We are just 24 hours away from the inaugural game of the 2025 college football season. Expectations for the Alabama Crimson Tide, who finished under a double digit win total for the first time since 2007, are back to a comfortably high mark.
The roster is returning 14 starters according to CBS Sports, six on offense and eight on defense. Of these 14, ESPN has picked out five individuals that their college football analysts believe rank inside the nation’s 100 best.
The lowest ranked Tide member inside the top-100 is offensive lineman Parker Brailsford. Brailsford returns as the starting center after winning the job in his first year with the team. The Washington transfer followed coach Kalen Deboer to Tuscaloosa.
He landed in ESPN’s 87th spot.
“Brailsford is the anchor of what could be a very good Alabama offensive line,” Mark Schlabach writes. “After transferring from Washington, Brailsford had an 80.7 run-blocking grade, which ranked second among Power 4 centers, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He had 63 knockdown blocks and allowed only a half-sack.”
Number 54. LT Overton
LT Overton is an SEC transfer who came to Tuscaloosa under the pretense of being one of the best players in the nation. Standing six feet five inches tall, Overton is a presence on the defensive line.
He does not play the flashy edge rusher position, instead he was incredibly disruptive from the interior defensive line in his first season with the team.
“It took Overton a little while to get started at Alabama after transferring from Texas A&M, and he’s looking to convert quarterback pressures into sacks in 2025. Last season, Overton had 39 quarterback pressures but only two sacks in 13 games. He also had 42 tackles, three tackles for loss and one forced fumble. The Tide hope the former five-star recruit was only scratching the surface as a pass rusher,” ESPN’s Mark Schlabach writes.
Number 27. Deontae Lawson
This feels like a borderline low ranking for Deontae Lawson, who Pro Football Focus listed as the seventh best linebacker in America.
The senior from Mobile is entering his fourth season with the team. He has gotten better each year, totaling 51, 67, and 76 tackles respectively. With teammate Jihaad Campbell now gone to the NFL, this defense is his in 2025.
“Had he not torn an ACL in the second to last game against Oklahoma in 2024, Lawson likely would have turned pro. But after undergoing surgery and rehab, Lawson is back for his redshirt senior season, and he gives the Crimson Tide the kind of enforcer at middle linebacker who could take them to another level defensively. Lawson is one of the surest tacklers in college football,” writes ESPN’s Chris Low.
Number 14. Kadyn Proctor
Kadyn Proctor is one of the best players in football. NFL scouts are drooling over this six-foot-seven left tackle who is returning for his junior year at Alabama.
He is a three year starter for the Tide and this offense goes as far as he takes them. He is without a doubt a top three tackle in America.
“Alabama’s offensive line is poised to be one of the strengths of the team, and Proctor’s return at left tackle is a big reason. Speaking of big, Proctor is 6-7 and 366 pounds. He has steadily improved since his true freshman season in 2023 and enters his junior season as one of the most physically imposing tackles in college football,” ESPN’s Chris Low writes.
Number 12. Ryan Williams
Ryan Williams brings home the highest ranking for a Crimson Tide player. After his tantalizing freshman season, I am on record saying he is the single most talented player Alabama has ever seen.
Think Justin Jefferson the way this kids feet and hands work in and out of breaks, generating more separation than you thought possible in the SEC.
He had nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns as a 17-year-old true freshman. This young man is one of the most exciting players in college football and he will be looking to prove it in year two.
“Williams cooled off a bit toward the end of last season after a torrid start to his true freshman year at Alabama, but he still proved to be one of the most explosive players in the nation. He had five touchdown receptions in the first four games, including the game winner against Georgia. Williams is as dangerous on deep passes as he is in making things happen after the catch,” Chris Low writes.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 5 Alabama Players Land Inside ESPN’s Top 100 CFB Ranking appeared first on Heavy Sports.