There were a ton of moving parts in Alabama’s front seven in 2019.
From battling injuries to reshuffling lineups, Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Pete Golding were trying to find the right pieces to the puzzle.
One of the pieces that fit perfectly was now redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore.
Heading into the season there was not much hype surrounding the Barmore camp. With the influx of freshmen, along with Raekwon Davis and LaBryan Ray, Alabama seemed to already have a plan in place along the defensive line.
But once the depth chart began to thin and the Crimson Tide were looking for a spark along the defensive line, Barmore was there to answer the bell and delivered a knockout punch by landing on the Freshman All-SEC team.
In 12 games Barmore accumulated 26 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, five quarterback pressures and two pass breakups in a mostly rotational role.
This season his role will obviously be expanded and his teammates and coaches will expect him to make another big leap this season.
ESPN college football analyst Cole Cubelic who is someone who admires Barmore and even ranked him as the number two breakout defender in the SEC this upcoming season.
MY top 5 SEC defensive breakout players for 2020: pic.twitter.com/pOQvkAHkNd
— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) July 23, 2020
Alabama has had a bit of good fortune in recent years with redshirt sophomores blossoming at the right time.
Just look back at 2018 when Quinnen Williams burst onto the scene and became one of the most feared defensive linemen in the country.
Barmore doesn’t have to reach Williams levels of production, but the way he is trending along with the help of new defensive line coach Freddie Roach, he will have all the tools necessary to make a big impact.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
