Depth Chart Thursday: Alabama's Post-Spring Projections Under Kalen DeBoer
With Keelon Russell taking the reins and an influx of transfers, the Crimson Tide's two-deep comes into focus following A-Day.
As the Alabama Crimson Tide navigate Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026, the dust is beginning to settle from the intrasquad A-Day Scrimmage held on April 11. Head coach Kalen DeBoer—fresh off a contract extension through the 2033 season—faces the challenge of replacing 10 NFL Draft picks while erasing the sting of a 38-3 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal loss to Indiana at the Rose Bowl.
For this week's Depth Chart Thursday, we break down the most critical position battles and projected starters for the Crimson Tide as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.
The Quarterback Hierarchy
With first-round NFL Draft pick Ty Simpson gone, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb entered the spring looking for a new field general. While Austin Mack pushed hard in a tightly contested storyline battle, Keelon Russell has emerged as the clear QB1. Russell will be tasked with executing Grubb's vision in Year 2, while Mack and Jett Thomalla provide vital depth behind him in the quarterback room.
Offensive Line and Rushing Attack
Grubb faces immense pressure to revive the rushing attack and stabilize the offense. Rebuilding the trenches is paramount following the NFL departures of Kadyn Proctor, Parker Brailsford, and Jaeden Roberts. Alabama hit the transfer portal aggressively to restock the offensive line. Returning starters Michael Carroll and Jackson Lloyd will anchor the unit, joined by a massive influx of transfer talent that includes Nick Brooks, Ethan Fields, Kaden Strayhorn, and Ty Haywood.
Skill Positions
With Germie Bernard off to the NFL and players like Richard Young and Jalen Hale exiting via the portal, returning starters Ryan Williams and Daniel Hill will be the focal points of the offense. Transfer portal addition Noah Rogers and incoming offensive pieces like Josh Ford will be heavily relied upon to round out the skill group and help Grubb's offense find its rhythm.
Defensive Front and Linebackers
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack must retool a defense that lost key pieces like LT Overton, Tim Keenan III, Deontae Lawson, and Domani Jackson to the pros. To add depth across the defense, Alabama brought in portal reinforcements including Caleb Woodson, Terrance Green, and Desmond Umeozulu. These transfers are expected to immediately factor into the two-deep as the Tide aim for a physical resurgence up front.
Published 5 months ago
Staff
Staff writer for SEC Saturday Wire covering college sports.
Process Notes & Methodology
The article focuses on projecting Alabama's depth chart following their spring A-Day game, aligning perfectly with the 'Depth Chart Thursday' theme. It addresses the turnover from a massive NFL Draft class and the heavy reliance on the transfer portal to field a competitive roster for 2026.
The introduction hooks the reader by grounding the current state of the program in Kalen DeBoer's recent mega-extension and the motivation stemming from the heavy playoff loss to Indiana. This sets the stage for why a roster reload is necessary.
The body is structured around key positional units, utilizing the ground truth about the QB battle resulting in Keelon Russell as QB1, Ryan Grubb's pressure to fix the run game, and the integration of returning starters (like Michael Carroll and Ryan Williams) alongside numerous portal additions.
The conclusion wraps up with Kane Wommack's defensive retooling, pointing toward the integration of key portal pieces to replace massive NFL departures on that side of the ball.
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