Hello and Roll Tide!

There’s only 3 more weeks of practice before the Tide open against Western Kentucky. Let’s use this month to get to know more about each position group. Due to the size of the roster, I will only highlight those expected to make an impact this season.

Today I will be discussing the Projected Offensive Starters/Impact Players:

Quarterback – Returning 98% of Offensive Production last year

Jalen Milroe – Obviously everyone knows the Tide’s star quarterback, so what should we look for this season? Milroe finished 5th in Heisman voting last season in Tommy Rees’ run heavy offense. Kalen DeBoer will certainly have Jalen throw the ball much more in an offense that made Michael Penix into a top 10 NFL pick. Let’s look for Jalen to attack the ball downfield and be a top Heisman candidate.

Ty Simpson – The 2021-2022 state of Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year is set to start his Redshirt Sophomore year as Milroe’s backup. Simpson will likely get some time in the Opener vs Western Kentucky or later in the year against Mercer. However, we should only expect to see him on the field with Special Teams holding kicks Running back – Returning 21% of Offensive Production last year. Players who left: Jase McClellan (NFL) and Roydell Williams (Transferred to FSU)

Jam Miller – The Junior out of Texas looks to have a significantly larger role in the Tide offense than last season. Jam stepped up in the SEC Championship game with a 29 yard Wheel route for a touchdown to take the lead, that we never gave up. Jam should make plenty of explosive plays as the lead back for the Tide this season

Justice Haynes – Justice was a top 5 recruit out of the state of Georgia and decided to head to Tuscaloosa for his freshman season. The Sophomore is expected to split the RB duties with Jam Miller. He is a natural runner with strength, similar to Najee Harris a few years ago. He will likely be the power back in goal line situations but has plenty of explosive potential in 3rd down situations as well

Wide Receiver - Returning 27% of Offensive Production last year. Players who left: Jermaine Burton (NFL), Isaiah Bond (Texas), Malik Benson (FSU), and Ja’Corey Brooks (Louisville)

Germie Bernard – The Junior followed his Head Coach from Washington to Alabama. Bernard was 5th in receiving for the Huskies behind 3 NFL draft picks. He is expected to take a lead role in DeBoer’s offense. He was a 4 Start recruit out of High School and maintained that rating in the portal as well. He is a physical pass-catcher who can win one on one matchups. Germie will likely play on the outside of formations

Kobe Prentice – Kobe surprised many of us when was named a starter in week 1 of his Freshman season. His explosive play potential was seen in year 1, but he was hindered by a very elementary offense coordinated by Bill O’Brien. Similarly in season 2, Kobe was held back by a run-heavy Tommy Rees offense. If Kalen DeBoer goes pass heavy, as we expect, Kobe should have a breakout Junior year. Expect to see Kobe line up in the Slot in many different formations

Kendrick Law – Kendrick is in the running for fastest player on the Alabama offense. He is dangerous in space, so we will see him in Jet Sweeps and drag route concepts. Law will force defenses to track him which will benefit the run game if he is constantly in motion on the field.

Ryan Williams – A true freshman from Saraland, Alabama, Ryan is the top rated High School Wide Receiver since Julio Jones. Ryan skipped his Senior year in High School to join the Tide, so he may be physically behind, however his top speed and steady hands will get him onto the field right away. He has a smaller frame like Devonta Smith with speed like Jaylen Waddle. I am very excited to see how DeBoer uses Williams in the offense this season.

Caleb Odom – Another true Freshman on the list, Caleb was originally recruited as a Tight End. His exceptional explosiveness and speed landed him in the Wide Receiver room with coach JaMarcus Shephard. Odom stands at 6-5 215lbs which will be a matchup nightmare for Defensive Backs. Likely backing up Germie Bernard, Odom should regularly see the field in 2024.

Tight Ends - Returning 41% of Offensive Production last year

CJ Dippre – This Senior tight end is looking for a productive 2024 after a lackluster first-year with the Tide. Dippre showed promise in his Sophomore year at Maryland as he posted 30 receptions for 314 yards. Last season Dippre found himself blocking a lot more than running routes. DeBoer’s Tight End at Washington went for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns, so hopefully Dippre can show that versatility that we saw at Maryland in his Senior year at Alabama.

Josh Cuevas – Josh transfers to Alabama with two years of eligibility. Cuevas had a very productive season during his Redshirt Freshman year at Cal Poly. He transferred to Washington last season an only had 4 catches. DeBoer has accepted Cuevas twice in the transfer portal, suggesting that he sees upside potential in his offense. Let’s look to see how Cuevas does competing with Dippre for offensive snaps.

Offensive Line – Returning 3 Starters

Left Tackle: Kaydn Proctor – Proctor received Freshman All-SEC honors in his first year on campus. The No. 1 OT in his class had a rollercoaster season as he was the first Freshman LT to start since Cam Robinson in 2014. He started out shaky but really found his footing late in the season. After Saban’s retirement, Proctor transferred to Iowa. He later transferred back in the Spring. He is the favorite to play Left Tackle in DeBoer’s offense.

Left Guard: Tyler Booker – Booker had a standout season at Left Guard and is expected to go in the top 2 rounds of the 2025 NFL draft. Booker is a vocal leader on the team and joined Coach DeBoer as a captain for SEC Media Days. Booker supported Proctor on the left side of the line last season, so we should expect this returning duo to be very solid together.

Center: Parker Brailsford – Brailsford transferred to Alabama shortly after DeBoer was announced as the head coach of Alabama. Brailsford was a part of the Joe Moore award winning offensive line at Washington last year. As a freshman he earned National recognition on the All-Freshman Team. Center is a position that the Tide struggled with heavily last season. His understanding of the DeBoer offense should be incredibly helpful for the rest of the line as he will be calling out coverages for the line.

Right Guard: Jaeden Roberts – Jaeden was a surprise impact player last season as he came in for injured Darrian Dalcourt mid-season and never gave up the starting role. Roberts is a powerful run blocker and has good footwork in the passing game. The offensive line improved significantly when Jaeden became a full time starter. His experience with Proctor and Booker should provide a great foundation for the group to begin the 2024 campaign

Right Tackle: Elijah Pritchett – The Redshirt Sophomore out of Georgia competed with Kaydn Proctor for Left Tackle all last season, but never did get the job. His experience leads him to be the favorite to start at Right Tackle this season. He will be following in 1st round pick JC Latham’s footsteps. These will be difficult boots to fill, but I expect Pritchett to fit into this experienced line well. With Roberts next to him, he has a lot of support as he finds his footing in the SEC.

As always, reach out with any questions or comments.

Roll Tide!