Much expectation lies on Alabama’s offensive line this season.
Despite losing Jedrick Wills to the National Football League, the Crimson Tide returns a trio of former five-stars – Alex Leatherwood, Evan Neal and Landon Dickerson – and a lot of depth to its front line under Kyle Flood. With four returning starters in Leatherwood, Neal, Dickerson and Deonte Brown, Alabama’s line carries an average weight of 329 pounds and height of 6-foot-5.
While Dickerson (one sack) and Leatherwood (two sacks) allowed three sacks in 2019, Neal and Brown opened huge holes in the running game. The duo propelled Najee Harris to six 100-yard rushing performances and his first career 1,000-yard season (1,224) with 13 touchdowns.
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An opportunity to be a first-round pick, win multiple individual honors and capture a national championship is why he chose to return for his senior year. The question mark for the Tide will be at right tackle. After he started there for two years, Nick Saban must locate someone that can replace Wills. Whether it’s trusting Darrian Dalcourt at center and moving Dickerson to right tackle or transitioning Neal to right tackle and having Emil Ekiyor Jr. at left guard, Alabama has many pieces to play with.
No matter how Saban and Flood go about it, one member of national media has the Tide boasting the No. 1 offensive line in college football.
According to Cole Cubelic, former center at Auburn University, the ESPN analyst and one-third of “3 Man Front” via WJOX 94.5 FM in Birmingham (Ala.), is high on Alabama up front in the coming fall.
MY top 5 CFB OL’s for 2020: pic.twitter.com/MYzHJmNpXI
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) June 22, 2020
Since returning to campus on June 1, the offensive line has been putting in work with coaches David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea.
Also, this group knows that anything less than the Joe Moore Award would be disappointing for it.
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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.
