After landing at No. 1 in the Associated Press’ top 25 preseason poll on Monday, the University of Alabama football program had five players named to the publication’s preseason All-American team today – including one standout that received a first-team selection.
Junior safety Minkah Fitzpatrick made the first team list.
Hailing from Old Bridge, N.J., Fitzpatrick has totaled 111 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups and eight interceptions in the last two seasons.
His four pick-sixes stand as a Crimson Tide school record for a career and no matter if he’s lining up at cornerback, star or safety, quarterbacks must take into account of where he is on the field.
The quartet of Calvin Ridley, Jonah Williams, Bo Scarbrough and JK Scott all were second-team nominations. Despite leading Alabama in receptions in 2016 (72), the fact that Ridley didn’t duplicate the numbers from his freshman season caused him to not be a first team nod.
Even though Williams did an exceptional job protecting Jalen Hurts in his run to being the Southeastern Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, his move to left tackle for the coming season will state more on his growth and development as a player. Scarbrough has dealt with injuries since high school, but should he stay healthy – this fall will be a dominant year for him.
As for Scott, a lot of Tide fans believe he was robbed of a first team honor.
He averaged 47.2 yards per punt last season, while 27 of his 64 punts (42.2 percent) were not returned. The senior from Denver, Colo., totaled 29 punts in excess of 50 yards and finished second in the nation with having seven punts travel 60-plus yards. His ability to flip the field and control an opponent’s return man will once again be a pivotal aspect for the Tide in the fall.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
