Alabama Offensive Lineman Jaeden Roberts Provides Steady Presence For the Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts checked off a season milestone this past week during the Crimson Tide's 29-22 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks. The 2025 Preseason All-SEC Second Teamer played all 69 snaps at right guard for the first time all season.

"It felt great," Roberts said. "I had a sense of purpose just being out there, helping the guys, just making my team better."

Roberts has been part of a unique situation on the Crimson Tide offense as the program's rotated eight different offensive linemen across the five starting positions throughout the year, with the heaviest rotation coming at both the guard spots.

The redshirt senior was presumed to man the Crimson Tide's right guard position all season without challenge, but a preseason concussion derailed those plans and opened the door for competition from Geno VanDeMark and even Wilkin Formby, who's played both right tackle and guard.

"It's a little frustrating, but I wanted to be there for my guys," Roberts said of the early season setbacks. "Either way, whether I'm on the field or not on the field, I'm still going to be there for my guys, willing to lead and just helping the younger guys grow as well."

The behemoth guard said he's used the time in practice and on the bench to work on his game and develop as a player in order to contribute at a greater rate in the back half of the season.

"Just being consistent," Roberts said. "I know I've been missing practice time, I have been talking to the coaches and just working on the details that I need to improve on, and consistency is one thing that I think I've really improved on."

The Crimson Tide's struggled running the football this season, as the offense is 14th in the SEC averaging 118.88 yards per game, but Roberts indicated that it's been a point of focus for the line as the season's developed.

"We talked a lot about it, it's a communication point, or it's a physical point," Roberts said. "Regardless of that, just getting better and learning from the mistakes that we made so we can become dominant in the run game."

He emphasized the unit's need to embrace physicality as the final month of the season lies ahead and said the key to unlocking the running game was winning the one-on-one battles up front.

"Just being dominant, man," Roberts said. "That's what allows O-lines to be great. You've got to be dominant, hand in the ground every play. You've got to go beat the guy in front of you."