The Bandit room is one of the deeper position groups on the Alabama defense this year. Because of it, DC Kane Wommack has shuffled the deck a little, making a few chess moves to increase depth on the interior of the defensive line where they lacked it.
Kelby Collins transferred from Florida this offseason, and the immediate expectation was that he would be a Bandit. He'll likely see some playing time there, but he has been cross-training in fall camp at the defensive tackle spot, rotating behind junior James Smith.
With Collins getting more and more work at DT, it has opened the door for two third-year players who are seeking a breakout year: Keon Keeley and Jordan Renaud. Alabama fans will be most excited to see Keeley carve out a role this season. The former 5-star was one of the top overall recruits in the 2023 class, but has taken a couple of years to transition to the college game. He's yet to make much of an impact, but that appears to be on the verge of changing in 2025.
The Keon Keeley breakout year feels like it is on the way for Alabama
Senior LT Overton is entrenched as the team's starter, but there's room for multiple guys to have a role up front. You can never really have enough depth on the defensive line. And according to Kane Wommack, both Keeley and Renaud are performing well and pushing for playing time.
"I'm excited about some of the guys that are working in that position right now," Wommack said. "You know, obviously, Keon Keeley and Jordan Renaud are getting a good bit of the reps there. Both of them, it's fun to watch their evolution and their growth over the last 18 months. I think both of them have taken huge strides and big steps towards being able to contribute for us."
It's good news that Wommack shared a positive update on both Keeley and Renaud, but Alabama fans are certainly most excited for the update on Keeley. Tide fans have been waiting and waiting for Keeley's emergence. He's already been unfairly labeled a bust by some, despite a lot of factors working against him.
Keeley wasn't ready to play as a freshman, but many aren't. He then had to go through a coaching change followed by a position switch. Keeley came to Alabama expecting to play outside LB, but moved to the Bandit in Wommack's scheme, which is more of a DE.
There has been a lot of positive talk surrounding him this offseason. He's going to play this year, and if he lives up to his immense potential, he's going to be a real difference maker.