Alabama football’s 2025 season is still months away. But preparation for the Crimson Tide’s second season under Kalen DeBoer is about to ramp up quickly.
With spring practice approaching fast, culminating in the program’s A-Day spring game April 12, roster spots and depth chart battles will soon commence for the Crimson Tide ahead of its Aug. 30 season opener at Florida State.
What positions are under the most scrutiny heading into 2025 for Alabama? Here are the main four to watch throughout spring and into fall.
Alabama football looks for new leader at quarterback
Alabama is looking for a new leader.
With Jalen Milroe off to the NFL, the Crimson Tide will have a new quarterback behind center this fall. The decision-making process has already begun between incoming fourth-year Ty Simpson, incoming third-year Austin Mack and freshman phenom Keelon Russell battling to be the one to take the first reps Aug. 30 at Florida State.
At the start of spring ball, Simpson is the odds-on favorite, the one DeBoer said has the opportunity to “step in and be the quarterback.” With that opportunity comes the attention. With that opportunity comes the weight of an entire offense’s success and failures, especially with a new offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb.
No matter what Alabama does in 2025, it will be credited to or because of whoever is behind center.
Can Alabama develop depth on defensive line?
The Alabama defensive line will head into 2025 balancing both the good and the bad.
The good: Alabama has starters seemingly set in stone with LT Overton and Kelby Collins battling for snaps on the outside at Bandit, and Tim Keenan III and James Smith taking charge on the inside. These four have a chance to show much more pressure than the Crimson Tide had in 2024, recording 25 sacks in 13 games — tied for third-worst in the SEC.
Outside of the starters, Alabama has a few question marks. Bandit has a rotation of players like Jordan Renaud, Keon Keeley and junior college addition Kevonte Henry, each of whom have not made a significant impact for the Crimson Tide. Depth on the interior of the line is slim and was not helped in a three-man recruiting class of Henry, junior college tackle Steve Mboumoua and Mississippi three-star London Simmons.
Alabama may have some work to do in the spring and in fall camp to make its defensive line a strength.
Does Alabama have set answers at right tackle, left guard?
The majority of the Alabama offensive line is set, with Parker Brailsford back at center, Jaeden Roberts back at right guard and Kadyn Proctor back at left tackle. The other two spots are seemingly up for grabs.
Wilkin Formby is penciled in as Alabama’s starting right tackle after Elijah Pritchett transferred to Nebraska. Formby’s playing time grew at the end of the season after losing the job to Pritchett before 2024. Behind Formby, the Crimson Tide doesn’t have much depth, taking multiple tackles in the 2025 class and adding Ball State tackle Arkel Anugwom through the transfer portal.
Left guard seems much more open. While Alabama added Texas A&M guard Kam Dewberry through the transfer portal, the Crimson Tide also added the No. 1 guard in the class in Michael Carroll, who could be ready to play sooner rather than later.
Alabama may have answers at left guard and right tackle. But questions at both positions remain.
Will Alabama have stability at running back?
No matter who is named Alabama’s starting quarterback, the Crimson Tide will not have Milroe to help in the run game.
In 2025, at least at the start of spring, success in the run game is on the shoulders of Jam Miller, Alabama’s leading running back in 2024 who struggled at the end of the season and created instability for the run game as a whole.
But Miller’s spot as a starter may not be set in stone. Along with returners Richard Young, Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley, Alabama added Louisiana transfer Dre’lyn Washington: a 5-foot-9, 210-pound bruiser whose shared the spotlight in a packed running back room throughout his collegiate career. Akylin Dear, the Mississippi four-star and the No. 2 running back in the 2025 class, is also joining the room.
Alabama will need production from the run game. And while that seemingly hinges on Miller at the moment, it could grow into two or three running backs as fall approaches.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football position groups under the most scrutiny in spring
