Alabama Football: 3 breakout candidates for 2021 season

Nick Saban has built an absolute powerhouse in Tuscaloosa over the past 15 years and Alabama football is in national-title-or-bust mode just about every season.

With those yearly expectations, fans can become upset when the Tide finish with a couple of losses and miss the playoff. When you win so much, it’s understandable, but the Tide have it better than just about every program in college football. Only Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Clemson can really say they’re on the same level talent-wise every year. But are they really?

The amount of talent Alabama brings in every year is almost unfair and the Tide seem to reload every single offseason instead of rebuilding.

Alabama lost a ton of talent to the NFL this offseason, like always, and the Tide will have a new batch of potential breakout candidates.

Which three breakout candidates stand out?

It’s difficult for freshmen to see the field at Alabama every year, but with Patrick Surtain II leaving for the NFL this offseason, a five-star cornerback like Ga’Quincy McKinstry could have a direct path to the two-deep to start the season and then win a starting job by the end of the year.

Josh Jobe is back after starting on the other side of the field than Surtain II and Marcus Banks is a projected starter at the other cornerback spot.

McKinstry is arguably the top backup option on the team and with a good fall camp and a strong start to his freshman season, he could push Banks for the starting job.

The former five-star was ranked the No. 17 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class and No. 1 cornerback and has all the pieces to be an instant star. He has future first-round NFL draft pick written all over him and he’s the one true freshman who I believe can have the biggest early impact.