Alabama Football: 5 position battles to watch this spring

1. Defensive Tackle

The biggest hole left for Alabama to fill is at defensive tackle, the position manned by Quinnen Williams last year en-route to an All-American and Outland Trophy winning season. Williams departed Alabama with two years of eligibility remaining, and is widely expected to be selected inside the top five of the NFL Draft.

Williams’ dominant presence in the middle last season masked a lot of deficiencies on Alabama’s defense, and he’ll be the toughest player to replace. Redshirt sophomore Phidarian Mathis served as Williams’ backup in 2018, and gained some valuable game experience as a reserve, subbing in for a gassed Williams on occasion. Expecting him to match that production, though, would be foolish.

The real concern is the depth behind Mathis, where Alabama lacks much game experience. Senior Tevita Muskia, a JUCO transfer, didn’t seem to progress much last season like the staff hoped. Redshirt freshman Christian Barmore could leap him on the depth chart.

Depth on the defensive line as a whole was a big area of concern in this recruiting cycle, and Saban signed a wealth of talented players in the 2019 class who will have early opportunities for playing time.

Keep an eye on the prized recruit from Alabama’s class, five-star Antonio Alfano, who could fight for a starting role right away as early returns on him have been extremely positive. It wouldn’t surprise me if Saban shifted senior Raekwon Davis inside to defensive tackle, either, with Davis possessing the frame to eat up space in the middle and not being much of a factor as a pass rusher off the edge last season. Davis is likely to be moved to defensive tackle in the NFL, anyway, so making the move in his final season in college might ultimately be beneficial to him.

If that happens, Alfano would figure to have a strong chance to earn a spot as the starting defensive end in Davis’ spot, with junior LaBryan Ray likely occupying the other side. Alfano could also factor into the defensive tackle battle, with his strength and speed proving to be problematic for interior blockers.

While there’s certainly talented players competing for the role, finding a replacement for Williams will be the most intriguing position battle to watch play out during the spring, while likely lasting throughout fall camp.