Kalen DeBoer's first Alabama team suffered through some growing pains and ultimately had a disappointing season overall. The Tide finished 9-4, failing to win 10 games for the first time since 2007. As a result, Alabama missed the College Football Playoff despite the format being expanded to 12 teams. The fact that Alabama was the "first team out" did not provide solace to fans.
Year two of the DeBoer era brings the customary high expectations that come with the territory when you're the head coach at Alabama. It appears on paper that DeBoer has the roster and the coaching staff to make good on those expectations.
Alabama is widely expected to get back into the College Football Playoff after a one-year absence. The SEC media predicted the Crimson Tide to finish 3rd in the league standings, behind Texas and Georgia. Third place would almost certainly be good enough to get into the playoff, but this team has bigger goals. For starters, getting into the SEC Championship Game and ultimately winning the league.
But with the release of the SEC media predictions came the preseason All-SEC teams, and with those came history for Kalen DeBoer's second Alabama team. Just not the good kind of history.
For the first time ever, Alabama's defense had no preseason first-team All SEC players
Per Creg Stephenson of AL.com, since the inception of SEC Media Days in 1985, Alabama has had at least one defensive player make the preseason first team. Until now.
My friend @jbeanpoll asked me: When was the last time Alabama did not have a defensive player picked first-team preseason All-SEC at Media Days?
— Creg Stephenson the First (@CregStephenson) July 18, 2025
I didn't know, so we looked it up.
And the answer is: Never.
Media Days started in 1985 and this is the first time.
Crazy.
Alabama had four defenders make the second team: DL Tim Keenan III, DL LT Overton, LB Deontae Lawson, and CB Domani Jackson. Its safety duo of Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard were the lone defensive representatives on the third team.
This snub feels like it says more about the media than it does DeBoer, DC Kane Wommack, or the program in general. Alabama's defense is widely expected to be one of the best in the country in 2025, coming off a season in which it finished 10th in yards per play defense.
Alabama returns nine starters from that defense, and several have a legitimate case as the best at their positions in the SEC. Lawson is undoubtedly one of the best linebackers in the country, but he is still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered against Oklahoma last November. A fully healthy version of the LB would be a first-team member, albeit a fully healthy Lawson would likely be in the NFL right now.
By season's end, Alabama will likely have multiple defenders on the All-SEC first-team.