Alabama Football: Projecting Tide’s 2-deep depth chart for 2019

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Starting wide receivers: Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, and Devonta Smith
Backups: Jaylen Waddle, Slade Bolden, and Tyrell Shavers

The Tide had the greatest receiving corps last season, and all of their starters came back. This group has the chance to be historic. Any team that has to have Jaylen Waddle come off the bench as a sophomore is doing something right.

Jeudy will easily be the first receiver drafted in 2020. His combination of speed, hand strength, smoothness of routes, and agility after the catch make him unstoppable. If defenses spend too much time worrying about him, Tua will simply throw to Henry Ruggs, one of the fastest players in college football. Add in Devonta Smith, the receiver who caught the infamous 2nd and 26 pass against Georgia, and you’ve got history in the making.

Depth is strong for the Tide, but they likely won’t use it in key games. The only extra receiver they will use is Jaylen Waddle, an undersized speedster with amazing catching ability. Once the subs come in, expect players like Tyrell Shavers, Slade Bolden, and John Metchie to star.

Starting tight ends: Major Tennison, Miller Forristall
Backup: Cameron Latu

Tight end depth took a major hit from last season. Not only will the Tide have to replace Irv Smith Jr. and Hale Hentges, but Kedrick James just entered the transfer portal. There were high hopes that James would be the next great ‘Bama tight end, but he was going to be suspended the first four games of the season. Major Tennison and Miller Forristall are good, but they won’t be as good as Irv Smith was last year from a pass-catching perspective.

The X-factor will definitely be Cameron Latu. Latu is making the position switch from defense to tight end. With James likely leaving, the learning curve for Latu will have to be sped up. He showed promise in the spring, and there is a chance that he will be Alabama’s new pass-catching tight end.