The offensive line competition for Alabama has now extended through three weeks into the regular season as Nick Saban and Eric Wolford continue their evaluation.
Going into the season senior Kendall Randolph and junior Javion Cohen had been rotating in early on throughout the Crimson Tide’s first few games. Saban had previously mentioned that other senior guard Emil Ekiyor was viewed as a starter after he was not available during the opening drives against Utah State, leaving just one role left to fill up front.
But during Alabama’s game against ULM, there were a few shakeups in the competition. During warmups, Randolph was seen wearing No. 85, as he would be shifted back to tight end which is the position he served for the first several seasons of his career.
This led to Cohen being the starter for the game, but there was a new face getting involved in the competition.
Freshman offensive lineman Tyler Booker rotated into the lineup very early on against the Warhawks and played 31 total snaps.
Following the game, Saban shared that he hopes for the offensive line to play more physically and sees Booker as a candidate for the starting guard spot.
“I’ve got lots of confidence in him,” Saban said. “He’s a young player who has played extremely well. Started out at tackle, we moved him to guard, and I view him as a guy that’s competing for a starting position with the other two guys. He’s physical. We need to be more physical on the offensive line. So we’re going to play him.”
Booker enrolled early at Alabama as a part of the 2022 signing class where he was rated as a five-star recruit. The IMG Academy product is built more like a natural tackle but has left an impact on his teammates as he transitioned to the inside.
“He’s been a great add-on,” running back Roydell Williams said following the game. “He’s very physical. He plays with passion. He can go, actually. He’s a great add-on to the O-line, and they all do a fantastic job as a whole.”
Three games in Alabama seem to have come to a consensus on both tackle spots with Tyler Steen and JC Latham along with Ekiyor and Darrian Dalcourt on the inside. With Randolph likely shifting back to tight end for the longterm, this likely leaves the competition for the final spot between Booker and Cohen.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
