Alabama Football: 3 positions of need in the 2021 recruiting class

Alabama football might not have many recruits in their 2021 class, but they have multiple holes that they need to fill. What should the Tide do?

We are used to seeing Alabama football steal all of the top recruits from every class. From year to year, the Crimson Tide have landed the top recruiting class. With teams like Georgia, Clemson, and LSU, that feat has gotten increasingly harder over the years. It is now even more important that Alabama recruits team needs and finds diamonds in the rough. Any weakness on the team can lead to a gaping hole that keeps the team from winning the national championship.

So far, the 2021 recruiting class has been relatively weak for Alabama football. They have very few recruits, which basically gives them a blank canvas for the rest of 2021. What positions do the Tide need to recruit the most from this class? Let’s take a look.

Wide receiver

Alabama has already recruited the wide receiver class relatively well, but it is vital that they retain to their two players and hopefully land another receiver. This team has had a plethora of receiver talent for years, but they need a fresh wave of players for next season. With Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith likely both in their last years with Alabama football, the future involves Slade Bolden, Thaiu Jones-Bell, Tyrell Shavers, and John Metchie. These receivers might be the future, but you at least need depth to add to them. Jacorey Brooks just committed to the Tide, so retaining him is a major step.

Quarterback

I know that Bryce Young is the future for the Crimson Tide, but there is a need for depth at the position. We saw last season what a lack of quarterback depth could do to a team when Tua Tagovailoa went down, and we will be without both him and his brother Lia in 2020.

As of right now, the depth chart at quarterback is Mac Jones, Bryce Young, and Paul Tyson. Tyson is a great story, but any scenario that involves him taking snaps in meaningful games is a concerning one. I find it hard to believe that both Mac and Bryce will stay on this team for two years. The inevitable backup will likely transfer for a chance to start. Alabama needs a quality backup option for 2021 who can become the start once both Mac Jones and Bryce Young are gone.

Offensive line

As always, Alabama football needs to prioritize the offensive line. They have landed some studs in the past, but they need to do that again. They were lucky to get Alex Leatherwood to return for his senior year, but 80 percent of their projected starting line will be draft eligible after next season. Some will likely return, but there will still be multiple linemen that need to be replaced.

Alabama football will likely go back to a power running offense in the future, and that will be reflected in how they recruit. They will likely prioritize other positions as well, but these positions are the top of the Tide’s recruiting boards for 2021.