will post that below. The outside linebackers started with resistance drills before moving to bag drills.

— Today it was Tua Tagovailoa handing off to running backs while Mac Jones threw to receivers with starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Earlier in the week it was Jones handing off while Tagovailoa threw.

— All of Alabama’s running backs were present with Bo Scarbrough (leg) and B.J. Emmons (foot) still wearing black jerseys. Damien Harris (sprained foot) was with the group in a white jersey, but we did not see him participate in drills.

— Linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (ACL) and safety Jared Mayden were both in black jerseys as well. Mayden is back participating with the safeties and looks good working in position drills. Hamilton worked on resistance training away from his teammates.

— Former Alabama quarterbacks Greg McElroy and John Parker Wilson were present, as was former LSU defensive end Marcus Spears.Practice No. 11 (Updated with practice report/Video) | BamaInsider.com

 

[Alabama17Tide]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams is determined to relearn the left tackle position. After starting every game at right tackle last season, the rising sophomore will move over to the opposite side of the line to take over for departing left tackle Cam Robinson.

Of course, left tackle isn’t completely foreign to Williams. It’s where he played in high school where he came to the Crimson Tide as a five-star recruit and the No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2016 class.

Still, relearning his technique has required some extra dedication.

“I would go out on the field after practice with Ross (Pierschbacher) and my buddies and play the left tackle spot, getting used to it, getting a feel for it,” Williams said. “I tried to eat and write with my left hand, get a little ambidextrous. It was smooth for me. It wasn't a big shock.”

Williams said the switch in hands was completely voluntary, calling it more of a game he was playing with himself. Although, while the coaching staff hasn’t enforced the change, the offensive lineman has plenty of help keeping himself in check off the field.

“Some of my friends remind me to put the fork back in my left hand when I'm eating or something like that,” Williams said. “But for the most part, it's going well.”

With most things, anyway. Williams says he was never able to get his penmanship up to speed while using his left hand.

“No, I gave up that pretty quick when I was graded on the assignments,” he said. “But I can do most things, it's just the really fine motor skills that are going to take a while to do if I keep working on that.”

Fortunately for the Tide, Williams' challenges on the field have been far less noticeable.

"It's been pretty easy for him, I think," Alabama offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher said earlier this spring. "He said he feels maybe even more comfortable on the left than the right which is surprising to me. He's done a really good job. He's the type of guy that if he sets him mind to it, he's going to achieve it. He really wanted to get that left tackle spot and he's done everything to earn it."

Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams (73) will have the responsibility of protecting starting quarterback Jalen Hurts' (2) blind side this season. Photo | USA Today

In reality, Williams said the shift from right to left tackle isn’t as big of a deal as many are making it. It’s not like the 6-foot-5, 301-pound lineman isn’t allowed to use his right hand, and after playing the position in high school he’s actually pretty adept at using his left.

“It's the same as anyone trying to do anything with their left hand they usually do with their right or their left foot or whatever,” Williams explained. “But at the same time, I use my right hand for a lot of stuff at left tackle so it's not a huge difference from that standpoint.

“It takes a little bit of getting used to when you're watching film to have your eyes snap from the left tackle to right tackle. But I played both in high school. We did field and boundary operations, so I would switch every single time the ball went to the other hash.”

Along with the new spot on the line, Williams now takes on a added responsibility — protecting starting quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blindside. Due to most quarterbacks being right-handed, left tackle has generally been thought of as the most important position on the line.

According to a 2014 study by BusinessInsider.com, NFL tackles were paid an average of $9.6 million per season, making the position the highest-paid spot on the offensive line and fifth-highest position in the league.

"There's a stigma to it, but it's not the 1980s anymore with Steve Wallace and Joe Montana and stuff like that," Williams said. "It's not as big of a difference, you know. The quarterback looking on the left side of the field is not the blind spot anymore. It's not a huge difference like that. There's a stigma that goes along with the title, but it's just a title."

In the event that Hurts goes down at any point this season, it could send another shakeup across the line. Left-handed early enrollee Tua Tagovailoa appears to be next up at quarterback, meaning if he ever has to fill in, the job of protecting his blind side would fall to the right tackle.

