TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s football team will be back on the practice field in less than a week for spring practice, and the quest for a return to the College Football Playoff officially will begin. It was a strong offseason roster-wise as Alabama lost only three juniors to the NFL draft, albeit productive ones: Jalen Milroe, Tyler Booker and Jihaad Campbell.
There’s a strong collection of talent returning, but numerous position battles are looming that will define the upcoming season.
According to ESPN’s SP+ returning production rankings, Alabama ranks 35th nationally with 63 percent of its total production returning. There’s nearly an even amount returning on offense (63 percent) and defense (62 percent) with very little returning on special teams (less than 20 percent). Here’s where all the SEC teams ranked among the 136 FBS programs:
- Texas A&M
- Vanderbilt
- Oklahoma
- Florida
- Auburn
- Alabama
- Mississippi State
- LSU
- Missouri
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Georgia
- Ole Miss
The quarterback competition will be one of the biggest position battles in college football this spring. But what are the biggest areas of interest or concern during the next several weeks? Here are the 10 biggest position battles to watch with the quarterbacks leading the way.
Ryan Grubb was hired this month as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. (Joe Nicholson / Imagn Images)
Quarterback
There’s no surprise at No. 1. What Alabama gets out of its quarterbacks will have the biggest impact on the 2025 season, and the competition added a new element recently with Ryan Grubb being hired as the offensive coordinator. Adding Grubb boosts the offense without sacrificing continuity. Nick Sheridan is staying on staff as the quarterbacks coach, which is important considering his relationship with Ty Simpson and Austin Mack, and he was the lead recruiter for Keelon Russell.
If there’s a player who benefits the most from Grubb’s hire it’s Mack, a sophomore who was recruited to Washington by Grubb, played under him in 2023 and followed him and Kalen DeBoer to Alabama. Simpson will start in pole position and will have every opportunity to seize control, but what he does with those opportunities is the big question. Still, this competition is open, and each player will have an opportunity to impress.
Wrapped into this battle is also the larger-scale question of how will Alabama’s offensive identity change in 2025. Last season was Milroe-centric, and this year’s group has a different skill set, which projects to a different offense this spring and into the fall.
Right tackle
This was arguably Alabama’s biggest problem position last season. Right tackle, made up of Elijah Pritchett and Wilkin Formby, accounted for 45 percent of the total pressures allowed (sacks, hits, hurries) in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. Pritchett, who led the team with 31 pressures allowed, transferred to Nebraska. Formby, who finished fifth with eight pressures allowed, likely will step into the starting role.
Formby is a top-100 recruit and is only entering his third year, so his development story is far from finished. That being said, there’s still a concern about depth and competition at the position.
Alabama added former Ball State player Arkel Anugwom, a sophomore who totaled 101 snaps in four games last season. Sophomore Olaus Alinen has nine appearances at guard in two years, and redshirt freshman Casey Poe spent time at tackle during bowl practice and could get a look. Alabama added Jackson Lloyd, a five-star prospect on a few of the recruiting services, as an early enrollee.
It’s a combination of former blue-chip prospects and players with mixed experience and high upside. There’s more uncertainty than answers.
GO DEEPER
Alabama’s quarterback battle: What are the odds for each candidate to win the job in 2025?
Wolf (outside linebacker)
The difference in whether Alabama’s going to be a good or great defense in 2025 is a consistent pass rush. It needs much more production from this group than last year with last season’s two sack leaders departed: Campbell (five) and Que Robinson (four).
Qua Russaw’s emergence last season was one of 2024’s biggest positives. He’s largely what the wolf position requires from a run-stopping standpoint and in pass coverage (his two interceptions were tied for second on the team), but he left much to be desired as a pass rusher. If he can develop that trait and become an every-down productive player, the defense has another gear. If not, he’s still a valuable player, but a consistent pass rusher is critical. One name to keep an eye on is senior Jah-Marien Latham.
A starter at bandit (defensive end) last season, Latham spent the latter part of the 2024 season crosstraining at wolf. With Kelby Collins coming in as a transfer, there’s enough depth at bandit for Latham to spend more time at wolf. It might create a similar situation as in 2024 when Russaw played early downs and Robinson played passing downs, with Latham now as the pass rusher.
Don’t discount Yhonzae Pierre, a former five-star prospect.
Special teams
This group needs a bounce-back year after a collective down year in 2024. Conor Talty, whose shaky spring in 2024 led to Alabama signing Graham Nicholson, is back to try and earn the position this spring. Talty was the starting kickoff man last season. At punter, Alabama signed two players: Blake Doud, a two-time Division II All-American at Colorado School of Mines, and Alex Asparuhov, the No. 2 high school punter in the recruiting class. At long snapper, David Bird transferred in from California.
Emmanuel Henderson, who had a shaky 2024 season at kick returner, transferred, leaving a void there. There’s going to be a competition at punt returner with experienced options Ryan Williams, Jaylen Mbakwe, Cole Adams and others.
