Offensive guard Tyler Booker made the first team, alongside new kicker Graham Nicholson. Nicholson transferred in from Miami of Ohio, where he was a first-team all-American, and won the Lou Groza award as the nation’s top kicker, beating out UA’s Will Reichard.
Booker returns for his junior season as one of Alabama’s offensive line leaders. He remained with the Crimson Tide through the head coach transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer.
One of his fellow offensive linemen, Washington transfer Parker Brailsford, was named to the second-team list for Alabama. Brailsford missed most of spring practice for personal reasons after following DeBoer from the Huskies, but is primed to return for the season, likely in UA’s starting center job.
Nicholson’s special teams counterpart, punter James Burnip, was also listed for the Crimson Tide. Burnip, a native of Australia, ranked second in the SEC last season, averaging 47.6 yards per punt, and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the top punter in college football.
Check it out! Alabama enters the preseason with four All-Americans, per Walter Camp. It’s also kinda funny that two of them are special teamers, and two of them are transfers.
Only Tyler Booker and James Burnip are All-Americans from last year’s Alabama squad.
Interestingly (or maybe not), Jalen Milroe was left off of the list. Carson Beck was QB1 and Quinn Ewers was QB2.
I do think Deontae Lawson could be in consideration with any of the other linebackers on the list – however, I totally understand that his injuries the last two seasons have kept him from living up to where I think he can be.
Coming off his best season in Tuscaloosa as a third-year sophomore, Deontae Lawson is arguably Alabama’s most well-known returning starter on defense within the front seven. He’s an alpha in the middle of that unit and loves to stick his face in the fan against run support. With Caleb Downs transferring to Ohio State, the Crimson Tide need Lawson to be the new enforcer of sorts as well. He’s wearing a new number this season, which he says represents a program — and player — in transition of sorts under a different staff.
247 agrees, listing Lawson as a top candidate for SEC DPOY. Lawson taking the next step is going to be critical for Alabama this season.
Off-field issues caused Brailsford to miss most of spring practice (much to the concern of some Bama fans), but it seems as though he has now settled in in Tuscaloosa. Still, Coach Kalen DeBoer and company were wise to add some insurance in the form of Michigan State transfer Geno VanDeMark.
The late spring pickup gives Alabama another veteran and a versatile piece on the interior offensive line. VanDeMark will likely be the top backup at one or both of the guard positions. Bama returns the imposing duo of Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts, and getting another experienced player behind them is huge.
VanDeMark also has experience playing center. Though his game reps at that spot have been limited, he is more experienced than any other center option outside of Brailsford. While this is a very valuable job, it’s hard to believe the senior will be content to settle for a reserve role. Expect VanDeMark to push Brailsford and the guards, ultimately making all parties involved better in the long run.
Hopefully, Brailsford is going to a breath of fresh air for Alabama fans after three straight seasons of generally poor center play. On top of having a season’s worth of good snaps under his belt, a preseason All-American, and a national championship appearance…. He’s also been rumored this offseason to be one of the strongest players in the locker room.
I’m sure everyone saw the interview clip with Jalen Milroe a couple of days ago talking about the “vibe” that coach DeBoer brings to Alabama.
Our favorite blog site of pure envy, DawgNation, saw it too, and immediately had to write an article about how Kirby Smart does none of this “giving compliments” nonsense.
Fact is, Smart hates complacency and fancies the slogan that, “if it isn’t broke, find a way to make it better,” as Dean can attest.
“It was always, you can do this better, you made this play, you got this Pick 6, but you could have gotten to the end zone faster if you took this step, or, you could have read the play faster,” Dean said.
“Or, you got a sack, but you could have gotten a sack-fumble. So it was never pat yourself on the back.”
Time will tell if DeBoer’s approach will uplift the Tide, or perhaps derail the emotional discipline Saban’s programs most always exhibited.
Those poor guys really have no idea what to do if they aren’t constantly comparing themselves to Alabama.
In recruiting news, Alabama’s picked up another new prediction:
As June closes, Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide football coaching staff have put together an incredible month of recruiting. Over the past few weeks, Alabama has surged to the No. 2 ranked recruiting class for 2025 and still has plenty of its top targets uncommitted.
One of the most coveted targets is a four-star tight end from El Dorado Hills, California, Kaleb Edwards.
Edwards is a 6-foot-6 235 prospect who has shown the ability to be a solid end-line blocker but also a legitimate threat in the passing game.
Steve Wiltfong of On3 recently logged an expert prediction for the talented Edwards to commit to the Crimson Tide.
A higher 4-star player and a top 5 TE in the country, Edwards would be a huge addition to the recruiting class. If he does follow what most of the recruiting experts are predicting, he’ll be yet another California native helping to fill out this recruiting class for the Tide. Edwards is expected to announce a commitment on Wednesday.
