2022 Alabama Crimson Tide Position Preview: Defensive Linemen

Alabama will have to replace Phidarian Mathis up front but has several capable upperclassmen ready to fill the gap.

Regardless of the position, each season there is some reloading required at Alabama with talent headed off to the NFL. And it’s no different heading into 2022, but thankfully for the Crimson Tide at the defensive line position, there is not a ton it had to replace.

Phidarian Mathis was drafted in the second round by the Washington Commanders, but Alabama is bringing back guys like Tim Smith, DJ Dale, Justin Eboigbe and Byron Young among others.

Most eyes are locked on the edge rusher’s along Alabama’s front seven with Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner, but the defensive line returns a good bit of experience. Dale, Eboigbe and Young are all seniors and combined for 76 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. During spring football, Dale said that the familiarity among the group makes them better as unit.

“It makes it much easier because chemistry goes into football with a bunch of guys lining up together,” Dale said. “Communication is a big thing. We all know how we play, and we all know our form of communication, and so it makes it easier to talk.  Some guys you may not have to say as much to, some guys you do have too say much to. It’s a lot smoother process being on the field.”

Young was fifth on the team last season with 9.5 tackles for loss and is the leading non-edge rusher returning in that category. He and Dale both added two sacks.

Smith came on strong late in the year with starts in the final two regular season games and finished with 24 tackles, including four for loss. Outside of those four, younger faces like Jamil Burroughs and Tim Keenan will be expected to step up this year to add depth at the position.

Even with the lethal combo of Anderson and Turner coming off the edge, Alabama still needs a pass rush up the middle and the big guys to stop the run. Last season, the Crimson Tide was second in the SEC (only behind Georgia) and fourth in the nation in run defense, allowing just 82.8 yards on the ground per game.

While the Crimson Tide has upperclassmen experience in Dale, Eboigbe, Young and Smith and underclassmen talent waiting to break out like Burroughs, Keenan, Monkell Goodwine and Damon Payne, Alabama also brought in a trio of defensive linemen in the 2022 class. Two SI99 prospects in Jaheim Oatis and in-state Khurtiss Perry, plus Canadian Isaiah Hastings will join the Crimson Tide this season. Wit

“Khurtiss is really a good player,” Alabama head Nick Saban said about the freshman trio back on early signing day. “He's got great initial quickness. He's a good pass rusher. The guy is very, very productive. He's very instinctive. He runs well. So we're excited to get him and we wanted to get some guys like that that are athletic.

“Jaheim is a big guy that’s hard to block. And I think we still need to get some guys like that for certain situations. And Isaiah Hastings has a lot of upside and abilities. Only played one year of American football this year, but we were really impressed with his ability and his upside and when he can become.”

Since Saban’s comments in December, Oatis has lost 70 pounds and worked a lot on slimming up his frame to get ready to play in the SEC. 

Long gone are the days of Saban utilizing 350+ pounds immobile defensive lineman. However, no matter how much college football evolves and changes, so much of an SEC game is determined down in the trenches. The defensive line isn't the position group that's going to be the most flashy or draw the most attention on the stacked Alabama defense this season, but will play a key role in creating pressure up front and stopping the run so that the rest of the defense can do its job effectively as well. 

Projected Depth Chart 

Defensive End

1. Justin Eboigbe (Sr.)
2. Monkell Goodwine (R-Fr.) or Damon Payne (RFr.)

Defensive Tackle/Nose Guard

1. DJ Dale (Sr.)
2. Tim Smith (Jr.)
3. Jaheim Oatis (Fr.) or Tim Keenan III (RFr.)

Defensive End

1. Byron Young (Jr.)
2. Jah-Marien Latham (Jr.) or Jamil Burroughs (Jr.)

Anquin Barnes Jr.

No. 59, 6'5" 305 pounds, redshirt freshman

Did not see any game action in 2021. 

Jamil Burroughs

No. 98, 6'3" 309 pounds, junior

Played in three games last season, and was credited with two tackles including a sack.