Right now, that appears to be rising redshirt sophomore, Matt Womack. The former three-star recruit has been impressive so far in camp with Alabama head coach Nick Saban stating that the offensive lineman has been “making progress” early on.

“I'm really proud of him,” Williams said of Womack. “He's done a good job. He's been working hard, kind of quietly for a while. He's got an opportunity over there and doing a good job.”

Alabama has continued to tinker with its offensive line this spring, moving in different players as it tries to replace both Robinson and starting right guard Korren Kirven from last season. Williams has managed to stay at left tackle through the various changes but would not comment on whether or not he thinks he will remain at the position for the start of the season.

As of now, that looks like the most probable outcome, and that’s just fine with him.

“I enjoy playing left tackle, it's what I've wanted to play for a long time,” Williams said. “I'm comfortable there.”
BamaInsider.com - How Jonah Williams is preparing for the left tackle role at Alabama

 

[OldPlayer]

I see a lot of mixing and matching going on. Spring is a time to experiment. Don't read too much into who is where yet.

 

[JoshB]

His future came into question last year when he lost his spot due to poor play. Don't know if that's turning on him, but it became apparent he would not be a shoe in to start this season as many of us were hoping.

Saying "I hope its anyone other than Cotton" is turning on him.

 

[Tidestalker]

Saying "I hope its anyone other than Cotton" is turning on him.

Who said that?

 

[TerryP]

His future came into question last year when he lost his spot due to poor play.

Best five.

That's the story a lot seem to tell but how grounded is it? At the risk of repeating myself ...

It's my opinion a lot of people under-value Lester.

Cotton started fall camp at left guard. He started the first few games at that position before being switched. Pierschbacher (let's not forget the job he did at LG in '15) played at the right guard position as well. Then, we add Shank to the mix. Heck, we've already discussed the last minute switch with the center position.

I'm seeing Piers starting over Cotton at LG and Shank over Cotton at RG and it makes sense to me. Hell of a lot of experience there.

**It wouldn't surprise me to see someone else start at right guard against Florida State and the next day find myself reading how Cotton has been a "bust." Then, we see him back starting again and people put together the point maybe he was suspended for the FSU game due to his arrest. NOW, I'm not saying that's going to happen. I am saying I suspect we'll get a lot of opinions taken as gospel.

For the record, I don't expect us to know how the line is going to shake out for a good while now—at the earliest a scrimmage in the fall and at the latest at Kyle Field.

 

[Alabama17Tide]

With A-Day just days away, we take a closer look at the Alabama Projected Depth Chart. Scroll down for our latest projection at each position.

6-foot-7, 303 pound Raekwon Davis has had a very strong spring season for Alabama

Quarterbacks

1 Jalen Hurts

2 Tua Tagovailoa

3 Mac Jones

Notes: Jalen Hurts is the clear starter, and his performance in the Crimson Tide’s first scrimmage did nothing to change that. Tagovailoa has appeared to separate himself from fellow early enrollee Mac Jones for the No. 2 role. The left-hander has a tight spiral during practice and gets receivers the ball on a rope.

Running Backs

1 Damien Harris or Bo Scarbrough

2 Josh Jacobs

3 Najee Harris

4 Brian Robinson

5 B.J. Emmons

Notes: Not a lot changes here, but Brian Robinson’s extended carries and impressive performance in the scrimmage move him above injured B.J. Emmons. This could change when Emmons fully recovers from his injured foot.

Wide Reciever X

1 Robert Foster

2 T.J. Simmons

3 Tyrell Shavers

Notes: Robert Foster is participating with the outside receivers and appears to be in good shape to earn one of the Crimson Tide’s three starting spots. T.J. Simmons moves up after a seven-catch performance in the scrimmage. He might be one to watch as the offseason progresses.

Wide Reciever Z

1 Calvin Ridley

2 Jerry Jeudy

3 Derek Kief

Notes: Calvin Ridley will be the leader of Alabama’s receiving corps this season. Behind him is true freshman Jerry Jeudy, who many are referring to as a “Ridley clone.” Jeudy, a five-star early enrollee, has been impressive this offseason and appears to be the biggest threat to break into one of the Crimson Tide’s three starting spots at receiver.

