Add Tyrell Shavers to the injury list.
A four-star wide receiver in Alabama’s 2017 signing class, Shavers is expected to have a role next season – alongside Jerry Jeudy, Devonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III. After redshirting his freshman year, the 6-foot-6 target was performing well in the first three weeks of spring ball.
Shavers was not seen going through positional drills on Monday and Wednesday and during his presser on Wednesday, head coach Nick Saban provided an update on him.
“Shavers hurt his toe in the scrimmage,” Saban said. “It was a ligament in his big toe, which needed to be surgically repaired. He will be alright for next season but will miss the remainder of the spring.”
While it’s already down Jerry Jeudy (knee) for the rest of spring, not having Shavers puts Alabama with Ruggs and Smith taking the group through practice.
When asked if cornerback Trevon Diggs might step in to help out the unit, Saban said the team ‘has not considered it’ due to the lack of guys at defensive back. Currently, the Tide is waiting on three freshmen – Jalyn Armour-Davis, Josh Jobe and Patrick Surtain, Jr – it signed in February to arrive on campus.
“I think Trevon Diggs, who played receiver here before, probably could do that be we do not have enough guys in the secondary,” Saban said.
“So, we do not have enough skilled people right now with those guys injured. They told me after the scrimmage that Shavers had a turf toe, so I thought it wasn’t a big deal. You always do MRI’s on things like that, so I guess it was worse than what they initially thought. We don’t have as many guys out there as we usually have and we have more guys out due to injuries than usual.”
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 @CoachingMSmith.
