Alabama football position of need: Inside linebacker class update

With Henry To’o To’o and Jaylen Moody likely departing from Alabama football after the 2022 season, the Crimson Tide coaching staff is already looking for potential contributors and depth at inside linebacker in the class of 2023.

Of players already on the roster, redshirt freshman Deontae Lawson and sophomore Kendrick Blackshire may be next to take the torch. Lawson in particular is someone that has the Alabama football community excited, and could push for significant playing time in the 2022 season.

Redshirt freshman Ian Jackson joined Lawson and Blackshire in the 2021 class and will also be in the mix. True freshmen Jihaad Campbell and Shawn Murphy may factor in next season. Campbell was one of the best players, regardless of position, in the 2022 cycle. It remains to be seen whether he will play inside or on the edge.

Alabama Football: Status of 2023 class

JUCO product Justin Jefferson is the Tide’s only current commit at inside linebacker for 2023. Jefferson is the no. 2 player overall in the JUCO ranks and the top defensive prospect. He should immediately supplement the Alabama football linebacker group, if not push for a starting position. He is slightly undersized but possesses incredible speed for a linebacker. His sideline-to-sideline athleticism would make it tough for teams to run wide on Alabama.

While there aren’t many quality inside linebackers left on the board, Alabama would love to add one more to the class. The Tide coaching staff has pushed for Ole Miss commit Suntarine Perkins to potentially fill that void. Perkins is considered the no. 3 athlete in the country and has tremendous positional versatility. Like Jefferson, he has great speed and range that would make him unique at the inside linebacker position.

Both Perkins and Jefferson could stand to put on a little weight to help them play downhill, fill gaps, and take on offensive linemen. Alabama has the strength and conditioning staff to help them accomplish that without sacrificing their speed.

If the Tide are able to successfully flip Perkins, it would likely solidify the linebacker room for the 2023 season. If the plan is to eventually move Jihaad Campbell to the edge, adding one more commit on the inside for 2023 would help to make that transition smoother.