2025 Roster Rundown: Defensive Line

[JessN]

2025 Roster Rundown: Defensive Line

This week, our 2025 Alabama Preview continues with a look at the defensive line. As stated in previous articles in this series, in recent years, we’ve waited until fall camp began to take a l…

news.tidefans.com

 

[arthurdawg]

If we can find depth for the interior to give Keenan and Smith a breather... And we should... We might have the best overall DL this year. The edge talent is tremendous and experienced.

 

[Bama9001]

Was a little surprised these guys just made it to 'average'. I'm predicting a couple of these guys take another step up abd they will be in a defense they are now familiar with. I'm giving them a 'VG' with potential for more, with the sum being greater than the parts.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

2025 Roster Rundown: Defensive Line

This week, our 2025 Alabama Preview continues with a look at the defensive line. As stated in previous articles in this series, in recent years, we’ve waited until fall camp began to take a l…

news.tidefans.com

I'm surprised by the rating of average. . I would rate them as very good. They were living in backfield, but just couldn't finish the job. This DL group has improved so much from last year to this summer. Keon has matured so much off and on the field in the offseason and has worked on his techniques and it's paying dividends for him. Keon will move around on fields at time especially on third downs. that makes a huge difference and create different depth for different guys and it'll pay off.

DL group has unknown expectations, and I think they will constantly generate pressure and actually get sacks.

 

[Coach D]

I would agree with avg at this point. Not been an impact guy for a few years and you have to prove it to be above avg. outside guys took poor angles at times or got washed letting teams get outside and have time to throw or make runs. They were decent with stopping the run overall. Also need to show out against teams with an offense this year vs feasting on the bad Os.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Great rundown Jess and pretty much agree. Like the new format too, giving us a morsel at a time getting us over the Summer lull lol.

 

[JessN]

Was a little surprised these guys just made it to 'average'. I'm predicting a couple of these guys take another step up abd they will be in a defense they are now familiar with. I'm giving them a 'VG' with potential for more, with the sum being greater than the parts.

It's basically because of the lack of a lot of proven quantities at the second- and third-team levels.

Edric Hill has the most experience of anyone on the bench (outside of the Florida transfer Collins) and Hill is about the very definition of "tough tweener" as you'll find in the SEC. I think he's a guy that can give you 10-15 snaps.

As for Collins, Renaud (when playing DT) and Faga, we're going to see if that kind of DT works in the SEC because we're sure recruiting for it.

The guy that could turn the tables is Beaman. Physically he's as impressive as any DL we've signed. He wasn't the most highly recruited guy (still a red-chip talent) but if you can stomach it, go back and watch the Michigan tape. Every time he's on the field he drives their OL out of their minds. If we get that same kind of performance this fall, the DL will jump up a level to "Vg" really quickly. But man, are we having to hope for good injury luck and all of our wildcards to hit right now.

 

[gtgilbert]

It's basically because of the lack of a lot of proven quantities at the second- and third-team levels.

Edric Hill has the most experience of anyone on the bench (outside of the Florida transfer Collins) and Hill is about the very definition of "tough tweener" as you'll find in the SEC. I think he's a guy that can give you 10-15 snaps.

As for Collins, Renaud (when playing DT) and Faga, we're going to see if that kind of DT works in the SEC because we're sure recruiting for it.

The guy that could turn the tables is Beaman. Physically he's as impressive as any DL we've signed. He wasn't the most highly recruited guy (still a red-chip talent) but if you can stomach it, go back and watch the Michigan tape. Every time he's on the field he drives their OL out of their minds. If we get that same kind of performance this fall, the DL will jump up a level to "Vg" really quickly. But man, are we having to hope for good injury luck and all of our wildcards to hit right now.

I'm not super optimistic about this. Every once and a while an undersized guy can be successful as a 3 down guy inside, but those exceptions are few and far between, and usually undersized is 285+(ish) where some of these guys are a bit smaller than that. What I find really odd about this is that at UW, they didn't go undersized for their inside 2 and usually had those spots manned by 300-310+ body types.

 

[arthurdawg]

I'm not super optimistic about this. Every once and a while an undersized guy can be successful as a 3 down guy inside, but those exceptions are few and far between, and usually undersized is 285+(ish) where some of these guys are a bit smaller than that. What I find really odd about this is that at UW, they didn't go undersized for their inside 2 and usually had those spots manned by 300-310+ body types.

I'm hopeful they will find the right guys going forward.