Alabama

Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practice observations

Published

9 months ago

December 13, 2023

Alabama-Mississippi All-Star practice observations

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A number of top 2024 prospects from Alabama and Mississippi are in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to take part in the 37th annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

The game will be played at noon on Saturday, December 16th at the University of Southern Mississippi’s M.M. Roberts Stadium. Practices began on Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday. On3 was on hand for the first two practices and brings evaluation notes from talent-rich event.

5-Star Plus+ prospect Ryan Williams headlines deep WR group

A late addition to the game, just days after reclassifying to the 2024 cycle, Alabama wide receiver pledge Ryan Williams is the highest-ranked prospect in Hattiesburg. Williams headed over to the Magnolia State after a sensational showing in the Class 6A state title game on Friday. The Five-Star Plus+ prospect’s athleticism was on display in Monday morning’s practice. We saw the tangible burst on display as he was able to work over the middle of the field. Williams got loose down the seam for a long gain during 11-on-11 work late in practice. He didn’t have a flawless day, as he put a few balls on the ground, but continued to look like a top talent.

Despite being newer to football, Auburn wide receiver commit Bryce Cain caught the ball away from his body better than any of the other receivers on Alabama’s team in Monday’s practice. Cain’s speed and ability as a deep threat is evident on Friday nights and on the track. With that said, he showed good hands and tracking ability to go with the movement skills. The On300 prospect didn’t receive as many targets as others during live portions of the practice, but we came away pleased by the ball skills.

Mississippi State commit JJ Harrell flashed the most burst of the Mississippi wide receivers in Tuesday night’s practice. The Sardis (Miss.) North Panola product is a bouncy mover and came down with a few grabs in the practice’s live periods.

Auburn pledge Malcolm Simmons may have had the most catches among Alabama receivers in Wednesday morning’s practice. Simmons primarily lined up in the slot and proved to be an athletic mismatch on the defenders he drew. A talented basketball player and track athlete, Simmons still needs to refine his route-running and catching technique, but the athleticism was on display in Hattiesburg.

Standout offensive linemen

Ole Miss commit William Echoles is working along the offensive line this week, despite being recruited and ranked as a defensive lineman. A two-way standout at Houston (Miss.) High, Echoles looked like the top offensive lineman at Mississippi’s Tuesday practice. He lined up at guard and showed impressive functional movement skills. We saw Echoles work to the second level with ease. He planted a linebacker as a puller. We later saw Echoles get a push in the run game against fellow Ole Miss commit, Kamarion Franklin. It remains to be seen which side of the ball Echoles will end up on in college, but the On300 prospect may have just as much upside on offense as he does on defense based on what we saw in practice.

William Sanders looked like the clear top offensive lineman on the Alabama team, as expected. The Crimson Tide pledge turned in a very solid practice on Wednesday morning. Sanders had a great rep in 1-on-1’s, flashing a strong anchor. He was good in drills, showing movement skills and pop in his hands. We continued to see nice athleticism as he lined up at right guard in live periods. Sanders, who is a four-star outlier for On3, is well-built with ideal weight distribution.

Anthony Maddox leads the quarterbacks

Texas A&M commit Anthony Maddox spun the ball the best of the quarterbacks on either team. Maddox’s explosive arm was evident as early as warmups in Tuesday’s practice. He He drove the ball downfield with noticeable RPM’s. At times, the velocity was too much for some of the receivers to handle. We also saw Maddox make some plays during the live periods, flashing good pocket presence in stepping up against the pass rush. Maddox was back on his high school’s field after leading Hattiesburg (Miss.) Oak Grove to a state title a few weeks ago. He’s been committed to Texas A&M since February, but recently took an official visit to Ole Miss and the Rebels are trending according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

Illinois pledge Trey Petty also threw the ball well in Mississippi’s Tuesday practice, showing good zip on passes over the middle of the field. The Starkville (Miss.) High product is teaming up with Maddox just weeks after facing off in the state title game.

South Alabama commit Jared Hollins earned the invite in the midst of a breakout senior season at Semmes (Ala.) Mary G. Montgomery. Hollins was at his best during the live periods in Wednesday’s practice, showing a willingess to stand in the pocket and deliver strikes on out-breaking routes.

