Alabama Football: A Way-Too-Early 2021 Defense Two Deep

Thursday we looked at Alabama football’s projected two-deep in 2021 on the offensive side of the ball. Today it’s the defense.

The Alabama football defense won’t be suffering the type of attrition the offense experienced despite the key losses of Patrick Surtain, Jr., Christian Barmore and Dylan Moses.

There’s plenty of depth at all levels and today we project how the 2021 defense might look come August.

Again, the incoming freshman class (as impressive as it is) will not be a factor in this depth chart. We could see the next crop of Will Andersons or Malachi Moores this upcoming season, but for the sake of this exercise, they won’t be involved right now.

Also, I’ll be looking at Saban’s base 3-4 defense as it appears on his annual August depth charts with the “Star” defensive back spot added in.

So without further ado…

Defensive End

No. 48 Phidarian Mathis

No. 92 Justin Eboigbe

We didn’t really see the potential of Christian Barmore until the latter part of the 2020 season, but when we finally did, hoo boy, we realized how much we’re going to miss him. No matter, the depth along the defensive line should still be about as strong as it’s been in a few years and you can pretty much substitute the above gentleman for the other and little productivity will fall off.

Mathis gets the nod, here, for being the Tide’s most disciplined and consistent lineman, but rising junior, Eboigbe, will build upon two very good seasons.

Nose Guard

No. 94 D.J. Dale

No. 50 Tim Smith

This will be a case of experience over pure talent. Plenty of Alabama football fans were disappointed in the way Dale played this season (part of that is due to injury), but, like Mathis, he knows exactly where he’s supposed to be. The fact he won the nose guard job coming out of the spring of his freshman year has to count for something.

That being said, it’s going to be tough to keep Smith off the field. His freshman stats don’t jump off the page, but this might be the Tide’s most athletic defensive tackle under Nick Saban and given Marcell Dareus, Da’Ron Payne and Quinnen Williams, that’s saying something. The dude has a freakishly high ceiling.

Defensive End

No. 18 LaBryan Ray

No. 47 Byron Young

Mother of Mercy, may LaBryan Ray please have one season where he’s healthy. This poor guy can’t catch a break and the former five-star Madison native is so damn talented. Regardless, it’s hard not to imagine Ray being the guy if he’s full go. Young did a fabulous job in Ray’s stead, though, amassing 5.5 TFLs in 2020 (second to Barmore among Alabama football d-linemen).

The aforementioned athletes will all play a major role in the trenches in 2021, regardless of what the depth chart says.

‘Sam’ Linebacker

No. 4 Chris Allen

No. 30 King Mwikuta

I had a feeling he would, but Chris Allen announcing his intention of returning for his final season in Tuscaloosa is a major boost for the front seven. Allen was overshadowed by his precocious counterpart, Will Anderson, in 2020, but having his experience and talent is immeasurable when talking about consistency and leadership. Last season alone, Allen led the team in TFLs with 13.5 and had six sacks.

Getting Allen back is like getting Anfernee Jennings back in 2019. People are going to know Chris Allen by the end of the 2021 season.

‘Mike’ Linebacker

No. 8 Christian Harris

No. 35 Shane Lee

I’m going to put this out there and I’m not trying to be ugly to the players already on the roster, but, y’all, Henry To’oto’o is just sitting there. We were most likely second to Tennessee when he signed in 2019 and given how relatively pedestrian Alabama football inside linebacker play has been over the last three seasons, we could really use a natural at the position. Go get him!

That being said, Christian Harris is an absolute heat-seeking missile and he’s more than earned signal calling duties. He has two seasons as an understudy at the weakside position and, from a pure athleticism standpoint, he’s exactly the type of ILB modern day defenses love. He’s the next man up.

(However, if To’oto’o does decide to come to Tuscaloosa (NO PRESSURE), then this will be the first amendment I make. Again, Henry, it’s totally your call.)

