Fall camp is halfway in the books, and Alabama still has plenty left to sort out before its 2026 opener against East Carolina on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Some spots are starting to settle. Others are still wide open. After one scrimmage and nine practices, here’s where the Crimson Tide depth chart appears to stand.
At quarterback, Austin Mack sits first, followed by Keelon Russell and Jett Thomalla. Russell may bring the most explosiveness, while Mack has the edge in experience within the scheme.
Even so, neither has enough live reps to lock down the job yet. If a starter is named, it still feels like that answer will only be temporary until one of them proves it early in 2026.
The running back room has been hit hard by injuries. AK Dear was hurt in Alabama’s first fall scrimmage, and five-star freshman EJ Crowell has also been slowed by an injury.
For now, Daniel Hill leads the group, with Kevin Riley and Trae’shawn Brown behind him. Hill’s physical growth and the buzz around Brown give Alabama some breathing room while the room gets healthier.
Wide receiver looks more defined at the top. Ryan Coleman-Williams, Lotzeir Brooks and Rico Scott are the starters, with Derek Meadows and Cederian Morgan next in line.
Brooks missed Alabama’s first fall scrimmage, but his place is secure. The real competition now is for that third receiver role, where Scott, Meadows and Morgan are fighting for snaps.
Tight end remains unchanged on the initial chart, though the job description may not stay the same for long. With Richard Owens now coaching the position, Alabama could lean more heavily on run blocking there.
The offensive line is beginning to take shape, too. Jackson Lloyd is listed at left tackle, William Sanders at left guard, Racin Delgatty at center, Michael Carroll at right guard and Jayvin James at right tackle.
Behind them are Tyrell Miller, Mal Waldrep, Kaden Strayhorn, Casey Poe and Nick Brooks. After the first scrimmage, Kalen DeBoer said there’s "consistency" with the first-team rotation, but the second unit and beyond are still unsettled.
The biggest remaining questions appear to be Sanders versus Waldrep at left guard and James versus Brooks at right tackle.
Up front on defense, Devan Thompkins leads the Bandit defensive end group, with Desmond Umeozulu and Fatutoa Henry also in the mix. The defensive tackle rotation lists Terrance Green and London Simmons as starters, followed by Jeremiah Beaman and Kedrick Bingley-Jones. That group could get even more flexible, with players such as Edric Hill and Yhonzae Pierre also working wide as pass rushers.
At linebacker, the wolf spot looks relatively stable with Yhonzae Pierre, Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu. Inside, Caleb Woodson and QB Reese are listed as starters, with Cayden Jones and Luke Metz behind them.
Woodson, the Virginia Tech transfer, appears set to wear the "green dot" and handle the communication. Reese and Jones are the main names for the other starting job, while Metz has been one of the camp risers.
The secondary has starters in place, but the deeper battles are still worth watching. Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr. are the cornerbacks, Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb are at safety, and Red Morgan is the Husky nickel back.
Behind them are Carmelo O'Neal, Jorden Edmonds, Ivan Taylor, Zavier Mincey, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and Chuck McDonald III. The bigger question is who comes next, especially at safety, where Mincey and Taylor are competing, and with five-star freshman Jireh Edwards waiting.
O'Neal looks entrenched as the No. 3 corner after the injury to Edmonds.
Special teams may end up being one of the quietest but most important competitions on the roster. Lorcan Quinn and Conor Talty are still battling at kicker, with one of them possibly handling kickoffs as well.
At punter, Adam Watford has the edge in experience over Alex Asparuhov, though Asparuhov still has to prove his North Alabama production can carry over to the SEC. Return duties are still unsettled, with Lotzeir Brooks, Rico Scott, Ryan Coleman-Williams and Dijon Lee Jr. all listed as options.
In Other News...
Alabama Fall Camp Is Making A Few Surprise Roles Hard To Ignore
Alabamas fall camp is starting to sort out a few of the most watched positions on the roster, and the first week has already brought some interesting movement. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell has been drawing strong reviews as the Crimson Tide works toward its season opener, while freshman running back Trae'shawn Brown has pushed himself into the conversation thanks in part to injuries around him. Elsewhere, linebacker Luke Metz has started to separate himself and a trio of transfer defensive linemen is making enough noise to keep the depth chart fluid.
For a camp built around competition, that kind of early separation matters. The Tide still have time to sort through the quarterback rotation and the rest of the front seven, but the early signs suggest some younger players and newcomers are not just filling reps, they are forcing the staff to take them seriously. With several spots still open and roles still settling, Alabamas next stretch of practice will tell plenty about how much of this summer momentum can carry into the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Ty Simpson Just Made The Rams Quarterback Battle Very Interesting
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The larger takeaway is less about one August game than what it might mean for the rest of the month. With two preseason games still to come, the Rams have time to sort out the quarterback pecking order, but Simpsons showing has made that decision a lot less straightforward for Stetson Bennett and a lot more interesting for everyone watching the backup race. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Offense Is Already Facing A Familiar Camp Warning
Kalen DeBoer did not need long after Alabamas first fall camp scrimmage to identify what still needs work on offense. Slow starts remain a familiar concern, and DeBoer made it clear he wants Ryan Grubbs unit to come out faster and put the sluggish openings from last season behind it. It was the kind of early-camp warning that tends to carry extra weight because it points straight at a problem the Crimson Tide has already seen before.
There is still time for Alabama to clean it up, with several practices and another scrimmage left before the regular season opener. Even so, the message is already established: the offense cannot afford to spend August easing into things and hope the issue disappears on its own. For a group trying to build rhythm under a new staff, the next stretch of camp should tell plenty about whether those early struggles are becoming a habit or just another item to fix. [Read more 🡒]