New Alabama Crimson Tide defense and pass rushing bounty
The Alabama Crimson Tide has been known for outstanding pass rushers for so long, seeing no Bama guys on lists of 2024's best pass rushers is almost shocking.
By Ronald Evans
No commodity in college football has been so undervalued as the 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide. More than two months after Nick Saban announced his retirement, miscalculations about Alabama's next season's prospects continue.
This premise is proved by the many lists from multiple sources of the best 2024 players by position groups. On the most common Top 10 lists no Crimson Tide wide receiver, tight end, and cornerback can be found. PFF provides an example with cornerbacks from lesser programs Kansas, Louisville, and Virginia Tech represented but not the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Another such list for pass rushers cannot be challenged for accuracy. No Alabama player is included on ESPN's Top 10 list for good reason. No returning Crimson Tide player has yet earned such distinction.
ESPN projects that Tennessee Vol pass rusher, James Pearce Jr. will be 2024's best. Three other SEC players were included in the Top 10; Texas Longhorn, Trey Moore, LSU Bengal Tiger, Harold Perkins, and Ole Miss Rebel Princely Umanmielen.
Based on a calculation of votes, ESPN chose 15 'others', including Deontae Lawson at No. 15. Lawson, when required is an outstanding pass rusher though in Nick Saban's defensive scheme, Lawson had other more important duties.
It would be interesting for someone to do a deep dive into the 10 schools listed by ESPN as having the nation's pass rusher - and see where each school would rank for its best three or four. Let's do a deep dive into just one, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
First, a claim is made that Alabama Football has the best pass-rushing roster of players in college football. In detailing Alabama's top pass rushers, no distinction is made between the Crimson Tide's new Wolf and Bandit positions. An argument can be made that Alabama's list should include seven or eight players. The Crimson Tide's depth certainly warrants that number. Instead, we will focus on five Alabama players who have the potential to be the Tide's best pass rushers in 2024.