Alabama’s first depth chart of the 2026 season doesn’t just hand out a few names - it opens a window into how Kalen DeBoer and his staff are building this thing. With the Crimson Tide set to face East Carolina, the Week 1 release through Yea Alabama offers the clearest snapshot yet of a roster that still has plenty of sorting to do.
The headline is simple enough: Keelon Russell is the starting quarterback. Austin Mack is listed behind him, with Jett Thomalla third.
The offseason quarterback conversation is over, and now the real test begins for Russell, whose talent has never been in doubt. The bigger question is how he handles the job when the game starts asking for more - command, decision-making, ball security and the ability to reset when a play goes sideways.
Mack, though, is hardly an afterthought. Alabama has real depth at the most important position on the field, and that gives the Tide a cushion most teams would love to have.
The most crowded spot on the sheet might be running back, where Daniel Hill, Trae’shawn Brown, Kevin Riley and EJ Crowell are all grouped together with an “OR.” That kind of setup suggests Alabama is ready to let the games decide who earns the biggest slice of the workload instead of forcing one back into a featured role before the room sorts itself out.
The receiving corps brings its own intrigue. Rico Scott is listed at Z with Cederian Morgan behind him, Ryan Coleman-Williams starts at X with Derek Meadows behind him, and Lotzeir Brooks is at H with Tyler Henderson.
It’s a talented group, but it’s also one where somebody has to step forward and become a dependable target. Coleman-Williams looks like the cleanest candidate to do that.
Scott and Brooks are names worth watching too, especially if Alabama wants Russell working with a trio that can stretch defenses in different ways.
Tight end also shows a lot of movement. Kaleb Edwards, Josh Ford and Danny Lewis Jr. are all in the mix at Y, while Marshall Pritchett is first at the other tight end spot ahead of Jay Lindsey and Mack Sutter. That’s another position where the depth chart reads more like a competition board than a finished product.
Up front, the offensive line will tell a major part of Alabama’s story this season. Jackson Lloyd is at left tackle, William Sanders OR Mal Waldrep are listed at left guard, Racin Delgatty is at center, Michael Carroll is at right guard and Jayvin James is at right tackle.
That group has to do the heavy lifting for everything else to work. The quarterback, the backs, the receivers - none of it matters if the line doesn’t hold up and move people.
Week 1 should give the first real clues about how well this unit can protect and create.
Defensively, the secondary stands out immediately. Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee are the starting corners, Bray Hubbard is at free safety, Keon Sabb at strong safety and Red Morgan at Husky.
Behind them sits a deep bench that includes Zyan Gibson, Carmelo O’Neal, Zavier Mincey, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Ivan Taylor and Chuck McDonald. That kind of depth matters when Alabama is staring down elite passing attacks all season.
The front seven has its own questions and its own upside. Devan Thompkins OR Desmond Umeozulu are listed at Bandit, Terrance Green is the nose tackle, Kedrick Bingley-Jones OR Thompkins are at defensive tackle and Yhonzae Pierre starts at Wolf.
Pierre is one of the more compelling names on the roster because the buzz around his potential has been around for a while now. At some point, that potential has to turn into production, and this season is the chance for that to happen.
At linebacker, Caleb Woodson is the Stinger and Luke Metz is the Mike. Metz earning that role stands out, especially on a defense leaning on a lot of younger players in important spots.
Special teams has its own competition too. Lorcan Quinn OR Conor Talty are listed at kicker and kickoff specialist, while Alex Asparuhov handles holder and punter duties. The return game also has options: Ryan Coleman-Williams, Dijon Lee and Rico Scott are listed for punt returns, and Lotzeir Brooks, Trae’shawn Brown and Lee are the kick return choices.
For all the names and all the “ORs,” the real takeaway is that Alabama’s roster still feels unsettled in the best possible way. There are starters in place, but there are also jobs to win and snaps to claim.
That kind of setup keeps everybody honest. The depth chart gave the Tide’s first real layout.
East Carolina will start filling in the blanks.
In Other News...
Alabama's Opener Exposed Two Concerns Fans Can't Ignore
Alabama opened the 2026 season with a win over East Carolina, giving Kalen DeBoer a clean start to his third year on the sideline, but the game still offered an early read on where this team stands. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell made his first career start and looked composed enough to settle things down, using his athleticism to help keep the offense moving, while Ryan Coleman-Williams provided a real vertical threat with more than 100 receiving yards.
Even so, the Tide left with a few reminders that September can be revealing in ways a final score does not fully show. The defense looked more ready for SEC-level football than the offense did, and the issues up front on the offensive line were hard to miss as Alabama tried to sort out protection and consistency. Coleman-Williams big day also came with some costly drops, leaving the passing game with both promise and proof that there is still cleanup work to do before the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Young Offense Has One More Thing To Prove In Second Half
At halftime, Alabama has more than enough cushion against East Carolina, but the game has still offered a useful snapshot of where this young offense is growing and where it still needs work. The ground game has carried the day, the offensive line has given freshman quarterback Keelon Russell a clean pocket, and the defense has mostly done its job against the run while helping the Tide build a 38-7 lead.
The next step is a familiar one for Alabamas offense: making life easier on Russell by creating more separation on the outside and turning good protection into cleaner, quicker answers downfield. The defense has been sturdy in the trenches, but it has also shown a willingness to give up explosive plays when communication slips, which is the sort of detail that can matter more against better competition than it has in a lopsided first half here. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Familiar Worry With Its Most Explosive Receiver
The opening game of the season brought an old concern back into view for Alabama, as Ryan Coleman-Williams had another rough day at the catch point. The explosive receiver has been central to what the Crimson Tide want to do offensively, and his ability to turn chances into chunk plays remains a key part of Alabamas hopes heading into the rest of the year.
Coleman-Williams did spend the offseason trying to clean up the issue, making changes aimed at improving his hands and sharpening his reliability. Even so, the early signs were a reminder that Alabamas passing attack may have to keep living with a little volatility from one of its most dangerous weapons, which is not exactly the kind of tradeoff a contender wants to carry for long. [Read more 🡒]