Alabama Football: Best Players of Gene Stallings Era
By Ronald Evans
Linebackers
- Dwayne Rudd (1994-1996) – Rudd might have been the best Stallings’ linebacker. No question, he was the flashiest. He led the Crimson Tide in tackles in 1995 with 91 stops. He was All-America in 1996.
- Ralph Staten (1993-1996) – If Rudd was not the best on this list, it was Staten. Staten was a hybrid linebacker for the era, with the speed to play defensive back. In 1996, Staten had 12 sacks and three interceptions and was selected All-SEC.
- Derrick Oden and Antonio London (1989-1992) – Tough and smart is a great combination for linebackers. Oden and London were big hitters consistently able to decipher opposing offenses. The senior pair was a big reason why the Crimson Tide won the 1992 National Championship. Both were All-SEC that season.
- Lemanski Hall (1989-1993) – Hall started on the 1992 team as a junior. He had the speed to chase down fleet backs and cover receivers. Like his senior teammates, he was All-SEC in 1992.