‘Will’ Linebacker

No. 42 Jaylen Moody

No. 10 Ale Kaho

These two 2018 signees have been absolute beasts on special teams over the last three seasons. I have a feeling one of them is due. I give the edge to Moody, right now, due to the fact that he came in for Harris when he was injured on the first play against Arkansas. The Conway, SC native may lack the natural ability Kaho has, but he’s obviously worked his tail off to get into the two-deep in 2020.

Obviously, we don’t want to count out Kaho, here, but Moody’s my choice for now.

(That is, unless, a certain California-bred, Polynesian linebacker wants to make the trek back down South…)

‘Jack’ Linebacker

No. 31 Will Anderson, Jr.

No. 20 Drew Sanders

Along with Allen, this is the easiest one to predict. Anderson, who was named Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, was on fire the second half of the 2020 season. Even when he wasn’t getting to the quarterback during the first few games, his uncanny ability to get into the backfield and disrupt the mesh point of RPOs was exquisite. He finished the season with 10.5 TLFs and seven sacks.

I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Sanders used a little bit more in certain defensive packages this upcoming season. As a special teams player in 2020, he’s on track to be the next big one in the front seven.

Cornerback

No. 28 Josh Jobe

No. 21 Jahquez Robinson

Jobe almost could’ve left Tuscaloosa with his fellow corner, Patrick Surtain, Jr., but the last three games of the season were probably humbling enough he felt one more year with the team could make him a first-rounder. He’ll most likely man the left side of the field like Surtain did when he took over for Trevon Diggs.

Robinson’s more of a guess at this point, especially with 2021, JUCO transfer Khyree Jackson coming in, but Robinson has the length and overall size Saban loves in a corner. I have a feeling he’ll be Jobe’s backup exiting the spring.

Cornerback

No. 22 Ronald Williams, Jr.

No. 26 Marcus Banks

Before injuring his hand in fall camp, Williams certainly looked to be in the thick of the 2020 Alabama football defensive back rotation. Once healthy, though, he seemed to be firmly in the two-deep and I have a feeling the 2020 JUCO transfer will be just what Saban needs this upcoming season with Surtain gone.

Look for Marcus Banks to make a push, though. Like Robinson, he’s super rangy and athletic and just because we haven’t seen him much to this point doesn’t mean he’s not ready to make a push.

Free Safety

No. 9 Jordan Battle

No. 11 Kristian Story

It was tough seeing Battle ejected from the national title game in his hometown, but that doesn’t dismiss how effective he was down the season’s stretch. He’s the surest tackler returning and I have a feeling he’s going to have a McKinney-esque year in 2021. Whether he plays the “Money” role when they go into the Dime package remains to be seen, but Battle is Alabama football’s next great safety.

Story has maybe another season before he becomes a starter, but his pure athleticism and instincts won’t keep him off the field for much longer than that.

Strong Safety

No. 29 DeMarcco Hellams 

No. 3 Daniel Wright

Truth be told, I’m not sure if Wright will be with the team given that Hellams manned the other safety spot opposite Battle in the Playoff. Wildly inconsistent, there were plenty of moments from Wright that made you want tear your hair out and others where you saw the true potential. Regardless, Hellams seems to be the guy as he’s worked his way up the depth chart since arriving in Tuscaloosa.

Spring practice will be telling, but I’m thinking Hellams is the guy, here.

‘Star’

No. 13 Malachi Moore

No. 14 Brian Branch

Branch performed admirably in Moore’s stead throughout the College Football Playoff, but it certainly made us miss the Freshman All-American in certain passing situations. Moore was downright dastardly at “Star” in 2020. His technique, his strength, his want-to all flashed on a nearly-constant basis. He was brilliant and it makes me very excited to see what lies ahead in the coming years.

Branch will no doubt be in the top six defensive back look, and the fact that he can play multiple positions already bodes well for the 2021 squad.

Replacing two probable first-round picks and an experienced signal-caller is a challenge. But Pete Golding will have a talented and physical, 2021 defensive unit.