Every crafty defensive playcaller often keeps a trick up their sleeve that doesn't always show up on their initial preseason depth chart or meets the national projections; a player whose value mostly tends to lie in versatility. For the third year, Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, that ace in the Crimson Tide's deck, could be underrated Mercer transfer defensive back Carmelo O'Neal.Â
O'Neal silently enters the chat this spring, while most Tide fans focus on proven starters and blue-chip recruits from bigger programs. But at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, the former FCS standout safety isn't just your typical depth piece, he's a defender who can give Wommack and the Alabama defense answers before questions are even asked.
Carmelo O'Neal will be a versatile weapon for Alabama football
With O'Neal's experience, length, positional versatility, and instincts in coverage, he can seamlessly rotate across the Tide secondary or slide down into the box to help disrupt the run game. This was evident across his two seasons in the SoCon, where O'Neal recorded 56 total tackles (39 solo), 11 pass breakups, one sack, and one forced fumble.
That kind of production is gold for a Wommack-led unit that thrives on unpredictability and his aggressive style of scheming, all without tipping his defensive hand. This addition appears promising when you look at Alabama's current secondary, because the Atlanta native provides traits few can match. With his physical tools, I imagine O'Neal can successfully sub in when needed for Tide starters like Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee, in press or zone-heavy coverages, and rotate with Zavier Mincey and Red Morgan in nickel and dime packages, or even give Bray Hubbard extra support on run-heavy downs and feast off their play.
The Atlanta natives' presence can also help younger developing players like Chuck MacDonald and Ivan Taylor learn, all without Alabama's personnel losing cohesiveness or effectiveness.
These Swiss Army knife-like abilities make O'Neal a viable, flexible, game-changing chess piece in Wommack's defensive scheme this fall. No, he might not do big numbers on the stat sheet, but hustle and style of aggression are more than enough to keep opposing offensive coordinators guessing when he checks into the ball game.
If O'Neal can successfully translate his SoCon production to the big stage on Saturdays under the bright lights of the SEC in 2026, then that'll mean Wommack and the Tide's defensive staff will have quietly found themselves another player who could emerge as one of Alabama's most impactful X-factors as a hidden weapon every elite defense hopes to have.