Alabama Football class of 2019: Jordan Battle
Strong safety Jordan Battle returns as the leader of the secondary and perhaps the best safety in the country. He too suffered a lower body injury in the fall, but is not expected to miss a significant portion of the season. In 2021, he had career highs of 85 tackles and three interceptions. In his Alabama football career, Battle has totaled 181 tackles and returned three of his five interceptions for touchdowns. He has a penchant for big plays and hopes to establish himself as a bona fide first-round draft pick.
Other seniors that joined Battle in the 2019 recruiting haul include his running mate at safety, Demarcco Hellams, and defensive line standout Byron Young.
Alabama Football class of 2020: Will Anderson Jr.
This one was tough, as Alabama football has the reigning Heisman winner, Bryce Young, in its junior class. Additionally, as is the case most years, a lot of the Tide’s best players are juniors looking to break out in their first draft-eligible season. However, the only correct choice for the best player from the class of 2020 was the Terminator, Will Anderson Jr. In his true sophomore season, Anderson Jr. racked up over 100 tackles, over 30 tackles for loss, and a nation leading 17.5 sacks. He was widely considered the best player in college football, and could be even better this season. Barring injury, Anderson Jr. should harass quarterbacks and running backs all season en route to being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.