Alabama Football: Tide’s top returning players for 2021

Alabama football will have plenty of stars returning this season

A mass exodus of talent is a yearly tradition for Alabama football. Despite losing some of the best players in the program’s history in 2019, the Tide rebounded with veteran leaders to win the sixth national championship of the Nick Saban era.

Alabama has already seen plenty of stars declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. They will have to replace their starting quarterback, their three best skill players and multiple studs on the offensive line. Dylan Moses and Patrick Surtain are off to the NFL as well.

We’ll detail their potential NFL careers as the draft approaches, but let’s take a look at the best players who are returning for the Crimson Tide in 2021.

Josh Jobe, CB

Jobe was a solid corner who was targeted often in 2020. With teams afraid to throw towards Patrick Surtain, Jobe saw plenty of passes come his way. He played well in this role, but he will be in charge of primary receivers in 2021. His return means that Alabama only has to replace one key piece of the starting secondary.

Chris Owens, OL

Owens has been a rotation guy on the offensive line for five years. He is coming back for one more run with Alabama football, and his presence will be vital. Alabama is replacing multiple starting linemen at multiple positions. Owens’ leadership and versatility will be vital to a new offensive line. He can play all three positions at a high level, so expect him to move around as the 2021 season progresses.

Chris Allen, OLB

Allen led the team in tackles for loss last year. With Alabama losing both starting outside linebackers from 2019, it was crucial for Allen to step up. He certainly did so as the season progressed. When he got home to the quarterback, he was a one-man wrecking crew. He is also athletic enough to cover in zone when necessary. He is good enough to be drafted, but he will certainly make more money if he has a good season next year.

Phil Mathis, IDL

Mathis had a strong impact on the defensive line, but he somehow flew under the radar. Let me tell you that he is good enough to shine next year. He only had 1.5 sacks last year, but look for his production to increase drastically next season.

With so many returning stars, the Alabama defense will be filled with talent next season. Adding Chris Owens back brings more depth to the offensive line, and the underclassmen will fill out the rest of the roster. Look for these players to shine next year as they become the faces of Alabama football.