Mbakwe shows versatility

We saw Alabama commit Jaylen Mbakwe do a bit of everything in Wednesday’s practice – which has been the case for most of his high school career. Mbakwe, who led his Clay-Chalkville squad to a state title as a quarterback, is officially on the Alabama team’s roster as a defensive back, but also saw reps behind center on Wednesday. Mbakwe showed his well-known athleticism, working on designed runs and getting outside of the pocket on rollouts. He lined up at both corner and safety on defense, but was not tested during live periods. While there wasn’t much to parse on Wednesday, we should see more from the touted corner prospect in coverage during Saturday’s game and at Under Armour All-America practices later this month.

Mizzou pledge flashes upside on DL

Jaylen Brown looked like the most physically-gifted defensive lineman on either team. The Missouri commit looked all of 6-foot-6 and close to, if not over the listed 240 pounds. Brown has plus length, with very long arms. The upside as on display in Wednesday’s practice. The Huntsville (Ala.) James Clemens product gave offensive linemen problems with his length and strength. He’s also a flexible athlete, showing the ability to bend and dip off the edge. Brown will need technical development, but the promise was evident.

Kamarion Franklin had the best day of the Mississippi defensive linemen in Tuesday’s practice. The Ole Miss pledge lined up at both defensive tackle and defensive end. Franklin, who was the tallest defender on Mississippi’s team by a good margin, made a handful of nice plays. We saw him get into the backfield on a few occasions. At one point, he capitalized on a bust by the offensive line, leading to a would-be sack.

Alabama commit Jeremiah Beaman had a solid practice on Wednesday. The On300 prospect showed his ability to work as a big defensive end. He was physical in the run game and flashed good bend off the edge. Beaman was noticeably trying to work on his game during practice and paid attention to detail.

Auburn pledge Jamonta Waller lined up at both defensive end and linebacker for Mississippi on Tuesday evening. The 6-foot-1, 240-pounder is built more like a true linebacker, but has extensive experience as a pass rusher at the high school level. He looked fairly comfortable in his drops and coverage at linebacker. Though we didn’t see him create too much pressure off the edge, Waller showed the ability to affect the play despite being blocked, leaping for a batted pass.

Defensive backs making plays

Amarion Fortenberry made the most plays in the Mississippi secondary during Tuesday’s practice. He was the smoothest defensive back in drills and carried that over to the live periods. The South Alabama commit picked off Anthony Maddox on a broken play, leaving his feet for a diving interception. He also showed good range in run support and coverage, while lining up at nickel and corner. A do-it-all player at the high school level, Fortenberry has been committed to South Alabama since the summer and received offers from Ole Miss and Washington State during the fall.

LSU cornerback pledge PJ Woodland drew first-team reps for Mississippi on Tuesday evening. He’s a feisty, active corner who breaks on the ball quickly. Woodland has a thin build and will need considerable time in the weight room and at the training table.

Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. is a name familiar to Alabama fans. The Crimson Tide commit and legacy made one of the best plays in coverage during Wednesday’s practice, recovering to make a play on a deep ball intended for Bryce Cain.

Additional notes

+ Uncommitted running back Daniel Hill saw work out of two-back sets for Mississippi on Tuesday. Hill has a readymade, stocky build, developed lower body. It’s tough to gauge physicality in the half-contact practice, but Hill ran hard up the middle and caught the ball well on the perimeter.

+ Miami commit Cam Pruitt is a true hybrid defender. He has experience as a safety and linebacker at the high school level. We saw him rush off the edge a good bit during Wednesday’s practice. Pruitt’s speed evident as he tracked down plays in backside pursuit.

+ Oklahoma commit Isaiah Autry lined up at left tackle for Mississippi and held up fairly well. Autry did a nice job in pass protection when matched up against Jamonta Waller.

+ Uncommitted wide receiver Braylon Burnside also had a solid practice for Mississippi on Tuesday. Burnside is a bouncy wideout with a well-rounded game.

+ Auburn commit Malik Blocton and Purdue pledge Jamari Payne also made plays on the defensive front for Alabama. Blocton played with a good effort level and we saw Payne use his athleticism to get into the backfield.

