The Alabama Crimson Tide are off to a 4-1 start to the season and are currently rank as the No. 7 team in the country.
The Tide suffered a disappointing loss against the Vanderbilt Commodores. It is safe to say there is room for improvement on both sides of the ball for the Crimson Tide.
There are five players, who should see increase playing time over the course of the next few weeks.
Here is a look at those players and why they should see more opportunities in the weeks ahead:
1. Bray Hubbard – Safety / Sophomore / 6’2″, 204 lbs.
Hubbard has made his presence known on Alabama’s special teams unit this season. In five games, the Mississippi native has recorded 11 tackles. While he has seen occasional playing time at safety, there is room to believe that he should see even more playing time in the weeks to come. After all, Alabama’s secondary has had its share of ups and downs thus far. Hubbard plays with great instincts and flies to the football. It would make a lot of sense for defensive coordinator Kane Wommack to feature Hubbard in different packages as the season moves along.
2. Jeremiah Alexander – Linebacker / Redshirt Sophomore / 6’2″, 234 lbs.
Alexander had a strong spring and was expected to see more playing time this season. However, Alexander suffered an injury prior to the start of the season and missed the first three games as a result. While Alexander has played in the last two games, he has not recorded any stats. Now that he is healthy, the native of Alabaster, Alabama is an option to see more playing time as he adds versatility and depth to Alabama’s linebacker room.
3. King Mack – Safety / Sophomore / 5’10”, 206 lbs.
During the offseason, the Alabama coaching staff placed an emphasis on landing talent in the secondary. One of the players that transferred to the Crimson Tide was former Penn State safety King Mack. In the first five games, Mack has worked primarily on special teams. If Alabama continues to struggle on the back end, he could be a potential option to see more playing time. Mack is capable of being a rotational player in the secondary moving forward.
4. Cole Adams – Wide Receiver / Redshirt Freshman / 5’10”, 181 lbs.
In the first five weeks of the season, Alabama has used Adams primarily as a kick and punt returner. While he has played at wide receiver on occasion, I would expect his playing time to increase at the position sooner rather than later. Adams seems to be a reliable target for quarterback Jalen Milr0e when he is on the field. Adams reeled in a key reception for a first down in the fourth quarter of the Vanderbilt game. I would expect him to see the field more, especially given the recent injuries to Kendrick Law and Kobe Prentice.
5. Emmanuel Henderson Jr. – Wide Receiver / Junior / 6’1″, 187 lbs.
One of the top athletes on Alabama’s roster this season is wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson. The native of Hartford, Alabama has displayed his athleticism multiple times on special teams but has been rarely used on offense. The injuries to Law and Prentice could allow Henderson to see some more playing time. He has track speed and could become an option for Alabama in the passing game in the near future.
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