Once the season starts, the sting of losing Qua Russaw and Noah Carter to the Transfer Portal will be lessened by the pending breakout season of rising sophomore Justin Hill, who was taking snaps from Carter as a freshman and was breathing down the neck of Russaw.
In fact, don't be surprised if Hill's emergence makes it more obvious why those two left.
Yhonzae Pierre is Alabama's unquestioned starter at Wolf LB, but Kane Wommack wants to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year. We know Pierre is one of the nation's top pass rushers, but the Crimson Tide needs someone else to step up and inflict that kind of fear into offenses.
Enter Hill, who flashed his immense potential in year one, and looks ready for a year two breakout. While they play the same position, expect plenty of snaps where Hill and Pierre are flanking each other on opposite edges.
Hill has clearly put in the work this spring to improve as a run-defender; he was setting the edge and blowing things up repeatedly during the A-Day scrimmage.
And who he has spent time this offseason watching film of should immediately grab your attention. He's not content with a simple breakout; he's trying to be the best of the best.
"I am watching guys like Von Miller. I’m watching a lot of speed to power guys," Hill said.
Justin Hill is modeling his game after former NFL All-Pro Von Miller
Miller has made a career of converting speed to power. The quick get-off at the snap, then just bullying opposing tackles and shoving them into the lap of the quarterback.
He's a good role model on the field. Miller, at 36-years-old, still put up nine sacks last season for the Washington Commanders, moving his total to 138.5 for his career. He's a seven-time All-Pro and a former Super Bowl MVP.
Hill has high expectations for himself. If he can take that next step, he and Pierre can become one of the top pass-rushing duos in college football. Add in some improved pass-rushing from the defensive line with USC transfer Devan Thompkins, second-year growth from DT London Simmons, and perhaps the pending breakout of Steve Bolo Mboumoua, and Alabama's front-seven has the chance to be as disruptive as it has been in a long time.
At the forefront of that conversation will be Hill, who has put the work in, and it's obviously paying major dividends.
Add us as a preferred source on Google