Five Alabama Players Who Need to Shine in Spring Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The clocks have sprung forward, and Alabama is set to resume spring practice next week. For several players, the next month will serve as a make-or-break period in their Crimson Tide careers.

Alabama is looking to replace 10 players who started in more than half of its games last season. However, history tells us not all of those openings will be filled by returning veterans.

This offseason, the Crimson Tide brought in three transfers in Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton, Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs and LSU cornerback Eli Ricks. Each member of that trio is projected to take on a starting role this season.

Alabama also netted another stellar recruiting class, signing 24 players, including 12 members of this year’s SI99. Thirteen members of the class have already joined the Crimson Tide as early enrollees, several of whom are in contention for early playing time.

With that in mind, here’s a look at five returning Alabama players who are in need of a big spring camp in order to ensure they don't get passed over by the influx of new talent.

Trey Sanders, redshirt junior, running back

Alabama’s once-depleted backfield is expected to be loaded again this year as Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams return from season-ending injuries while Gibbs joins the team as the top back in the transfer portal. Jamarion Miller will take part in spring camp while fellow four-star freshman Emmanuel Henderson is set to join the unit over the summer.

Then there’s Trey Sanders, who is coming off his first full campaign after suffering back-to-back season-ending injuries during his first two years with the program. The five-star back finished last season second on the team with 314 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 72 carries. However, he didn’t take on the No. 2 role behind Brian Robinson Jr. until after McClellan and Williams went down to injury.

While Alabama figures to split its carries more equally this season, it's unlikely there will be enough touches to share the ball four ways. Can Sanders’ take one of the top three spots from Gibbs, McClellan or Williams? If he’s able to reach his pre-injury levels, he might be the most talented of the bunch.

Malachi Moore, junior, defensive back

After earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2020, Malachi Moore failed to make the same impact on Alabama’s defense last season. After starting nine of the first 11 games at the Star position, he saw minimal time on defense toward the end of the season as Brian Branch took over the role.

Alabama returned both of its starting safeties in Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams. Meanwhile, Ricks and Kool-Aid McKinstry are the two favorites to take on the two starting roles at cornerback. If Branch continues to receive the majority of reps at Star, Moore figures to be on the outside looking in when Alabama works out of its primary nickel package.

Leading up to last season’s national championship game, Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding was asked about the dynamic of Branch and Moore sharing the Star role. He explained that the decision of who plays is based on the personnel on the field, stating that sometimes the defense called for someone “a little more physical” and other times “a better cover guy” was needed.

Statistically, Branch served as the better option to both of those needs last season. According to Pro Football Focus, he led the team with a 92.0 tackling grade while finishing fourth among Alabama’s regular defenders with a 68.7 grade in coverage. Conversely, Moore earned a 63.0 tackling mark and a 59.0 mark in coverage.

Grades are subjective, and Alabama still views Moore as a valuable part of its defense moving forward. However, a solid spring would still go a long way to ensuring that he doesn’t get phased out of Alabama’s first-team defense.

Jaylen Moody, fifth-year senior, inside linebacker

It’s now or never for Jaylen Moody in terms of finally nailing down a starting spot on defense. After originally planning to transfer the offseason, the fifth-year senior withdrew his name from the NCAA transfer portal in late January, deciding instead to compete for the opening left behind by departing starter Christian Harris.

Moody appeared in all 15 games last season, primarily serving on special teams while also taking part in 94 defensive snaps. He recorded 11 stops and an interception while also returning a blocked punt 20 yards.

Given his experience, Moody enters spring camp as the favorite to start beside Henry To’o To’o at the heart of Alabama’s defense. However, that spot is far from a guarantee. Junior Demouy Kennedy is also in competition for the role as is sophomore Kendrick Blackshire and redshirt freshman Deonte Lawson. Early enrollee Jihaad Campbell is capable of playing both inside and outside linebacker and is also someone to watch over the next month.

Seth McLaughlin, redshirt sophomore, center

Like Moody, Seth McLaughlin enters the spring with a great opportunity to pull ahead for a starting spot. The redshirt sophomore started Alabama’s final three games at center last season, filling in for injured Darrian Dalcourt. McLaughlin is set to receive the majority of first-team reps this spring as Nick Saban announced last week that Dalcourt will sit out camp with an injury.

McLaughlin drew plenty of praise following the SEC Championship Game as he did not allow a quarterback pressure over 50 pass-blocking snaps. It was a different story during the national championship game rematch against the Bulldogs as he allowed seven pressures over 63 pass-blocking snaps.

Last week, Saban said he felt confident in both of his options at center, describing McLaughlin as a “good leader” and a “tough guy.” The battle for the starting spot will likely be determined when Dalcourt returns to full health this fall. However, McLaughlin can’t afford to waste the opportunity to get a leg up in the race over the next month.

Agiye Hall, sophomore, wide receiver

Agiye Hall captivated the Crimson Tide fan base during last year’s A-Day game, showing off his ability to make acrobatic plays through the air while reeling in four receptions for 72 yards. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to live up to the hype during his freshman season, recording the same totals over seven appearances.

Hall tallied two receptions for 52 yards during the national championship game but also had a pair of costly drops. While Saban didn’t call out any of his receivers by name, he made headlines last month, stating that three of Alabama’s backups at the position failed to capitalize on playing time during the title game defeat to Georgia.

Alabama is looking to replace its top three receivers from last year in Jameson Williams, John Metchie III and Slade Bolden. Furthermore, sophomore Ja’Corey Brooks is set to miss spring camp with an injury. That should create a golden opportunity for Hall to prove himself and earn a more significant role this year.

Still, things won’t be easy. Burton figures to take up one of the starting roles, while Brooks was seen as an early favorite for a starting spot prior to his injury. Alabama also returns junior Traeshon Holden and sophomore JoJo Earle, who both held bigger roles than Hall last season.

That being said, Hall’s talent is undeniable. If he’s able to make another splash this spring, he should be able to play his way onto the field more in the fall.