In the midst of prayers for COVID-19 to die off, fans of Alabama football look to see the return of a defense that means business. While it is great to have headline names as starters, what made the Crimson Tide dominant in the past was having break out players that people did not expect.
Levi Wallace was a prime example in 2017.
A former walk-on from Arizona, he earned an athletic scholarship in 2016. Wallace earned the starting job at left cornerback in the following season, and led the Tide in pass breakups (15) while posting three interceptions. He was pivotal in the team’s run to a national championship.
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Due to signing a lot of talent at linebacker and defensive back, two names are in a “now or never” mode to make an impact.
Ale Kaho and Eddie Smith both arrived in Alabama’s 2018 class. The group barely cracked the top-five nationally, as Kaho’s decision to flip from Washington to the Tide made it happen.
Kaho, a junior, totaled 20 tackles – including one tackle for loss and three blocked punts in 2019.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds, he carries a similar body structure to former standout and All-American, C.J. Mosley. Kaho possesses instincts, quickness and a desire to make plays.
According to his teammates last season, he simply just ‘wants to be to on the field.’
As for Smith, the Louisiana native played at wide receiver and safety in Salem High School.
The 6-foot, 196-pounder was a three-star athlete who has explosive ball skills and is a sound tackler in space. A redshirt sophomore, he collected 59 tackles with five interceptions and 46 receptions with 14 touchdowns in his high school career.
He is up against a lot of marquee names, including Jordan Battle, Daniel Wright, DeMarcco Hellams, Josh Jobe and Jalyn Armour-Davis among others, but Smith does bring a strong skill set to the table.
On Wednesday, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine broke down both Kaho and Smith via In My Own Words as underrated players.
Check out the video below.
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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.
