Alabama heavily represented on preseason All-SEC teams
With SEC Media Days coming to a conclusion, the conference released its preseason media poll and all-league projections this week. Alabama was picked to finish third in the expanded SEC behind Georgia and Texas. While this is the result that most expected, Alabama fans and the program as a whole can make a rightful claim that the reigning SEC champs are being disrespected to an extent.
Alabama has a lot of returning talent, as well as some impact transfers. In fact, the Tide had 16 individuals named to the SEC’s three all-league teams.
Junior guard Tyler Booker, redshirt junior inside linebacker Deontae Lawson, graduate safety Malachi Moore, redshirt senior punter James Burnip, and senior long snapper Kneeland Hibbett were all named first team All-SEC.
Booker will anchor what should be an imposing Alabama offensive line, one that is well-represented on these All-SEC teams. Lawson and Moore will captain a new look Bama defense under Kalen DeBoer and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. There are certainly question marks about the Alabama defense, particularly in the secondary, but Lawson and Moore will help Tide fans feel like a little bit of Nick Saban’s unit is still on the field. Burnip and Hibbett will help to highlight what should be a very effective special teams unit for the Tide this fall.
On the second team, sophomore tackle Kadyn Proctor, redshirt sophomore center Parker Brailsford, graduate defensive lineman Tim Smith, and senior kicker Graham Nicholson were honored.
Proctor and Brailsford will be key cogs up front for the Crimson Tide, playing arguably the two toughest positions on the field. Tim Smith is one of the most experienced players on the team and leads a very deep defensive line unit. Nicholson was named second team All-SEC despite being the reigning Groza Award winner. He is perhaps being undervalued by SEC voters, but he will ensure that kicking remains a strength for Alabama in 2024.
A slew of Bama standouts were named to the All-SEC third team, including redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Milroe, sophomore running back Justice Haynes, redshirt junior guard Jaeden Roberts, redshirt junior defensive lineman Tim Keenan III, junior linebacker Jihaad Campbell, junior cornerback Domani Jackson, and redshirt sophomore safety Keon Sabb.
Milroe is a polarizing player with the physical tools to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. The SEC will boast one of the best and deepest quarterback classes ever in 2024, and Milroe is right in the mix at the top of the heap. Justice Haynes got a huge vote of confidence here. The former 5-star running back was voted preseason all-conference despite having just 25 career carries for 168 yards. Bama fans think he can be a breakout star, and the SEC media clearly agrees.
Jaeden Roberts is the fourth Alabama offensive lineman on this list, and will once again be a force at guard. If Bama gets the right tackle spot figured out, this could be a Joe Moore Award-winning unit. Tim Keenan III is another powerful interior presence on the Alabama defense. Jihaad Campbell may have deserved better than a third team selection. Nevertheless, he will team up with Lawson to form a potentially elite duo at inside linebacker.
Domani Jackson and Keon Sabb are both transfer additions from USC and Michigan respectively. Each has big shoes to fill, as Alabama tries to replace a first round draft pick in Terrion Arnold, a second-rounder in Kool-Aid McKinstry, and a likely future first-rounder in Caleb Downs. After being a massive strength in 2023, the Crimson Tide secondary has been almost completely retooled. Much of the Tide’s success this year will be dependent on guys like Jackson and Sabb playing well.