| FTBL The next Rashaan Evans? Meet Alabama's new No. 32

  • Thread starter Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
  • Start date
Personally, the comparison doesn't fit with me.

Physically they are built a lot alike. But Moses is grasping the mental part of the game much earlier in his career than Rashaan. I think Dylan could be a part of the fastest defense we've had yet.

And here's why. Rashaan spent his early years at Bama playing outside. He moved inside as a back-up in '16. Moses has been playing in the middle since he arrived on campus--depth issues forced him having to mature more quickly. It's really comparing apples to oranges with their development.
When I saw the title to this article my first thought was Christian Miller. If word holds true he's going to get looks inside this fall. His "path" is mirroring Rashaan's more than Dylan's.

Why in the world would Christian Miller get reps inside? Unless it's just for depth that makes absolutely no sense for a guy that needs to be the field as much as possible on the outside (whether his hand is in the dirt or he's standing up).

2 reasons stand out:

1. Terrell Hall
2. Anfernee Jennings

There are a few more as well, but if he's got a nose for the ball and reading plays I could see it working. Ultimately pretty confident he will stay outside but Saban could make it work

2 good pass rushers isn't enough. And Miller and Jennings are different prototypes. Miller is going to be crucial to an elite pass rush this year.

Staff loves Mosley... And Chris Allen is in the mix as well. You've got Enoma coming in... A couple other freshman but that may be getting into the weeds.

Aside from McMillon at MLB there's not another dude who's taken a snap. I think that may be the thinnest position we have, and it's easy for those guys to get dinged because they're always in the mix.

I'm with BBJ I don't see the move happening but if it does it's justifiable! MLB is the only position I'm actually concerned about with depth

(Where is Ben Davis now?!)

They may love Mosley, Allen is an excellent prospect, but the staff doesn't value either in the same ballpark as Christian Miller as an edge rusher.

Vadarius Cowan has taken snaps at ILB and was mentioned specifically by Saban in midseason last year as a guy who was really physical and that who needed to play down the stretch vs physical teams. So there's more depth there than you list. Markail Benton has more time in the system than Enoma, though I'd expect to see both playing.

Really I don't see either position as that thin. Christian Miller just does not have the frame of an ILB which is why I don't see it. And given all the injuries last year at OLB, I'm surprised it's even something people would consider.

Cowan is in the doghouse bro.... That's my amateur evaluation

I've heard he's taking the necessary steps to get back in Coach's good graces, and he should be ready by Fall camp to fight for some time in the rotation.
 
@NickelDoubleDog,
Ben Davis was one of the guys getting reps with the inside 'backers leaving spring.
Mosley was outside going into the kickoff with Florida State and ended up with valuable minutes inside as the season continued.
Speaking of starting off in '17, they had Lewis and Jennings as the outside backers in regular.

Back to Miller...we're talking about a guy that played four games last season, maybe five, and we're looking at himi as depth? He's got more experience than Cowan, McMillon, or Benton. I don't get how anyone can look at that group and see no experience--which translates, no depth in my vocabulary.

I mentioned recently about Parks getting looks outside. That move, if it comes about like they hope, frees up a guy like Miller to move inside.

We're looking at four guys that are very good. After that, we're looking at possibilities.

(Which, by the way, goes to demonstrate the need to interior linebackers in the class of '19 and it's a class that's weak on that position. That pool of talent may be more shallow than that of the quarterback in the '18 class.)

I don't think I need to say this but for repetitions sake "getting looks" doesn't mean "getting reps in games." It does mean they are looking for players there. As @BamaBoyJosh mentions, god forbid we see an injury bug in the LB corps again this season. As a fan I don't want to go into the last quarter of the '19 season knowing they are starting two walk-ons, again (as good as both did last season.)
 
@NickelDoubleDog,
Ben Davis was one of the guys getting reps with the inside 'backers leaving spring.
Mosley was outside going into the kickoff with Florida State and ended up with valuable minutes inside as the season continued.
Speaking of starting off in '17, they had Lewis and Jennings as the outside backers in regular.

Back to Miller...we're talking about a guy that played four games last season, maybe five, and we're looking at himi as depth? He's got more experience than Cowan, McMillon, or Benton. I don't get how anyone can look at that group and see no experience--which translates, no depth in my vocabulary.

I mentioned recently about Parks getting looks outside. That move, if it comes about like they hope, frees up a guy like Miller to move inside.

