Alabama’s first fall camp scrimmage gave Kalen DeBoer another look at the offensive line reshuffle, and one of the clearest takeaways was the continued rise of right tackle Jayvin James.
The Crimson Tide are trying to fix an issue that sat far below program standards last season, when Alabama finished 123rd in FBS in rushing offense. DeBoer responded by overhauling the line, and one of the pieces he brought in was James, the Mississippi State transfer who entered the picture after beginning his college career at Akron.
James brings size at 6’5, 317 pounds, and he arrived with a résumé that includes being a 3-star high school prospect, starting nine games for the Bulldogs last season, and allowing three sacks. He also flashed enough in the run game to make himself a real factor in this battle.
After Thursday’s scrimmage, DeBoer sounded encouraged by what he has seen from the Florida native.
“I think he can become a complete player,” DeBoer said after Thursday's scrimmage. “Just getting better. He doesn’t have any glaring strengths, glaring weaknesses; he’s just a solid player that’s getting better in all facets of the game.”
The scrimmage mattered because it gave DeBoer and newly hired offensive line coach Adiran Klemm a chance to evaluate the line in a more game-like setting. For James, it was another step in what DeBoer described as a steady climb through practice and fall camp.
“Days like today are huge for him,” DeBoer said. “It’s about stacking play after play after play after play, and so I think he’s done that more consistently throughout practice and fall camp.”
DeBoer also pointed to the habits James has built since arriving in Tuscaloosa, saying the tackle has shown real buy-in as camp has gone on.
“He’s working at it. You can see the commitment he has with some of his habits,” DeBoer said.
“Things that are important to him that can help him be his best. That’s what we ask of all of our guys, but that’s something you certainly see him really growing and understanding how that can impact his play when he gets on the football field.”
James appears to be the front-runner at right tackle, but he is not running away with the job. Texas transfer Nic Brooks is pressing him hard, and the 6’7 lineman was rated the No. 7 interior lineman in the transfer portal by 247Sports.
Brooks still has ground to make up in terms of experience. He has played in five games and has started only three in his college career.
Last week, Ryan Grubb called the competition between the two a positive one and praised both players, noting Brooks’s athleticism for his size while labeling James “one of the most savvy players on the team.”
For Alabama, the battle is part of a broader push to raise the level of play up front. For James, the early returns under DeBoer suggest he is settling in well and making the kind of progress the staff wants to see.
In Other News...
Alabamas First Scrimmage Could Reshape The Offense In A Hurry
Alabama is nearing its first fall camp scrimmage with a string of offensive decisions still very much in play, and the timing matters because so much of the unit is tied together. The quarterback competition is still the headline, but the bigger picture includes a running game that needs to keep taking shape, a wide receiver group still searching for a dependable third option, and an offensive line that is working toward the kind of cohesion that usually only shows up once the competition starts heating up in earnest.
Ryan Grubb has sounded encouraged about the backs and the internal competition in that room, which gives the Tide a starting point as camp gets more detailed. Wide receiver depth is still being sorted out, and the line is not fully settled either, with several players fighting to lock down the final jobs before the season gets too close for comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Rebuilt O-Line Faces Its Toughest Camp Reality Yet
Alabamas offensive line has been one of the more closely watched projects of fall camp, and for good reason. Under Adrian Klemm, the group is in the middle of a rebuild, trying to settle in quickly enough to hold up against the kind of fronts the Crimson Tide will see once the games start counting. The internal standard is obvious: match the physicality of a defensive line that has repeatedly set the tone in practice.
Kalen DeBoer has pointed to steady progress, especially in communication, assignments, and the basics of run and pass protection, which is the sort of forward motion Alabama needs before the schedule turns serious. But camp reports only tell part of the story, and the real test will come against strong regular-season opponents, where the lines growth will have to show up under pressure rather than in drills. [Read more 🡒]