With the football season coming up, The Crimson White will do a position-by-position breakdown of the Crimson Tide’s roster. Up first: linebackers.
Who’s gone: Nico Johnson (NFL draft), Jonathan Atchison (personal reasons), Chris Bonds (personal reasons), Tyler Hayes (dismissed from team)
Who’s still here: C.J. Mosley (senior), Tana Patrick (senior), Adrian Hubbard (junior), Xzavier Dickson (junior), Trey DePriest (redshirt sophomore), Denzel Devall (sophomore), Dillon Lee (sophomore), Reggie Ragland (sophomore), Ryan Anderson (redshirt freshman)
Who’s new: Reuben Foster (five-star), Tim Williams (four-star), Walker Jones (three-star)
Standouts: 2012 Consensus All-American CJ Mosley led the Crimson Tide in tackles last season with 107 and is the undisputed leader of the linebackers. The BCS National Championship Game defensive MVP will be supported in the middle by DePriest, whose 59 tackles last season were second only to Mosley.
Outlook: Barring any significant injuries, Mosley will most likely lead the Crimson Tide in tackles again in 2013. The veteran’s performance will give him a good chance at the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top linebacker. Mosley currently has three interception returns for touchdowns in his UA career, which is tied for the school record – look for Mosley to bring at least one more back in 2013. DePriest will again make a solid tackling contribution for the Crimson Tide, as he has lost around 10 pounds in the offseason while recovering from a broken foot.
Adrian Hubbard has slowly evolved into the pass rusher coach Nick Saban and the rest of his staff envisioned when they recruited him. Expect a significant jump in tackles for loss for Hubbard. Xzavier Dickson and Denzel Devall should split time at the other outside linebacker position, with Devall primarily playing on passing downs. However, Dickson’s comments in the preseason indicated Devall initially will be the starter in 2013. Ryan Anderson and Reggie Ragland will see increased playing time, with Ragland making more plays in special teams. Expect to see Dillon Lee on the field more as well.