We're looking at four guys that are very good. After that, we're looking at possibilities.

(Which, by the way, goes to demonstrate the need to interior linebackers in the class of '19 and it's a class that's weak on that position. That pool of talent may be more shallow than that of the quarterback in the '18 class.)

I don't think I need to say this but for repetitions sake "getting looks" doesn't mean "getting reps in games." It does mean they are looking for players there. As @BamaBoyJosh mentions, god forbid we see an injury bug in the LB corps again this season. As a fan I don't want to go into the last quarter of the '19 season knowing they are starting two walk-ons, again (as good as both did last season.)

Forgot about Parks... I was hoping he could bulk up and play a DE position at some point. They've got him listed at 254 so not in that ballpark, but if he gets on the field I'll be pumped.
 
@NickelDoubleDog,
Ben Davis was one of the guys getting reps with the inside 'backers leaving spring.
Mosley was outside going into the kickoff with Florida State and ended up with valuable minutes inside as the season continued.
Speaking of starting off in '17, they had Lewis and Jennings as the outside backers in regular.

Back to Miller...we're talking about a guy that played four games last season, maybe five, and we're looking at himi as depth? He's got more experience than Cowan, McMillon, or Benton. I don't get how anyone can look at that group and see no experience--which translates, no depth in my vocabulary.

I mentioned recently about Parks getting looks outside. That move, if it comes about like they hope, frees up a guy like Miller to move inside.

We're looking at four guys that are very good. After that, we're looking at possibilities.

(Which, by the way, goes to demonstrate the need to interior linebackers in the class of '19 and it's a class that's weak on that position. That pool of talent may be more shallow than that of the quarterback in the '18 class.)

I don't think I need to say this but for repetitions sake "getting looks" doesn't mean "getting reps in games." It does mean they are looking for players there. As @BamaBoyJosh mentions, god forbid we see an injury bug in the LB corps again this season. As a fan I don't want to go into the last quarter of the '19 season knowing they are starting two walk-ons, again (as good as both did last season.)

I'm not if I've got your signals crossed, but I don't see Miller as just depth, I see him as an elite player and probably the best speed rusher on the outside in a guy who is unique in that he can play equally well in a 2 point stance and as a de facto DE in a 3 point stance in the 4 man fronts.

If they need bodies inside, there are plenty of other guys I'd use first.
 
(Where is Ben Davis now?!)
Playing WILL which also happens to be where Miller has been. This is the old "Where's Tana" thread for 2018. Both in a position that only sees the field 10-15% of the snaps the defense takes.

I'm not saying he couldn't make it work, given a chance, but with Mack and Moses still there (and a plethora of young guys there) seems kind of like a moot point unless it's just a depth thing (like I said) in worrying about injury to Moses/Mack.,

It is a depth issue and not based on "what if." It's based on what's needed and there isn't any depth with either of the two interior linebacking positions.

In a round about way this also mirrors the conversations had on Rashaan. Why move him from outside to insider was a popular question and it was dramaticized by those in the media when they talked about how many pass rushers Bama was losing on the line.

The biggest difference with Rashaan, in my opinion, is that he showed what a difference maker he could be on the inside in Bama-Clemson I.
 
(Where is Ben Davis now?!)
Playing WILL which also happens to be where Miller has been. This is the old "Where's Tana" thread for 2018. Both in a position that only sees the field 10-15% of the snaps the defense takes.

I'm not saying he couldn't make it work, given a chance, but with Mack and Moses still there (and a plethora of young guys there) seems kind of like a moot point unless it's just a depth thing (like I said) in worrying about injury to Moses/Mack.,

It is a depth issue and not based on "what if." It's based on what's needed and there isn't any depth with either of the two interior linebacking positions.

In a round about way this also mirrors the conversations had on Rashaan. Why move him from outside to insider was a popular question and it was dramaticized by those in the media when they talked about how many pass rushers Bama was losing on the line.

The biggest difference with Rashaan, in my opinion, is that he showed what a difference maker he could be on the inside in Bama-Clemson I.

Would also throw in the idea that Evans probably didn't project that well at OLB in the NFL. He didn't have that big of a frame. ILB a better fit for him in the NFL. He would've been great as a college OLB but it was a great decision for his career to move inside

Miller has the taller frame to add weight and hold the edge. JMO
 
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