Alabama football had some intense outside linebackers in the Nick Saban era, and one continues the 50-day countdown to the return of Crimson Tide action.
Anfernee Jennings, a native of Dadeville, Ala., reminds us we are 33 days until Alabama kicks off its season against Middle Tennessee State at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 2. He was a pass-rushing specialist and elite run stopper for the program from 2015 to 2019. Jennings arrived as a four-star prospect in the 2015 class, redshirting his freshman season.
33 days until Alabama football returns 😤 pic.twitter.com/OuyRHPxWou
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) July 31, 2023
He helped the Tide to a College Football Playoff National Championship as a freshman, but Jennings grew into a marquee linebacker later in his career. He collected 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries in 2016, assisting Alabama to a Southeastern Conference Championship and a berth in the CFP National Championship Game. Jennings had a strong campaign in 2017 that included 41 tackles, six stops for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries, but a leg injury against Clemson in the CFP Semifinal matchup kept him out of the national title game.
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He pushed the Crimson Tide’s defense back to an SEC Championship in 2018, posting 51 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 11 breakups (team-high), six quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), and an interception.
In his senior season, Jennings made first-team All-SEC. He terrorized offenses to a tune of 83 tackles, 12.5 stops for loss, eight sacks, eight quarterback hurries, five breakups, a forced fumble, and an interception in 2019. Jennings led the Tide in tackles for loss and sacks. He played on two CFP National Championship teams and three SEC Championship teams. Jennings got selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He enters his fourth season with the team 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.
