Alabama’s 3 Biggest Holes to Fill on Defense

Nick Saban is a defensive minded coach and a master recruiter. Put those two things together and you get what we've been seeing at Alabama over his entire tenure: a defensive powerhouse. Big time players are leaving for the NFL draft, but there are players with big time potential lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to contribute on one of the best defenses in the nation.

We will be taking a look at three holes that will be addressed during spring practice on Alabama's defense, which are middle linebacker, free safety, and cornerback.

Middle Linebacker

C.J. Mosley was undoubtedly the leader of last year's defense, but with him moving on to the NFL, the search is on to find his replacement. Alabama has many skilled athletes in waiting, but Mosley's intangibles are something that his heir will have to develop over time. For now, Alabama just needs someone who can do his job on the field and hopefully grow into a leader later on is his career.

Some of the more likely candidates are Reggie Ragland, Ryan Anderson, and Reuben Foster, just to name a few.

Reggie Ragland has been in the program for two years and seen most of his action in mop up duty, recording 17 tackles. At 6'2'' and 259 pounds, he is bigger than Mosley and his size is best suited for run-stopping over coverage.

Ryan Anderson is another big linebacker at 6'2'' and 255 pounds who could be used in run situations. Anderson also saw minimal playing time last year and this is his opportunity to step up. He had 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Reuben Foster was one of the most anticipated recruits of the 2013 class, and saw some playing time as a true freshman. Foster stands at 6'1'' and is 244 pounds and recorded 12 tackles last season as a backup.

While Mosley was a do it all type of linebacker, unless someone can show that they can do it all, that may not be the case in 2014. The players could be looking at splitting playing time depending on whether it is a run or pass situation. The opponent's offense could also dictate who gets more playing time.

Not only do they have to have the physical attributes, but the middle linebacker is often considered the quarterback of the defense. If any of these players want to start or even see significant playing time, they need to show they can grasp Alabama's complex NFL style defense and be able to make adjustments to the coverage quickly.

Free Safety

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is one of the top prospects in this years draft at any position. Hopefully whoever takes over his role was watching closely and taking notes so that they will know exactly how to play the position. Candidates to step in at the free safety position are Geno Smith, Nick Perry, and Laurence "Hootie" Jones.

Geno Smith's career at Alabama started off very promisingly as a freshman at the star position, which is now held by Jarrick Williams. Last year as a sophomore he moved to free safety, but didn't see much playing time backing up Clinton-Dix. He is a player with a lot of upside and could develop nicely into at free safety.

Nick Perry will be a 5th-year senior after injuring his shoulder early last season and receiving a medical redshirt. Perry isn't the most skilled of the group, but definitely brings the most experience to the table, which could be key. Whether he actually becomes the starter or not, he should see considerable playing time.

Laurence "Hootie" Jones is a highly touted early enrolee who will gain a lot from arriving early to go through spring practice. While it is unlikely that he will start as a true freshman, he is still one to keep an eye on with Geno Smith's off field issues and Nick Perry's shoulder injury. Even if he doesn't start right away, learning behind two experienced players could help him to be a very viable candidate in the future.

Cornerback

Cornerback was the Achilles heel of last years defense, as no one really stepped up as a shut down corner like Alabama has become accustom to having. However, fresh faces along with a year under the belt of the more experienced corners may help to turn things around in 2014. Players eyeing the cornerback position are Eddie Jackson, Cyrus Jones, Maurice Smith, Tony Brown, and Marlon Humphrey.

Jackson made a name for himself last season when he intercepted a pass against Ole Miss. The true freshman earned himself considerable playing time, but not as much as he could have due to injury. He is a very likely option to fill one of the cornerback spots.

Cyrus Jones was moved from wide receiver last year during the Spring. He didn't see a great deal of playing time, which may have been due to inexperience. With a year of taking reps at the position behind him, coaches will be able to better judge his true potential at the position.

Maurice Smith saw playing time last year scattered all throughout the season. Now heading into his sophomore year, he too has had a year to learn the complexities of the defense and should be right in the mix for playing time.

Tony Brown and Marlon Humphrey are both five-star incoming freshmen. Although freshmen rarely start on defense at Alabama, with the recent struggles at cornerback one of these players just might break the trend. Brown will have a leg up on Humphrey because he enrolled early. Both players possess tremendous skill sets and if they can manage to learn the offense could very well see the field next season.

With all of the inconsistency a year ago it will be interesting to see how the young corners have developed. All of the corners are on a fairly level playing field, and seeing who can break away from the pack could make for one of the more intriguing story lines of spring practice.