Wide Reciever H

1 Cam Sims

2 Xavian Marks

3 Chadarius Townsend

Notes: It’s somewhat surprising to see 6-foot-5 receiver Cam Sims lining up in the slot. However, his size does create a big matchup problem coming across the middle and should give Jalen Hurts a big target to throw to on intermediate routes. Behind him are shifty Xavian Marks and early enrollee Chadarius Townsend, who Alabama moved from running back to receiver this spring.

Tight End

1 Miller Forristall or Hale Hentges

2 Irv Smith

3 Major Tennison or Ronnie Clark

Notes: Nothing changes at tight end, although Irv Smith has looked impressive this spring and could push either Forristall or Hentges for playing time.

Left Tackle

1 Jonah Williams

2 Scott Lashley

3 Chris Owens

Notes: There isn’t too much change at left tackle as Jonah Williams appears to be the guy heading into the season. The rising sophomore even took to using his left hand for everyday tasks in order to prepare himself for the role. Scott Lashley and Alex Leatherwood have both been seen at second-team left tackle, but Lashley has spent more time on the left.

Left Guard

1 Ross Pierschbacher

2 Dallas Warmack

3 Richie Petitbon

Notes: There isn’t anything major at left guard, either. We added Richie Pettibon, who has been working with the third team in practice.

Center

1 Bradley Bozeman

2 J.C. Hassenauer

3 Chris Owens

Notes: Center remains the same with Bradley Bozeman leading the way. Bozeman has all the leadership characteristics any team would want from a center, so it makes sense to keep him at the position.

Right Guard

1 Lester Cotton

2 Deonte Brown

3 Brandon Kennedy / Chris Owens

Notes: This position is somewhat of a mystery at this point. Wednesday, Lester Cotton was spotted by reporters playing right tackle, while Deonte Brown played at right guard. Monday, Chris Owens lined up with the first team at the position. Brandon Kennedy could also be in the mix. Given that Cotton started the scrimmage at right guard, we’ll keep him as the starter there for now.

Right Tackle

1 Matt Womack

2 Alex Leatherwood

3 Elliott Baker

Notes: Matt Womack appears to be the guy at right tackle for now, but five-star early enrollee Alex Leatherwood is pushing hard for the spot. Expect the two to battle it out the rest of the offseason. As stated above, Lester Cotton could also move over from right guard.

Defensive End

1 Da’Shawn Hand |

2 Raekwon Davis

Notes: Da’Shawn Hand looks to be Alabama’s most impressive defensive end this spring and is a lock to earn a starting spot this season. We moved Raekwon Davis to backup due to the emergence of JUCO transfer Isaiah Buggs. With Davis’ size, he is still someone to watch if he can put everything together.

Defensive Tackle

1 Da’Ron Payne

2 Joshua Frazier

Notes: Absolutely nothing changes here. Da’ Ron Payne is the obvious starter at defensive tackle, and due to Joshua Frazier’s size, it makes more sense to keep him inside.

Defensive End

1 Isaiah Buggs

2 Quinnen Williams

Notes: As mentioned earlier, Isaiah Buggs has been very impressive so far this spring. Coming to Alabama as the No. 1 rated JUCO player in the 2017 class, he has lived up to his hype, showing great power and explosion off the line during practice.

Outside Linebacker (Sam)

1 Christian Miller

2 Jamey Mosley

3 Ben Davis

Notes: Sam linebacker remains the same as well. Christian Miller continues to lead all outside linebackers during drills. He is also the Tide’s most complete outside linebacker, which makes him more fit to handle the duties of Sam.

Middle Linebacker

1 Shaun Dion Hamilton

2 Dylan Moses

3 Mack Wilson

Notes: While Shaun Dion Hamilton has yet to return to the inside linebackers, he appears to be moving well during practice and will be ready by the fall. The biggest mover in this group is Dylan Moses, who looks to be making the most of his opportunity with Hamilton on the sidelines.

Middle Linebacker

1 Rashaan Evans

2 Keith Holcombe

3 Joshua McMillon

Notes: If the season started tomorrow, Keith Holcombe would probably start alongside Rashaan Evans, but with Shaun Dion Hamilton expected to make a full recovery, he takes the backup role. According to Alabama baseball coach Greg Goff, Holcombe might need surgery on his labrum this offseason. That could affect his status going forward.

