Alabama football’s roster looks deeper across the board ahead of Kalen DeBoer’s second season at head coach. However, the Crimson Tide still has questions at certain positions, some of which won’t be answered until the games begin in 2025.
The Tide won’t begin preseason camp until early August, ahead of its Aug. 30 season-opening trip to Florida State. As the offseason continues, here’s a look at which Alabama position groups have the most to prove this year.
Tight end
Alabama lost the majority of its tight end snaps to the NFL, with Robbie Ouzts and CJ Dippre both out of eligibility. Then, injuries struck both ahead of and during spring football, leaving Jay Lindsey as the lone scholarship player at the position.As the Crimson Tide enters camp, it could be a battle for reps. Josh Cuevas returns, along with Danny Lewis Jr., with both players looking to take the starting role.
There’s two new transfer additions as well, with Brody Dalton coming from Troy and Jack Sammarco from West Virginia. The freshman group includes two tight ends also, in Marshall Pritchett and Kaleb Edwards.
Whoever sees the field, Alabama could use a bit more from the position. The group has talent, but will have to demonstrate an ability to make a difference once the games begin.
Running back
It’s been a while since Alabama has had a superstar at running back. After Jahmyr Gibbs headed to the NFL following the 2022 season, Jase McClellan was serviceable in 2023, and Jam Miller followed in his footsteps last year.
Miller is back, but the Tide’s other main RB from 2024, Justice Haynes, transferred to Michigan. Miller will look to make more of a difference in 2025, behind an offensive line that lost Tyler Bookr to the NFL Draft and Elijah Pritchett to the transfer portal, but will have continuity elsewhere.
2025 could also be a big season for Richard Young. After sitting down the depth chart for the early years of his Alabama career, he could see significant carries this season.
Besides those two, Daniel Hill and transfer addition Dre Washington will compete for snaps. The entire group will need to step up if Alabama is to return to anywhere near its grand RB tradition.
Linebacker
Besides the loss of Jihaad Campbell, the Crimson Tide has some continuity here. However, the “besides” is enormous at linebacker.
Deontae Lawson returns, and will need to show he has rebounded completely after a knee injury ended his 2024. Justin Jefferson got an extra year of eligibility unexpectedly, and could be primed to step up in a big way with more snaps in Campbell’s absence.
Nikhai Hill-Green could be a solid depth piece at linebacker, and UA could also see freshman competing to get on the field. Duke Johnson, Luke Metz and Abduall Sanders all looked solid on A-Day to end spring practice.
Campbell was one of the best defensive players in the nation last season. Now it’s up to the current crop of linebackers to make sure Alabama doesn’t get measurably worse at their position.
