Alabama has two transfers on defense from a power five school, but one has not played much this year.
Eli Ricks was a shutdown cornerback for Mater Dei High School in California, winning back-to-back national championships.
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He transferred to IMG Academy for his senior season and garnered five-star status. Ricks chose Louisiana State University for his collegiate program and earned Freshman All-American honors. He collected four interceptions in 2020 and one in 2021, despite missing games with a shoulder injury. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder selected the Crimson Tide as his transfer destination in the spring of this year. He played in the A-Day game, and Tide fans expected him to be one of two starting corners on defense.
Ricks suffered a slight back injury in fall camp, but he is healthy. Kool-Aid McKinstry, Khyree Jackson, and Terrion Arnold have started at corner, but Ricks has yet to crack the rotation. He could be the lockdown defender for the Tide, but we are not seeing him get the opportunities to show it. Nick Saban talks about Alabama needing to have its best players on the field, and Ricks proved at LSU he is successful on big stages. After how the secondary performed against Tennessee, there is nothing to lose by playing Ricks more. He brings the size, length, athleticism, coverage skills, and ball skills needed to help the backend improve.
Ricks also gets his head turned around to play the ball. He needs to be on the field moving forward.
Ricks has two tackles in five games.
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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.