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Alabama

Paul Finebaum: Any impressions from Alabama’s close win vs. USF are ‘completely worthless’

Published

1 hour ago

September 9, 2024

Press Room

Paul Finebaum: Any impressions from Alabama’s close win vs. USF are ‘completely worthless’

Paul Finebaum is known for giving his opinion on pretty much any topic in college football. If a team or a coach doesn’t perform at a certain level, he will usually give a strong take.

One of the surprising games this weekend was Alabama against South Florida. While the final score ended up being 42-16, this was a 14-13 game entering the 4th quarter.

These two teams matched up last year, and it was a 3-3 game in the fourth quarter until the Crimson Tide pulled away. Last year, the college football world buried Alabama after that struggle, and the team ended up making the College Football Playoff.

Because of that performance, Finebaum said there isn’t a reason to take anything from this game being closer than the final score shows.

“I think Alabama ought to learn what we all learned a year ago,” Finebaum said on the McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning show. “Any take, any hot take, any opinion on a game vs. South Florida is completely worthless. Because we got nothing out of that last year, and while I would hear from friends Saturday night, people in panic. It turned out that the score says Alabama won it looked like a comfortable win. We all know it wasn’t, and I frankly don’t think it makes a bit of difference.”

The Crimson Tide are still just 2 games into the Kalen DeBoer era, and Finebaum thinks how Alabama erupted in the final 15 minutes is a good sign.

“I know that sounds like I’m just wiping it away, but sometimes that happens,” Finebaum said. “The fact that Alabama could win the 4th quarter in such a dominating fashion to me is good.”

The Crimson Tide will be back in action next week as they travel to take on Wisconsin. That matchup is set for FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff time slot in Week 3.

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Alabama NFL roundup: Jameson Williams: ‘The start of me being me’

Published

8 hours ago

September 9, 2024

Press Room

Alabama NFL roundup: Jameson Williams: ‘The start of me being me’

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams had an abbreviated rookie season as he recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in his final game at Alabama.

His second season got off to a late start as he served an NFL-imposed suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.

Williams started his third season on time on Sunday night, and he was ready out of the gate.

Williams had five receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown and a 13-yard run in the Lions’ 26-20 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Rams.

“I never got a game ball,” Williams said while holding one after the victory. “Not at Bama, not a nowhere. I ain’t even going to lie, this thing right here might not leave my hands. I might sleep like this.”

Williams caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Goff as Detroit took a 17-3 lead with 10:29 left in the third quarter.

Williams recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career. His previous high had been 69 yards.

“Me, personally, I expected to have a big game,” Williams said. “I guess it’s just big to the world because it’s my first one. But I plan to have a lot more. I don’t plan on this being the best game of my career. I plan on this just being the start of me being me.”

Williams was among the 40 former Alabama players who got on the field on the first Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.

Four other former Alabama players were involved in the Los Angeles-Detroit game:

· Terrion Arnold started at cornerback for the Lions. Arnold made eight tackles in his NFL debut. Arnold joined Detroit in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25.

· Brian Branch started at safety for the Lions. Branch made seven tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up three passes.

· Rams tight end Miller Forristall is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 40 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries and caught four passes for 34 yards. Gibbs scored on a 1-yard run as Detroit took a 10-3 lead with 1:57 left in the first half.

In the other Sunday games:

Pittsburgh Steelers 18, Atlanta Falcons 10

· Steelers cornerback Anthony Averett is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Minkah Fitzpatrick started at safety for the Steelers. Fitzpatrick led Pittsburgh with seven tackles, including six solo stops.

· Najee Harris started at running back for the Steelers. Harris ran for a game-high 70 yards on 20 carries and had a 9-yard reception.

· Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Falcons running back Jase McClellan was designated as a game-day inactive.

Buffalo Bills 34, Arizona Cardinals 28

· Bills safety Kareem Jackson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers in on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Jonah Williams started at right offensive tackle for the Cardinals. Williams left the game in the second half with a knee injury and did not return.

· Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery) started at inside linebacker for the Cardinals. Wilson matched his career high of nine tackles, first achieved on Dec. 29, 2019, in the Cleveland Browns’ 33-23 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Wilson also had one tackle for loss and one pass breakup in his first game with Arizona. Wilson joined the Cardinals in the offseason as a free agent.

Chicago Bears 24, Tennessee Titans 17

· J.C. Latham started at left offensive tackle for the Titans in his first NFL game. Latham joined Tennessee as a first-round selection in the NFL Draft on April 25.

· Calvin Ridley started at wide receiver for the Titans. Ridley had three receptions for 50 yards in his first game for Tennessee. He joined the Titans as a free agent during the offseason.

New England Patriots 16, Cincinnati Bengals 10

· Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is on the non-football illness list and not eligible to play. A problem with blood clots has sidelined Barmore.

· Bengals safety Jordan Battle did not record any stats.

· Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton did not record any stats in his NFL debut.

· Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) started at outside linebacker for the Patriots. Jennings made one tackle

Houston Texans 29, Indianapolis Colts 27

· Will Anderson Jr. started at defensive end for the Texans. Anderson made two tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.

· Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis did not record any stats in his first game with Indianapolis. Davis joined the Colts as a free agent in the offseason.

· Texans linebacker Christian Harris is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Ryan Kelly started at center for the Colts.

· Texans wide receiver John Metchie III was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Henry To’oTo’o started at linebacker for the Texans. To’oTo’o led Houston with seven tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and broke up one pass.

Miami Dolphins 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 17

· Dolphins guard Lester Cotton (Central-Tuscaloosa) did not record any stats.

· Dolphins defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand made two tackles.

· Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones dressed for the game but did not play.

· Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Jaguars.

· Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.

· Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa completed 23-of-37 passes for 338 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and had an 11-yard run. Tagovailoa threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill as Miami cut Jacksonville’s lead to 17-14 with 2:08 left in the third quarter.

TUA TAGOVAILOA SPEAKS UP, MIAMI DOLPHINS COME BACK

· Jaylen Waddle started at wide receiver for the Dolphins. Waddle had five receptions for 109 yards, including a 63-yarder. He also had a 3-yard run. Waddle recorded the 11th 100-yard game of his NFL career.

New Orleans Saints 47, Carolina Panthers 10

· Saints cornerback Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry (Pinson Valley) made two tackles in his NFL debut. McKinstry joined New Orleans in the second round of the NFL Draft on April 26.

· Panthers defensive lineman LaBryan Ray (James Clemens) was designated as a game-day inactive.

· A’Shawn Robinson started at defensive end for the Panthers. Robinson reached a career high with nine tackles in his first game for Carolina. He joined the Panthers as a free agent this offseason. Robinson previously had five games with eight tackles.

· Bryce Young started at quarterback for the Panthers. Young completed 13-of-30 passes for 161 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions and ran four times for 12 yards and one touchdown. Young’s 3-yard run with 4:45 left in the third quarter was the first rushing touchdown of his career.

BRYCE YOUNG’S SECOND NFL SEASON STARTS WITH AN INTERCEPTION

Minnesota Vikings 28, New York Giants 6

· Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal dressed but did not play. Sunday’s game was the first in Neal’s career for which he was active, but he did not start. Neal missed nine games last season because of ankle injuries.

· Vikings kicker Will Reichard (Hoover) made four extra-points in his NFL debut. Reichard joined Minnesota as a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft on April 27. He did not attempt a field goal in his first game.

· Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner made three tackles and recorded one sack in his NFL debut. Turner joined Minnesota in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25. Turner registered his first NFL sack when he took down New York quarterback Daniel Jones for a 4-yard loss on a first-and-10 snap from the Giants 41-yard line with 14 seconds left in the first half.

Los Angeles Chargers 22, Las Vegas Raiders 10

· Bradley Bozeman (Handley) started at center for the Chargers.

· Chargers defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe was designated as a game-day inactive.

· Chargers offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Chargers punter JK Scott had a 47.4-yard average on seven punts, with a 37.7-yard net. Scott had a 28-yard punt out of bounds at the Las Vegas 21-yard line, a 51-yarder for a fair catch at the Las Vegas 32, a 52-yarder for a fair catch at the Las Vegas 9, a 55-yarder for a touchback, a 56-yarder with a 7-yard return to the Las Vegas 34, a 49-yarder for a touchback and a 41-yarder with a 21-yard return to the Las Vegas 48.

