New faces for Alabama football’s A Day Game
4. Jaylen Moody, LB
Moody might be an upperclassman, but he hasn’t seen the playing field much so far on defense. He has mostly been a backup and special teams player. However, he is ready to take on a major role for Alabama football in 2021.
With Dylan Moses heading to the NFL, Alabama is down one inside linebacker. When Christian Harris went down with an injury, Moody was the one to fill in his place. Alabama likes some of the younger guys, and Shane Lee has experience as a starter, but it appears that Moody is set to be the other starting inside linebacker this season.
Unless Henry To’o To’o transfers to Alabama, Moody will be a key contributor on defense. This will be our first chance to see him against starters with preparation. Playing alongside Christian Harris will help, but Moody is talented enough to win on his own.
Moody has time with the program. At this point, he should know Alabama’s defensive scheme well enough to perform naturally. If he relies on his natural talent, he should be good enough to fill in Moses’s shoes from last season.
We will see Moody’s strength as he stops the run, speed as he drops back in coverage and his potential as he blitzes the quarterback. He may lay off of the big hits because he is playing against his teammates, but fans should at least catch a glimpse of how special he can be.