Alabama football had nearly 50,000 fans in attendance for its spring game, and they were treated to a good performance.
Bryce Young led the White Team to a 13-10 win over the Crimson Team at Bryant-Denny Stadium. We saw big plays from both sides; however, a few marquee performers stood out from the rest. Before entering the summer with much anticipation, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine breaks down the standout performers from the annual A-Day Game.
Bryce Young, QB
Bryce Young enters the summer with a firm hold on the starting job at quarterback.
His presence in the pocket was strong, and he targeted seven different receivers.
The sophomore completed 25-of-44 passes for 333 yards with one touchdown. Despite losing a fumble, he created a lot of explosive plays on the field. Young had the lone scoring toss for the quarterbacks: a 59-yard connection to Cameron Latu. He crafted timing with Traeshon Holden, Slade Bolden, Jahleel Billingsley, and Roydell Williams. Young totaled eight touchdowns in three game-like practices for Alabama this spring.
Coach Saban and the players said Young did a great job running the offense. According to Bolden, Young has earned everyone’s respect with his leadership.
Agiye Hall, WR
He shares the same number as Kenyan Drake and Jaylen Waddle, but Agiye Hall is a freak athlete.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has qualities that resemble Julio Jones. According to Nick Saban, the true freshman has a lot of ability and made significant improvement throughout the spring.
Hall possesses the ability to make contested catches, and Saban also brought up his elite speed. As he continues to grow, Alabama’s coaching staff sees Hall as someone who can be a contributor.
Hall impressed both fans and media pundits with his catch radius. He caught four passes for 72 yards, including a long grab of 37 yards from Braxton Barker. A native Floridian, Hall earned a five-star grade from Justin Smith of Touchdown Alabama Magazine.
Traeshon Holden, a sophomore, also made his presence felt. The second-year player led the first-team offense in receiving with nine catches for 89 yards. He has a better understanding of the system and is pushing Xavier Williams for the next man up.
Chris Braswell, OLB
Chris Braswell was one of eight players Alabama signed for its defensive front in 2020.
As a five-star from Baltimore, Md., he also was given a diamond grade of one from TDA’s independent recruiting rankings.
Braswell is in a position to be an impactful player, and he showed it in replacing Will Anderson.
He recorded five tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. The sophomore consistently pressured Bryce Young, and Saban sees that Braswell is ready to have a role on defense. His ability to affect the passing game will make him an important piece in the fall.
Deontae Lawson, ILB
Jaylen Moody had seven tackles for the first-team defense, but his partner-in-crime was strong too.
Deontae Lawson, a true freshman, replaced Christian Harris and had a great A-Day performance. A native of Mobile, Ala., the four-star had four tackles, two pass breakups, one tackle for loss, and one fumble recovery.
Lawson nearly recorded two interceptions off Bryce Young.
The 6-foot-2, 217-pounder has lateral quickness, toughness, and can cover running backs.
Demouy Kennedy, a sophomore from Theodore, Ala., stepped up too. He led the second-team defense (White) with seven tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Both Lawson and Kennedy showed fans why Saban recruits the Mobile area.
Jase McClellan, RB
Brian Robinson did not participate in the spring game, so Jase McClellan had an opportunity to show out.
The sophomore was the leading rusher (46 yards) and receiver (62 yards) for the second-team offense (Crimson), as he totaled 108 yards from scrimmage. His dual-threat abilities as a pass-catcher make the native Texan difficult to tackle in space.
Roydell Williams, a sophomore, also totaled 108 yards from scrimmage.
He had 43 yards rushing and 65 yards receiving. Williams started the White Team’s first scoring drive with a 47-yard catch.
Both guys should see their opportunities increase in the fall at running back.
Honorable Mention: Ga’Quincy McKinstry, CB
Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry is a gamer.
He ended spring practice with an interception in the A-Day Game. The five-star also had three tackles (one for loss) and one pass breakup. Coach Saban spoke highly of him throughout the semester, and he proved his head coach right with a good performance in the spring game.
As he continues to rise, McKinstry will be a component in the defensive secondary in the fall.
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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.