Seattle Seahawks 26, Denver Broncos 20

· Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Jarran Reed started at defensive end for the Seahawks. Reed did not record any stats.

· Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders is on the physically-unable-to-perform list and not eligible to play.

· Patrick Surtain II started at cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain made six tackles and broke up one pass.

· Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace did not record any stats in his first game with Denver. Wallace joined Denver as a free agent in the offseason.

Dallas Cowboys 33, Cleveland Browns 17

· Browns cornerback Tony Brown is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Browns guard Javion Cohen (Central-Phenix City) was designated as a game-day inactive. Cohen made Cleveland’s roster as an undrafted rookie.

· Amari Cooper started at wide receiver for the Browns. Cooper had two receptions for 16 yards in his first game against his former team. Dallas traded Cooper to Cleveland in 2022.

· Trevon Diggs started at cornerback for the Cowboys. Diggs made five tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up another in his first game since Sept. 17, 2023. A knee injury sustained in practice caused Diggs to miss the final 15 games of the 2023 season. With 19 interceptions, Diggs is tied for ninth among Alabama’s NFL alumni with Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. On Sunday, Diggs picked off Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson at the Dallas 22-yard line with 9:06 left to play.

· Jerome Ford started at running back for the Browns. Ford ran for 44 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries and caught six passes for 25 yards. Ford scored on a 2-yard run with 29 seconds to play.

· Jerry Jeudy started at wide receiver for the Browns. Jeudy had three receptions for 25 yards and one touchdown in his first game with Cleveland. Jeudy joined the Browns in an offseason trade with the Denver Broncos. He scored on a 6-yard pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson with 8:42 left in the third quarter.

· Browns tight end Cameron Latu is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Dalvin Tomlinson started at defensive tackle for the Browns. Tomlinson made three tackles and recorded one sack.

· Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was designated as a game-day inactive. Wills is recovering from a knee injury that caused him to miss the final nine games of the 2023 season, and he has been a limited participant in practice.

Washington Commanders 37, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20

· Jonathan Allen started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Allen made two tackles and registered one quarterback hit.

· Buccaneers safety Marcus Banks is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.

· Buccaneers outside linebacker Chris Braswell made one tackle in his NFL debut. Braswell joined Tampa Bay in the second round of the NFL Draft on April 26.

· Commanders defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis made one tackle.

· Daron Payne (Shades Valley) started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Payne made one tackle.

· Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa) started at running back for the Commanders. Robinson ran for 40 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries and caught three passes for 49 yards. Robinson scored on a 7-yard run as Washington cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 13-7 with 7:17 left in the first half.

Week 1 started on Thursday night, when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens 27-20. On Friday night in Brazil, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-29.

EAGLES QUARTERBACK JALEN HURTS: ‘WE WEATHERED THE STORM AS A TEAM’

Week 1 concludes on Monday, when the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will televise the game.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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Alabama

Alabama Coaching Staff Announces Players of the Week for USF Win

Published

16 hours ago

September 8, 2024

Press Room

Alabama Coaching Staff Announces Players of the Week for USF Win

Alabama put on a strong fourth-quarter performance to pull out the 42-16 win over South Florida on Saturday night inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Alabama football coaching staff announced its players of the week for the game against USF.

Seven different players were selected this week. For the season opener against Western Kentucky, the coaches picked eight players. There was not an “offensive skill player” for the USF game.

Offense Power Player of the Week- OL Tyler Booker

Offense Scout Player of the Week- WR Bubba Hampton

Special Teams Player of the Week- DB Bray Hubbard

Defense Skill Player of the Week- DB Malachi Moore

Defense Power Player of the Week- DL Tim Keenan III

Defense Scout Player of the Week- LB Sterling Dixon

Special Teams Scout Player of the Week- LB Noland Asberry

See also: How to Watch: No. 4 Alabama at Wisconsin; Week 3 College Football TV Schedule

Where Alabama Football Ranks After Week 2

2024 SEC Football Power Rankings: Week 2

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