Alabama Football is less than two weeks away from its 2023 spring game, which will be the first public glimpse of the new team in a competitive format. Many of Bama’s top players are either out or limited in their spring practice availability due to injuries, but there will still be tons of talent on display at the A-Day game.
As the spring game approaches, we will be counting down the ten best players on the 2023 Alabama football team. This list can be heavily debated, and could even change as the offseason progresses, but it is based primarily on past production and the most recent intel from spring practice. Here are the players that just missed the cut, a trio of seniors that look to lead the team to a championship.
Alabama Football senior linebacker Chris Braswell has a huge opportunity to establish himself this fall. While his three years on campus have not generated the statistical production to match his 5-star billing coming out of high school, Braswell’s progression has felt like a slow burn that could finally pay dividends this fall.
The senior edge rusher has gone through the process of building up his body to handle life in the SEC trenches, and became a prominent member of the rotation last season. Braswell flashed his ability as a pass rusher, and, with Will Anderson Jr. moving on from the program, he will receive a much higher percentage of the edge snaps in 2023.
Alabama Football senior wide receiver Jermaine Burton has another opportunity to become a star in Tuscaloosa. He transferred to Bama in the 2022 offseason to get more targets and increase his draft stock, but his production was inconsistent. Burton has the talent to be a standout, and a big 2023 season would make his transfer and subsequent struggles worth it.
Jermaine Burton is a veteran receiver that isn’t elite at any one aspect of the game, but does everything well. He has enough speed to be a dangerous deep threat, and can also make plays on underneath routes. He had career highs of 40 receptions for 677 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and should improve upon those numbers in year two in Tuscaloosa. Juniors Ja’Corey Brooks and Malik Benson also look to have breakout years; whether their presence will hurt or help Burton’s production remains to be seen.
Alabama Football senior running back Jase McClellan brings some stability to a running back room that has lots of talent, but little in terms of proven commodities. He has over 1,300 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns in his Alabama career, and he may have the opportunity to be the no. 1 option for the first time this fall.
McClellan will be spelled by classmate Roydell Williams and youngsters Jam Miller, Justice Haynes, and Richard Young. Guys like Miller and Haynes may be too good to keep off the field, so it will be interesting to see just how big Jase McClellan’s role is throughout the year.
Alabama football has a lot of potential difference-makers on its 2023 roster, and these three seniors all have a chance to make statements.