Alabama Football: Grading the 2020 class linebacker position group

With 22 signees in the Alabama football, 2020 class, let’s review and grade the newcomers by position groups, starting with the linebackers.

For two seasons, Alabama football has needed more numbers and more talent at the linebacker position. Injuries and recruiting misses in 2018 and 2019 left the Crimson Tide lacking linebacker depth and too often lagging in linebacker productivity.

Every Crimson Tide fan knew Nick Saban intended to remedy the problem with the 2020 class. Sal Sunseri’s return to the defensive staff was designed to make the 2019 linebacker talent better and enhance it with 2020 signees. Sal had some help recruiting the 2020 class linebackers. Karl Scott was the Tide’s most productive recruiter overall. Scott, Sunseri, Pete Golding, Charles Kelly and Charles Huff all played roles in locking down new Crimson Tide linebackers.  Nick Saban has always been the best Tide recruiter but Sunseri also makes a strong impact on recruits and their families.

There is plenty of credit to go around. That is, as the actual game performance, proof evolves in future seasons. The too-early prediction is the new group could become as good as any Saban has ever fielded.

2020 Alabama Football Signing Class Linebackers

Note: Two of the players below were rated as defensive ends and one as an athlete. All are expected to play linebacker for the Crimson Tide.

• Chris Braswell; 5-Star, No. 17 player in the nation; Outside Linebacker
• Drew Sanders;  5-Star, No. 21 player overall; Outside Linebacker
• Demouy Kennedy; 4-Star, No. 34 player overall; Inside linebacker
• Quandarrius Robinson; 4-Star, No. 46 player overall; Outside Linebacker
• Will Anderson; 4-Star, 4-Star, No. 78 player overall; Outside Linebacker
• Jackson Bratton; 4-Star, No. 172 player overall; Inside Linebacker

How does the Crimson Tide group of linebackers compare to other teams? Presuming most high school, weakside defensive ends will be outside linebackers in college, we grouped all the Top 100 players, WDE, OLB and ILB guys together. The total in the 2020 class is 20 players.

Of the 20, five signed with the Crimson Tide. Three schools (Texas A&M, LSU and Oregon) signed two. The remaining nine went (one each) to Florida, Penn State, Clemson, Georgia, Washington, Auburn, North Carolina, Miami and Oklahoma.

Grading 2020 Crimson Tide 2020 Linebacker Class Potential – ‘A’

The 2020 Crimson Tide is expected to return five outside linebackers and six inside linebackers. The sixth ILB coming on recent news Josh McMillon has gained a medical redshirt. The returning ILB group could possibly be seven if Dylan Moses delays a move to the NFL. Update: Josh McMillion tweeted he has not made up his mind about returning.

Can any of the incoming freshmen break into the defensive rotation next season? All but Quandarrius Robinson are enrolling early. The question will get a better answer after spring football. Until then, keep a close watch on Will Anderson as the first breakout freshman linebacker.

Looking for other opinions. Check this one out. A knowledgeable Alabama football insider recently suggested the Tide’s lowest-rated incoming linebacker, Jackson Bratton, has a real chance to become the best of the group.