Alabama Declares Starting Left Guard Ahead of Season Opener

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama football entered fall camp needing two things: to find its starting quarterback and to figure out its best five offensive linemen. The Crimson Tide named its starting quarterback last week, and this week it appears the program has its starting five offensive linemen.

"Yeah, we're pretty much there - and I say pretty much, because I think there's guys that physically are still working through some things as far as guys trying to help with reps," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said on Monday. "But when you look at Jackson [Lloyd], and Will [Sanders], and Racin [Delgatty], and Michael [Carroll], those guys have pretty much cemented it, and then the right tackle spot, Jayvin's [James] been taking the lion's share of the ones reps. He's still physically getting himself in game shape a little bit. He had a summer where he was working through a lot of stuff, so we could see potentially another guy there. Then, as far as from that group, just physicality and consistency.

"I think that's the big thing for those guys, being able to show some dominance up front and then just be consistent. I think when you try to chase the one-hit wonders with guys in the offensive line room, that'll be a problem. As long as they can show snap one to snap 85 or whatever the heck it is that they can play the same way, I think that's going to be a big challenge for them."

The Crimson Tide offensive coordinator subtly named junior William Sanders the winner of Alabama's left guard competition on Monday, all but cementing the starting five on Saturday against East Carolina.

Sanders played in all 15 games in 2025 and got into two games in 2024. He entered the offseason as the favorite to win the left guard battle, but offseason surgery and recovery caused him to miss spring and get a later start on fall camp, leading to sophomore Mal Waldrep Jr. seeing time. Waldrep Jr. earned high praise during fall camp from the coaching staff for his physicality and reliability, but now likely enters the season as the first interior lineman off the bench.

The Crimson Tide kicks off its season on Saturday against East Carolina at 11 a.m. CT.

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