2026 Alabama Roster Rundown: Offensive Line

[JessN]

TideFans.com | By the Fans, For the Fans. - 2026 Alabama Roster Rundown: Offensive Line

Continuing on a theme we introduced last year, we’re breaking down Alabama’s roster and going in-depth with our preview in advance of previews for the other 15 SEC teams. In recent year…

news.tidefans.com

 

[catsbane]

Thank you, Jess.
Wow, Zero seniors in the top 17 linemen! Could bode well for next year. Not so sure about this year.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Biggest concern of the preseason and best information out there, thanks Jess! Can't help but be skeptical with this unit since I am barely familiar with their names. Our new O Line coach is going to earn every penny of his contract to get these guys where they need to be.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

The OL has been the most baffling unit for me for literally years now and it started before DeBoer. I just cannot figure out why we have struggled for YEARS to consistently put together a decent offensive line while other lesser programs have done it. Hopefully, that trend changes beginning this season.

 

[Padreruf]

The OL has been the most baffling unit for me for literally years now and it started before DeBoer. I just cannot figure out why we have struggled for YEARS to consistently put together a decent offensive line while other lesser programs have done it. Hopefully, that trend changes beginning this season.

Sometimes the best units are not necessarily 5 stars but players who are big and strong enough and work together well. I'm hoping that is what we are moving toward now.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Sometimes the best units are not necessarily 5 stars but players who are big and strong enough and work together well. I'm hoping that is what we are moving toward now.

Agreed, and by that logic we should start getting the best offensive line production we've had in two decades, lol.

 

[JDCrimson]

That could have read worse than it did. Hopefully, the new OL coach coaching new stocks exorcise the demons plaguing outlr OL for the 5 years...

 

[mlh]

The OL has been the most baffling unit for me for literally years now and it started before DeBoer. I just cannot figure out why we have struggled for YEARS to consistently put together a decent offensive line while other lesser programs have done it. Hopefully, that trend changes beginning this season.

Coaching, perhaps?

 

[JessN]

Thank you, Jess.
Wow, Zero seniors in the top 17 linemen! Could bode well for next year. Not so sure about this year.

Since you brought it up, I think now's a good time to warn people that Alabama has reverted to the Bill Curry era of roster listings, meaning there is no such thing as "redshirt freshman" anymore on the Bama roster. If you've been here a year already, you're now a sophomore, whether you played as a freshman or not. They've started adding "5th" and "6th" to graduate students' bios that indicate whether they're a redshirt senior or had extra years of eligibility awarded.

I get why they're doing this -- we're probably a handful of years away from "5 for 5" eligibility anyway which would make the old academic terms archaic -- but I still don't like to have to check everyone's individual bio to see whether they preserved a redshirt a year prior, or wait until the end of their career to see if they gain the "5th" tag.

Curry used to list guys like this because he wanted to confuse opposing teams (back in the days before all this info could be kept up with online), but in 1989 they reverted to the traditional way of listing guys, because "it confused us, too," which I thought was a great example of self-deprecating humor.

 

[Windsortide]

The development of this group is essential for the team to succeed. In order for Alabama to get back to championship form this group needs to perform at a high level. RTR

 

[Windsortide]

I forgot great read Jess!

 

[CaliforniaTide]

Coaching, perhaps?

Curse of the Marrone...

 

[arthurdawg]

New coach... Lots of new faces... I'll grant them a bit of time, but I expect better this year.

Other than center we have pretty darned good talent and athletic ability. The center does have experience and hopefully he has spent the course of the year putting on some good weight!

 

[CoolBreeze]

New coach... Lots of new faces... I'll grant them a bit of time, but I expect better this year.

Other than center we have pretty darned good talent and athletic ability. The center does have experience and hopefully he has spent the course of the year putting on some good weight!

Delgatty is one heck of a Center prospect but man, can't remember a time a transfer player from a way lower league was penciled in at a position of such importance. Looked good in the Spring game but still, he will be going against NFL bound D Linemen just about every week now. Sure hope he steps up big time this Fall.

 

[arthurdawg]

Delgatty is one heck of a Center prospect but man, can't remember a time a transfer player from a way lower league was penciled in at a position of such importance. Looked good in the Spring game but still, he will be going against NFL bound D Linemen just about every week now. Sure hope he steps up big time this Fall.

I hope he explodes and has an nice career in the league! I'm just a bit circumspect until I see him on the field, coming from a lower school and all. I'm hoping he was able to add 10-15 lbs of good muscle in our S&C program. He has a bigger frame than our guy from last year, needs to optimize!

 

[JessN]

Delgatty is one heck of a Center prospect but man, can't remember a time a transfer player from a way lower league was penciled in at a position of such importance. Looked good in the Spring game but still, he will be going against NFL bound D Linemen just about every week now. Sure hope he steps up big time this Fall.

You could argue any JUCO transfer comes from a lower league than even Delgatty (especially in the current era, where JUCOs don't get the talent they used to because academic qualification isn't the issue that it was in the Prop 48 heyday). At Alabama, the last time I think we got a small-school guy and hung a lot on his plate was in Saban's first year where Darren Mustin transferred in as a walk-on from MTSU (which at the time had only been an FBS program for 6 years. Mustin started at MLB on Saban's defense and did a really nice job of it.

I'm sure there's someone I'm forgetting but that's the one that jumps out. Josh Cuevas also starting out at Cal Poly (before going to Washington, then UA) is another.

Hot take: I don't think it matters, really. There are a lot of small-school guys that hit growth spurts and by the time they're juniors/seniors, some of these guys are better than what you find at FBS powerhouses. The best example of all was DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys. He came out of Auburn HS as a 6'1", 220-pound wide receiver. Auburn passes on him and he signs with Troy, then puts on 3 inches and 40 pounds and becomes one of the best defensive ends to ever play the game.

 

[arthurdawg]

You could argue any JUCO transfer comes from a lower league than even Delgatty (especially in the current era, where JUCOs don't get the talent they used to because academic qualification isn't the issue that it was in the Prop 48 heyday). At Alabama, the last time I think we got a small-school guy and hung a lot on his plate was in Saban's first year where Darren Mustin transferred in as a walk-on from MTSU (which at the time had only been an FBS program for 6 years. Mustin started at MLB on Saban's defense and did a really nice job of it.

I'm sure there's someone I'm forgetting but that's the one that jumps out. Josh Cuevas also starting out at Cal Poly (before going to Washington, then UA) is another.

Hot take: I don't think it matters, really. There are a lot of small-school guys that hit growth spurts and by the time they're juniors/seniors, some of these guys are better than what you find at FBS powerhouses. The best example of all was DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys. He came out of Auburn HS as a 6'1", 220-pound wide receiver. Auburn passes on him and he signs with Troy, then puts on 3 inches and 40 pounds and becomes one of the best defensive ends to ever play the game.

Would for Delgatty to add 3 inches and 40 lbs... Although he might be a bit tall for center at that point!

 

[davefrat]

That’s not the most encouraging analysis imo.

 

[TiderJack]

Would for Delgatty to add 3 inches and 40 lbs... Although he might be a bit tall for center at that point!

DeBoer said he is now over 300 lbs and has added a lot of strength since he arrived on campus earlier this year. Already bigger than Brailsford but he was a strong guy so not sure on strength. Thinking and hoping he will be a good replacement.