Why Parker Brailsford is Confident in Alabama OL Ahead of South Carolina

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — "They were some of the best we've seen this season. [Dylan Stewart] is going to be a really good player. He's got really good length, really good bend. [Kyle Kennard] is really strong and physical, lengthy too. Those guys are physical and they get off the ball."

This was the message Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor delivered when discussing South Carolina's edge rushers immediately after last year's 27-25 survival over South Carolina. Fast forward to this season, the Crimson Tide will face South Carolina again, this time on the road.

Kyle Kennard is now in the NFL Draft, but Dylan Stewart is still with the Gamecocks as a sophomore and is tied for the SEC's third-most tackles for loss with nine, while also adding 3.5 sacks. Kennard has been replaced by senior Bryan Thomas Jr., who has six tackles for loss and four sacks.

"They've got really good guys, on the outside especially," Alabama center Parker Brailsford said on Tuesday. "A good front, for sure. Very explosive. Good rushers, for sure."

Proctor has proven that he can handle some of the best edge rushers, as he'll often go head-to-head with Thomas. But the right tackle position this season for Alabama has seen a ton of parity with switches between Wilkin Formby and true freshman Michael Carroll. Carroll earned his first start last week against Tennessee, and while it's uncertain if he'll get the nod in Columbia, S.C., he'll still face Stewart quite a bit.

"He's a freshman guy, there's obviously a lot of things to work on," Brailsford said of Carroll. "He's a great player, though. That's obviously why we're trying to get him in there, but there are some things we need to work on with him. Just keep building him up and getting him better.

"[Tennessee] had great rushers last week as well. Every week, great D-lines come in and play. Obviously, Dylan Stewart is a great player as well, but every week is kind of the same."

Brailsford has never been a part of an offensive line that's rotated as much as the Crimson Tide has this season. In addition to the right tackle spot, both guard positions have seen a ton of rotation between Kam Dewberry, Geno VanDeMark, Jaeden Roberts and William Sanders.

"It doesn't really matter who is in there, I know we're going to get the job done regardless. We do it during practice, and I feel like if we didn't practice that way and I wasn't getting looks with different guys, then it would be a problem.

"But we rotate a lot of guys during practice, so that makes me able to trust them, feel comfortable with them being in there, communicate with them how I need to communicate with them because communication with different guys is a little different."

For the last decade, South Carolina hasn't exactly been viewed as a major threat in this esteemed conference. But for the first time since 2014, the Gamecocks were ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, coming in at No. 13.

All eyes were watching the Gamecocks at first, but after seven games this season, head coach Shane Beamer and company are 3-4, with every loss coming against the SEC. That said, Sellers and South Carolina didn't have the best start last season either, as the Gamecocks were 3-3 in the first half of the schedule. However, a switch flipped and SC won its final six games of the regular season, four of which came against ranked opponents.

This is the mindset that Brailsford and Alabama are embracing ahead of Saturday.

"On paper, it doesn't really matter," Brailsford said. "I mean, we treat every game the same. Every week, we go in and we expect the best out of ourselves. The mindset doesn't really change, it's pedal to the floor every week."

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