Alabama Football looking for offensive linemen to show & prove

Fall camp is winding down for Alabama Football, as the last fall scrimmage will take place on Saturday. Bama has lots of question marks and position battles that need to be sorted out prior to the first game week of the season.

One of the most pressing questions that must be answered is the offensive line; namely, the left side. On the right side, sophomore guard Tyler Booker and junior tackle JC Latham have All-American potential. Gritty senior Seth McLaughlin has the center position locked down. But who will protect the blind side of Alabama’s first-year starting quarterback?

The left side of the offensive line has a lot of promise, but almost no proven commodities. This is somewhat concerning, especially given the importance of the left tackle position. Redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett got the first look at the position, but it seems as though he may have fallen behind true freshman Kadyn Proctor.

Pritchett was a 5-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, but missed most of last season with an injury and ultimately redshirted. He got the start at left tackle in the spring game and looked a little slow as he tried to get acclimated. Although his A-Day performance raised red flags for some fans, team insiders seem to maintain the belief that Pritchett is a good player with a very high ceiling.

Kadyn Proctor is a mammoth 5-star tackle prospect who is adjusting quickly to the college game. There is a very real possibility that he surges into the starting lineup by week one.

Regardless of who wins the starting left tackle job, both Pritchett and Proctor will be important for the Crimson Tide this season. Alabama Football is somewhat thin on the offensive line, so whoever finishes second in this competition could play a critical backup role not just at left tackle, but at multiple positions along the line.

Left guard is another position with some uncertainty. For much of the offseason, graduate student Darrian Dalcourt manned the role in Bama’s starting lineup. Dalcourt is a versatile piece who has played in 32 career games, including 16 starts. Most of his experience has come at the center position, where he will likely be the backup to Seth McLaughlin regardless of his other responsibilities. Can Dalcourt win the starting left guard job, or will he be more of a Swiss Army knife backing up all of the interior offensive line spots?

Redshirt sophomore TJ Ferguson emerged this fall, and could relegate Dalcourt to that reserve role. Ferguson is bigger and more physical than the older Dalcourt. On the surface, he appears to be a better fit for what the Alabama offense intends to do, which is to establish the run first and foremost.

In my opinion, Ferguson winning the job would be the best case scenario for Alabama Football. He has good upside and will be in the program longer, and Dalcourt provides a lot of value as a versatile chess piece that can fill gaps in case of injury.

Alabama Football needs at least one more reserve to step up on the offensive line. The seven aforementioned names are well-established and at least somewhat reliable, but more capable bodies are needed. A trio of massive true freshmen in Miles McVay, Wilkin Formby, and Olaus Alinen all have an opportunity to answer the call.

Perhaps one of these names will emerge for Alabama Football in this weekend’s fall scrimmage.