Kalen DeBoer is seeing exactly what he wants from an unheralded Alabama freshman

Every recruiting cycle, you can identify a few players who are going to be able to make a meaningful contribution during their freshman season.

For Alabama in the 2025 class, those players included CB Dijon Lee, OL Michael Carroll, and WR Lotzeir Brooks. Others may have identified QB Keelon Russell, OL Jackson Lloyd, or perhaps one of the highly-ranked tight ends: Kaleb Edwards or Marshall Pritchett.

No one expected 3-star DL London Simmons to be an immediate breakout star. And maybe he wouldn't have been if it wasn't for some serious attrition on the defensive line, but the Mississippi native has made the most of his early opportunity.

Injuries to Tim Keenan and Jeremiah Beaman at nose tackle thrust Simmons into action for meaningful reps quicker than expected. But Simmons has handled it well, including registering his first career sack last week in Alabama's win over Wisconsin. Simmons has started the last two games following the season-ending injury to Beaman.

Keenan is expected back for next week's game against Georgia, but Simmons will be relied upon moving forward as one of the top rotational pieces on the defensive line.

Kalen DeBoer has taken note of the freshman's exceptional performance so far:

"He's gotten more and more comfortable each week with his responsibility," DeBoer said on the SEC coaches' teleconference. "He's expecting to make a play himself, being able to finish...The steps that you need a young guy to take, he's taking those."

London Simmons is off to a terrific start in his freshman season at Alabama

If you look at the UL Monroe tape, Simmons was more just plugging his gap, which in turn opened up plays to be made by defensive tackle James Smith, who had a monster game against the Warhawks. But last week against Wisconsin, it was Simmons breaking free into the backfield and making plays.

Here's two examples to highlight from the Wisconsin game:

Simmons isn't even in his stance here. That's a 300-pounder rushing from a standing position and still busting through the interior of the offensive line and bringing down the ball carrier for a minimal gain. That's impressive stuff.

Then there was the sack of Danny O'Neil, which came on a third down and one play after Qua Russaw sacked the QB. Simmons showed his power, knocking back the guard and getting him off-balance, then making himself skinny and squeezing between the guard and center to get to the quarterback.

Simmons has embraced the "next man up" mentality. You never know when your number is going to be called, and at a position of need, the freshman has stepped up in a big way.