Alabama football fans saw a different Dylan Moses in 2020
While players only get a few years of college eligibility, it feels as if Dylan Moses was a staple for Alabama football for a decade. That is because he was recruited in middle school. While many believed that Moses would play for LSU, Tide fans were hoping that he would come to Tuscaloosa. He did, and he had an immediate impact.
Many thought that they had seen the last of Moses when he was injured before the start of his junior year. However, he returned for one more ride with the Tide. Unfortunately, he did not live up to the standard that he set for himself as an underclassman. His coverage skills lacked, and he seemed to have lost a step when he ran after the ball.
His statistics decreased as well. He had a significant drop in tackles for loss and sacks. With these issues in 2020, one question must be answered: what happened to Dylan Moses?
You can’t blame his instincts. Dylan Moses was quick to learn the complexities of Alabama football’s defense. That helped him see the field as a true freshman. There was never doubt that he knew what he was supposed to do on any play, and he also carried the weight of leading the entire defense.
That leaves one answer. Dylan Moses was still recovering from the injury during this season. He said earlier in 2021 that he only felt 100% for Alabama’s season opener and that he hasn’t been fully healthy since. He had to play through the pain, and that is hard for a linebacker to do when the pain is in your knee. He had to build back trust in his own body, and that is hard to do when every movement hurts.
Moses lost a step, but that doesn’t mean that he has peaked as a prospect. If he can rest and be fully healthy, he will be one of many Alabama football players to make an NFL team happy. We’ll have to wait and see what he looks like in the NFL, but he has a lot left in the tank.