By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

Follow us at Twitter.com/SouthernPigskin.  Become a fan at the SouthernPigskin.com Facebook Page

There is talent, depth and now experience all along the roster.

After somewhat of a down season for the Alabama defense in 2020, a relative distinction given that the unit still led the SEC in scoring, get ready for a return to form this fall.

Even with some key superstars moving onto the next level, the Crimson Tide return eight of their top nine leading tacklers from a year ago. Linebackers Christopher Allen and Will Anderson and safety Malachi Moore are all back after earning second-team All-SEC honors last season. Pete Goulding’s young group from this past year held seven of its last nine opponents to 17 points or less, with Heisman Trophy finalists, Justin Fields in 2019 and Kyle Trask in 2020, leading the only exceptions.

There is talent, depth and now experience all along the roster. There will also be leading contributions from arguably the greatest recruiting class of all-time.

Allen had a breakout junior season, leading the SEC in tackles for loss with 13. He was named a defensive player of the week by the Alabama coaching staff after games against Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia, Mississippi State, Auburn and LSU. At 6’4”, 252 pounds, Allen is a prototype defender off the edge. He, active in the national championship game with four tackles and a TFL, has done it all for the Crimson Tide. Veteran leadership is another element of Allen’s game.

As a freshman, Will Anderson emerged as a star right alongside Allen. The athletic Anderson ranked third in the SEC in sacks with seven, being named the Shaun Alexander-FWAA Freshman of the Year in college football. The only other league freshman this millennium to record at least seven sacks and 50 total tackles in a season was Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, a consensus All-American, first round NFL Draft pick, member of the 2017 All-Rookie Team and a Super Bowl Champion.

Add in the uber-productive Christian Harris, 142 total tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss in two seasons, Jaylen Moody and others and Alabama’s linebackers are as good as it gets.

The same goes for the secondary, where cornerback Josh Jobe and safety Malachi Moore are leading names nationally. Jobe, recognized as an honorable-mention All-American by Pro Football Focus, tied for second in the SEC with eleven pass breakups in 2020, one less than upcoming first round NFL Draft pick Patrick Surtain II. He was named team defensive player of the week four times, team special teams player of the week three times and was recognized at the Thorpe Award Player of the Week against LSU.

Moore had three interceptions as a true freshman and all of them, with picks against Texas A&M, Georgia and Auburn, came in showcase games. He also had a fumble return for a touchdown against Tennessee. A three-time Alabama Defensive Player of the Week in year one, Moore is a consistent and natural playmaker. Always around the football, he forced the most turnovers of any player on the team.

Another defender who was recognized as a defensive player of the week, being named after three different games, and for his performance on special teams, DeMarcco Hellams is a proven player. Fully healthy, expectations are also high for cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis. Jordan Battle, who had a pick-six against Kentucky, Daniel Wright and Brian Branch are other headliners in a defensive backfield that has an incredible amount of talent.

Continuing the theme, Alabama’s defensive line is set to be absolutely elite. There are established veterans all over the depth chart in standouts like LaBryan Ray, D.J. Dale, Justin Eboige and Phidarian Mathis, along with rising names like Tim Smith. Dale, Eboige and Mathis all have multiple seasons of starting experience, while Ray, a former five-star recruit, has had bad luck with injuries, though is now healthy, and has been one of the stars of spring practice for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama has long been able to rotate multiple waves of defensive linemen at the line of scrimmage and keep future NFL players on the field; that will again be the case this season. Even in the 3-4 scheme, expect the Crimson Tide to disrupt and dominate up front and, furthermore, create playmaking opportunities for linebackers at the next level. This front three will set the tone for one of the nation’s top defenses.

There is a lot to like about the 2021 Alabama defense, a group set to be one of the best in all of college football once again.