Outside Linebacker (Jack)

1 Anfernee Jennings

2 Terrell Hall

3 Mehki Brown

Notes: Jack linebacker stays the same as Anfernee Jennings has been lining up behind Christian Miller during drills. While Jennings appears to be the starter at the moment, Terrell Hall seems to be making a strong push during practice. Mekhi Brown was added and appears to be third in line for the position.

Corner

1 Anthony Averett

2 Levi Wallace

3 Daniel Wright

Notes: Anthony Averett is a lock to take one of the two cornerback spots and started at right cornerback during the scrimmage. Former walk-on Levi Wallace has filled in at his spot on the second team and could be the first corner off the bench if someone goes down this season. Early enrollee Daniel Wright offers nice size at the position after switching from safety to cornerback this spring.

Corner

1 Trevon Diggs

2 Levi Wallace

3 Nigel Knott

Notes: Trevon Diggs’ progression at cornerback is perhaps the biggest story this spring. What started as an “experiment” from Alabama head coach Nick Saban seems to be working just fine as the rising sophomore started at left cornerback during the Crimson Tide’s first scrimmage. It might make sense to have Minkah Fitzpatrick as a backup cornerback, but given the Tide’s need at strong safety it appears the coaching staff wants to keep him at that position if possible. Aaron Robinson has lined up with the second team during practice.

Strong Safety

1 Minkah Fitzpatrick

2 Hootie Jones

3 Jared Mayden / Xavier McKinney

Notes: With Trevon Diggs taking over at cornerback, Minkah Fitzpatrick is able to move back to strong safety, the position he played the final seven games of last season. Hootie Jones has experience as a backup and could fill the role if Fitzpatrick has to move back down to corner, but Jones’ does not provide the same coverage skills as Fitzpatrick. Jared Mayden is still in a black jersey but is now participating with the unit. Another option might be early enrollee Xavier McKinney, who shadowed Jones on second team Wednesday.

Free Safety

1 Ronnie Harrison

2 Deionte Thompson

3 Xavier McKinney

Notes: Nothing really changes here. Ronnie Harrison will be the guy at free safety, and Deionte Thompson is the most experienced backup option. Xavier McKinney has looked solid and could also provide depth at the position.

STAR

1 Tony Brown

2 Shyheim Carter

3 Kyriq McDonald

Notes: The Star position remains the same as Tony Brown appears to have locked down the starting spot so far. Given Brown’s experience and physical nature as a defensive back, he looks made to play the position. Shyheim Carter is also a viable option if Alabama elects to move Brown somewhere else. Early enrollee Kyriq McDonald has looked impressive during drills.

BamaInsider.com - Alabama Football Projected Depth Chart

 

[Tidestalker]

That's the story a lot seem to tell but how grounded is it? At the risk of repeating myself ...


Cotton started fall camp at left guard. He started the first few games at that position before being switched. Pierschbacher (let's not forget the job he did at LG in '15) played at the right guard position as well. Then, we add Shank to the mix. Heck, we've already discussed the last minute switch with the center position.

I'm seeing Piers starting over Cotton at LG and Shank over Cotton at RG and it makes sense to me. Hell of a lot of experience there.

**It wouldn't surprise me to see someone else start at right guard against Florida State and the next day find myself reading how Cotton has been a "bust." Then, we see him back starting again and people put together the point maybe he was suspended for the FSU game due to his arrest. NOW, I'm not saying that's going to happen. I am saying I suspect we'll get a lot of opinions taken as gospel.

For the record, I don't expect us to know how the line is going to shake out for a good while now—at the earliest a scrimmage in the fall and at the latest at Kyle Field.

I don't disagree with any of that.

You've already made the point that we know 3/5 lineman... Basically agreeing that Cotton's spot is not solidified. Are you undervaluing him also?

Me saying I could see any of those guys starting over Cotton is not a shocking statement... If Vegas had odds I'm sure he would be the favorite, however, he did lose his spot last year as the season progressed. It wasn't because he was playing well.