Projecting the top players that Alabama Football will face at each position in 2023
Alabama will face a difficult schedule in 2023. The Tide will host several teams that are expected to be top-25 opponents. Not to mention, Coach Saban’s squad will also be tested on the road by other top-25 caliber teams.
Alabama will be challenged on both sides of the ball next season. Heisman trophy candidates and projected first-round picks will test the Crimson Tide early on in 2023.
This season is no different, however. Alabama has been tasked with facing some of the nation’s best players year in and year out.
Roll Tide Wire projects the top players that Alabama will see at each position in 2023.
Quarterback
Last season, Alabama’s defense struggled to contain the high-octane, Longhorns offense led by quarterback Quinn Ewers. Before a game-ending injury, Ewers had completed 9 of his 12 passing attempts for 134 yards. While there are several other elite quarterbacks that Alabama will face, Ewers is likely the most talented of them all. His raw arm strength and improvising skills could give Alabama’s defense a hard time in Week 2 of the season.
Running back
Judkins is the best running back in the SEC and potentially the entire country. The Alabama native cemented himself as an elite running back during his freshman season in Oxford. Judkins had 274 carries for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns. Against Alabama, Judkins had 25 carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He possesses a rare blend of speed and strength, making it difficult for opposing defenses to bring him to the ground. One of the toughest things to do is keep Judkins in check. Alabama will need to limit his production against the Rebels in 2023.
Wide receiver
One of the more explosive wide receivers in the country is Longhorns pass-catcher Xavier Worthy. The California native has been the go-to wide receiver in Steve Sarkisian’s offense. In 2022, Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. In a Week 2 matchup against Alabama, Worthy hauled in five receptions for 97 receiving yards. I would expect Alabama to have junior cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry shadowing Worthy all over the field. That will be one of the best matchups of the year in college football in 2023.
Tight end
One of the up-and-coming tight ends in college football is sophomore Mason Taylor. The Florida native is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Despite being regarded as a three-star out of high school, Taylor burst onto the scene during his freshman season in Baton Rouge. Taylor had 28 receptions for 41 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In the Tigers’ victory over Alabama, Taylor had three receptions for 36 receiving yards and one touchdown. The Alabama secondary had trouble keeping Taylor in check. He will be even more difficult to guard in 2023 given that he will have had plenty of SEC experience.
Offensive tackle
Kelvin Banks Jr. – Texas
Banks Jr. was one of the bright spots on the Longhorns’ offensive line in 2022. He made 13 starts at left tackle and was in charge of protecting the quarterback’s blindside. Following the conclusion of his freshman season, Banks Jr. was named as an honorable mention for Big-12 Freshman of the Year. At 6-foot-8 and 342 pounds, he does a tremendous job in pass protection and has improved as a run blocker. Alabama’s defensive line will need to be ready for a battle in the trenches in Week 2. Banks Jr. was one of the more physical linemen in college football in 2022 and will likely continue to be in 2023.
Offensive guard
Layden Robinson – Texas A&M
The Aggies had plenty of flaws on both sides of the ball last season. One player that did not have many flaws was offensive guard Layden Robinson. In 2022, Robinson made 12 starts at right guard. He played a big role in helping running back Devon Achane reach 1,000 rushing yards. Robinson was recently named to the Preseason All-SEC Third Team.
Center
Cooper Mays – Tennessee
Mays started 13 games at center for the Volunteers in 2022. The Tennessee legacy was a member of an offensive line unit that finished as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. Mays did not allow a sack in the final five games of the season. He was also the lead blocker for running backs Jaylen Wright and Jabari Small.
Defensive tackle
A lot of people have written off LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith simply because he played in one game last season. Smith suffered a season-ending injury in the Tigers’ Week 1 matchup against Florida State. Now, Smith will be healthy and be a force to be reckoned with in 2023. At 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, Smith can play multiple positions along the defensive line. He is an elite pass rusher and run-stopper. The interior of Alabama’s offensive line could see its toughest matchup when Smith and the Tigers visit Tuscaloosa in the first week of November.
Edge rusher
Landon Jackson – Arkansas
Jackson made seven starts as a sophomore for the Razorbacks. Jackson, an LSU transfer, was overlooked by Alabama transfer Sanders last season. With Sanders heading to the NFL, Jackson has a prime opportunity to create some value for himself. He is listed at 6-foot-7 and 269 pounds on Arkansas’ official website. Jackson is as explosive as any edge rusher in the country. In 2022, he recorded 23 tackles and three sacks. He has a ton of upside heading into his junior season. Alabama’s offensive tackles will need to be up for the challenge in Week 7 of the 2023 season.
Linebacker
Harold Perkins Jr. – LSU
As a freshman, Perkins Jr. burst onto the scene. The one-time Texas A&M commit was a Freshman All-American and a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2022. He was an all-around defender that played both inside linebacker and outside linebacker for the Tigers. Perkins Jr. finished the season with 72 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He recorded eight tackles and one sack en route to LSU’s upset over Alabama. The sky is the ceiling for Perkins Jr. who has two years of college eligibility remaining.
Cornerback
One of Auburn’s few bright spots last season was its secondary play. The group was led by Oregon transfer D.J. James. The Alabama native was a Second-Team All-SEC selection in 2022. He finished the season with 37 tackles, eight pass deflections, and one interception. James seems to be at his best in man coverage. He has elite speed and thrives in one-on-one situations. He finished last season’s Iron Bowl with three tackles.
Safety
The Razorbacks lost two of its leading tacklers in the offseason with Drew Sanders and Bumper Pool moving on to the NFL. With their departures, senior safety Dwight McGlothern will be looked upon as the leader on defense. McGlothern recorded 52 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and four interceptions last season. The former LSU Tiger was the leader in the Razorbacks’ secondary during his junior season. Alabama’s offense could have a difficult time drawing up deep balls with an experienced safety like McGlothern on the back end of Arkansas’ defense.