Husky/Safety
The good news is that the secondary is much healthier this spring than it was in 2024. This year, every defensive back will be led by Maurice Linguist as the lone defensive backs coach, and that alone is notable.
Husky (the slot) is vacated by DeVonta Smith’s transfer, but there are suitable options. Sophomore Red Morgan started 2024 strong but was slowed by injury down the stretch, and senior DaShawn Jones took a big step forward toward the end of the season. Those two return as the primary options, but several players will get a look there due to crosstraining positions in spring.
At safety, it feels like the starters are penciled in with Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard, but a little more than a week ago, Sabb was photographed with a walking boot from surgery for a broken foot.
All-American & Hall of Fame members, did you miss out on the Alabama vs Auburn pregame event this weekend? 🤷
Not to fear, make sure to attend the Alabama vs Kentucky event THIS weekend!
Look for the RSVP email in your inbox 📥
(Starter members and All-Conference members… pic.twitter.com/PnliHQbF1Y
— Yea Alabama (@yea_ala) February 17, 2025
That opens the door for an opportunity to build depth at safety. One name to watch is Zay Mincey, the former five-star prospect who came on strong at the end of 2024 and earned playing time in the final few games.
Guard
Tyler Booker leaves one of the biggest voids on the roster, and at right guard, Jaeden Roberts returns after an injury-riddled season. The good news is that three experienced options are battling for two spots, plus a few young players to be excited about.
Roberts and Geno VanDeMark, both seniors, are returners from last season. When healthy, Roberts is a proven SEC starter, while VanDeMark was a serviceable swing player last season rotating between guard and center. Alabama added senior Kam Dewberry, who has 33 games and seven starts under his belt, to help push the competition forward. Five-star signee Michael Carroll is a prospect of note, and then a third-year player like Roq Montgomery returns after earning a few spot snaps last season.
Interior defensive line
An argument can be made that Tim Keenan III was the most important player retained who could have left for the NFL draft because of his importance to his position. Keenan’s experience and production paired with the emerging James Smith gives Alabama’s interior an impressive tandem. But behind them, there’s very little on-field experience.
How the defensive line develops its depth this spring is pivotal. Edric Hill is entering his third year but has only 11 appearances, Jeremiah Beaman is a redshirt freshman who started to earn playing time down the stretch last season, and there are some other intriguing options like Steve Mboumoua, who signed with Alabama in 2024 but attended a junior college last season.
Running back
What will Alabama’s running game look like in 2025? Initially thought to be one of the team’s strengths in 2024, running back carries were secondary to using Milroe as a runner. Senior Jam Miller returns, but his 145 carries were the fewest by an Alabama lead back since 2017. The running game should be more conventional next fall, but how will the staff split the touches?
Dre’lyn Washington, a senior who transferred from Louisiana, is an experienced player who could add a different element. Last season, he gained 10 first downs on 44 runs on first-and-10 or longer — a 22.7 percent rate that ranked 16th among 248 FBS running backs who averaged at least five carries per game, per Pro Football Focus. By comparison, Justice Haynes converted first downs on 15.6 percent of his first-and-10 or longer runs, which ranked 92nd. Miller converted 9.9 percent of those runs, which ranked 198th. Washington’s explosive potential is a good addition.
Richard Young popped a few times in 2024, but can he turn that into a consistent role? Behind them, there are former blue-chip prospects like Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear to provide depth.
Wide receiver
Alabama should feel good about its projected three starting receivers: Williams, Germie Bernard and Isaiah Horton. The receivers’ spot on this list is about how the room will fill out the remaining rotation. Williams and Bernard were the only two receivers to eclipse 150 yards last season, so this group needs more dependable options to take the passing game to the next level.
One key question is how Cole Adams and Jalen Hale will return from their season-ending injuries. Mbakwe, a converted defensive back who started his position change during bowl practice, redshirt freshmen Rico Scott and Bubba Hampton and incoming freshmen Derek Meadows and Lotzeir Brooks offer talent but not much experience.
Tight end
Ideally, the tight ends are a big part of a DeBoer offense. It was the case at Washington with Devin Culp and Jack Westover, both on NFL rosters, and it continued last season with three players getting snaps at any point: CJ Dippre, Robbie Ouzts and Josh Cuevas. The first two names mentioned are no longer on the roster, leaving Cuevas as the only tight end with substantial experience. He averaged 13.6 yards per catch in limited chances last year (16 catches) but showed enough to prove a capable pass catcher. Who else fills out those snap shortages?
Junior Danny Lewis is a prime candidate to assume a big role. Elsewhere there are two freshmen to watch: redshirt Jay Lindsey and early enrollee Marshall Pritchett, though he’s recovering from an injury in the All-American Bowl. Four-star prospect Kaleb Edwards will arrive this summer.
(Top photo of Ty Simpson: Matthew Maxey / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
This content is reposted from the source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6159872/2025/02/26/alabama-football-positions-2025-season/