Burroughs played in six games in 2020, and had five tackles. 

DJ Dale

No. 94, 6'3" 300 pounds, senior

A regular cog in the defensive front seven, he had 18 tackles, including four for loss and two sacks last season. Dale was also credited with a pressure.

In 2020, he had 22 tackles, including one for loss, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Won the starting job at nose tackle during fall camp as a true freshman. Started 10 games, missing the final three games of the year with a lower body injury. Made 17 tackles, including three for loss and one sack, to go with a quarterback pressure and fumble recovery. 

Justin Eboigbe

No. 92, 6'5" 292 pounds, senior

Recorded 19 tackles, including half a sack, to go with two pass breakups and a pair of quarterback hurries last season. Also made two fumble recoveries.

In 2020, totaled 19 tackles, including half a tackle for loss. Recorded three quarterback pressures and picked off a pass with a return of four yards.

His first season, Eboigbe played in 10 total games with two starts.

Monkell Goodwine

No. 95, 6'4" 288 pounds, redshirt freshman

Worked in two games in a rotational role, against Southern Miss and New Mexico State. Redshirted at the end of the 2021 season.

Received a five-star ranking from PrepStar. Was a unanimous four-star prospect by all other major recruiting outlets.

Isaiah Hastings

No. 99, 6-4, 290, freshman

A Canadian product who joined the Crimson Tide after playing last season for Clearwater Academy International in Florida. The four-star prospect ranked 183rd nationally in the Top247, and as the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 21 player in Florida by 247Sports. Also ranked No. 310 on the 247Composite, the No. 39 defensive lineman and the No. 37 player in Florida. Chose Alabama over Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Oregon.

Tim Keenan III

No. 96, 6'2" 343 pounds, redshirt freshman

Did not play in any games last season. 

Jah-Marien Latham

No. 93, 6'3" 278 pounds, redshirt sophomore

Played in four games last season, including the National Championship Game.

Played against Mississippi State in 2020.

Jaheim Oatis

No. 91, 6-5, 370, freshman

Earned a five-star ranking as the No. 2 recruit in Mississippi and 10th-ranked defensive tackle nationally by PrepStar. Ratted a four-star recruit by all other major outlets, including as No. 24 on the ESPN300 and the fourth-ranked defensive tackle in the country. He was the No. 83 recruit on the Rivals250 along with being tabbed the No. 6 defensive tackle and No. 3 player from Mississippi by Rivals.com. 

Damon Payne 

No. 44, 6'4", 303 pounds, redshirt freshman

Did not play in a game last season.

Was considered one of the top defensive tackles in the class of 2021.

Khurtiss Perry

No. 97, 6-2, 264, freshman

The early enrollee was an-state defensive lineman rated as a four-star prospect by all major recruiting sites. Was rated the No. 3 player from in the state according to 247Sports, which also listed him as the No. 55 prospect nationally and the No. 8 defensive lineman. Perry was also tabbed the No. 3 player in the state by ESPN.com, which had him as the eighth-ranked defensive tackle, and the No. 56 prospect on the ESPN300. Chose Alabama over Auburn along with Clemson and Texas.

Tim Smith 

No. 50, 6'4" 304 pounds, junior

Smith played in all 15 games last season with two starts. Recorded 24 tackles, including four for loss, and half a sack, to go with a pass breakup.

In 2020, recorded 14 total tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack. Also had a quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Byron Young 

No. 47, 6'3" 292 pounds, senior

Played in all 15 games last season, with seven starts. He totaled 39 tackles, including nine for loss and two sacks. Also was credited with a pair of quarterback hurries.

In 2020, he notched 29 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and one sack, plus had a fumble recovery. Against Arkansas had seven stops, including one for a loss and a half-sack, and recovered a fumble.

He first entered the rotation in 2019, playing in all 13 games and making five starts. He had 23 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss, one sac, a quarterback pressure and one pass breakup. 

This is part of a preseason position-by-position look at the 2022 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Running Backs

Defensive Backs

Interior Linebackers

Offensive Line

Quarterbacks