Preview of Alabama football’s running back competition ahead of fall camp

Alabama Running Back Daniel Hill (4) in action against A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Apr 11, 2026.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will enter the 2026 season with one of the most versatile running back rooms in all of college football. 

Alabama’s backfield will feature a plethora of young talent and athleticism following an underwhelming season on the ground in 2025. Crimson Tide running back trio Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear are expected to compete for the starting job throughout fall camp, while former 5-star recruit EJ Crowell remains in the mix as well. 

A clear frontrunner for the starting role has yet to emerge despite fall camp continuing to inch closer. Hill, Riley and Dear recorded just 153 combined touches across the 2025 campaign, but each running back will undoubtedly play a much larger role following the departure of Jam Miller this offseason. 

Hill served as one of the Tide’s primary backup running backs behind Miller throughout the majority of last season. The talented running back struggled in an increased role to begin the year while Miller was sidelined with a collarbone injury, but Hill can quickly find himself bouncing back this season should he ultimately be named as the starter in Alabama’s backfield. 

Both Riley and Dear are expected to emerge with essential roles this season as well. Crowell could quickly begin receiving a significant workload despite being a true freshman, and each running back could prove to be an excellent starting option moving forward. 

Alabama may turn to each running back constantly across 2026, but the Crimson Tide backfield as a whole will undoubtedly need to play at a much higher level this season.