This Alabama position group wants to be ‘a bunch of nasty guys’

Parker Brailsford wants opposing defenses to all the say the same thing after facing the Alabama offensive line.

“The main thing is they were nasty,” Brailsford said. “A bunch of nasty guys. That’s it.”

Brailsford returns at center this season for the Crimson Tide after he played for coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington. Set to join Brailsford again on the offensive line are left tackle Kadyn Proctor and right guard Jaeden Roberts.

The other two starters are set to change after 2024. Left guard Tyler Booker became a first-round NFL Draft pick this past spring. Meanwhile, right tackle Elijah Pritchett transferred to Nebraska.

Wilkin Formby is expected to have the first crack at replacing Pritchett, considering Formby also worked at right tackle some last year.

“He’s a lot more confident in his sets, what he’s doing out there, learning the playbook a lot more, he’s taking it a lot more serious I feel like,” Brailsford said of Formby.

Meanwhile, Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry and Geno VanDeMark are competing to start at left guard.

Brailsford on Dewberry: “I’d say he’s a mauler. He’s a big dude. He’s going to move people. I definitely like that out of my guards. (Roberts) is kind of the same way. He’s smart, though. He’s definitely smart. He definitely knows what he’s doing. But more than anything, I would say he’s a mauler.

On VanDeMark: “Definitely a smart guy. Technical for sure. But he’s a mauler too. When he gets on people, he don’t stop until the whistle’s blown. I like that.”

Alabama completed its second of 20 preseason practices Thursday. The Crimson Tide will open the season on the road against Florida State on Aug. 30.