Projecting Alabama's Depth Chart, Post-Draft Decisions: Offense

Even though the Crimson Tide lost a lot, the offense still has a ton of talent coming back for the 2020 season

T.G. Paschal/BamaCentral

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — This time of the year, everyone on the Alabama football team will tell you the same thing: We don’t have a depth chart.

Yeah, we know. Every role has to be earned, even by the established veterans.

Alabama won’t release its first official depth chart until the first Monday of the 2020 regular season, when the Crimson Tide returns to Arlington, Texas, for another high-profile meeting with Southern California on Sept. 5.

That doesn’t mean we can’t take an early shot at what it might look like.

This is more geared toward the spring, and how the Crimson Tide offense will look when it opens practice in mid-March — so it’s heavily influenced by where players were lined up for Citrus Bowl workouts.

Consequently, early enrollees Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams are not listed with the running backs, although they’ll be in the mix to try and land rotation spots. Similarly, Seth McLaughlin’s name isn’t among the offensive linemen (yet).

Non-early enrollees are not considered because they’re still months away from arriving on campus.

One decision Alabama will have to make in the spring is if Landon Dickerson will stay at center. If the “next man up,” as Nick Saban likes to say, is someone who can play center it wouldn’t be surprising to see Dickerson go back to guard.

Two other things we’ll be keeping a close eye out for are:

1] With the depth at running back does Chadarius Townsend go back to wide receiver and maybe be a third option out of the slot?

2] Who will be the backup left tackle. Scott Lashley’s understandable departure left a hole behind starter Alex Leatherwood. For now the guess here is that Alabama will take a look at both Tommy Brown and Amari Kight, with the other at right tackle.

Overall, there’s a bit of guesswork and position battles will continue throughout the spring and fall, but here’s our guess for how the two-plus-deep administrative groupings look:

Alabama Early Projected Depth Chart

OFFENSE

QB Mac Jones (10), Taulia Tagovailoa (5), Bryce Young/Paul Tyson

RB Najee Harris (22), Brian Robinson Jr. (24), Trey Sanders (26)

WR Z John Metchie (3), Xavier Williams (9), Thaiu Jones-Bell

WR X DeVonta Smith (6), Tyrell Shavers (14), Traeshon Holden

WR H Jaylen Waddle (17), Slade Bolden (18)

TE Miller Forristall (87), Major Tennison (88), Jahleel Billingsley (19)

LT Alex Leatherwood (70), Tommy Brown (75)/Amari Kight (78)

LG Emil Ekiyor Jr. (55)/Landon Dickerson (69), Pierce Quick (72)

C Landon Dickerson (60), Chris Owens (79)/Darren Dalcourt (71)

RG Deonte Brown (65), Kendall Randolph (60), Tanner Bowles (51)

RT Evan Neal (73), Tommy Brown (75)/Amari Kight (78)

Tide in Transition

This is the 11th part of a series on BamaCentral:

• What Alabama’s QB Situation Looks like Moving Forward

• Alabama’s Wide Receivers will have a Different Look in 2020

• Linebacker Corps Should go back to Being Position of Strength

• Alabama's Most Improved Position Group in 2020? That's Easy, the Defensive Line

• Alabama Would Still Like to Add to More Veteran Tight End Group

• Alabama has to Regroup in the Secondary, but is Prepared

• With Najee Harris Returning, Alabama Might Have Deepest Backfield in College Football

• With Four Returning Starting Linemen, Alabama's Running Game Could be Scary Good

• Alabama’s Special Teams Have Been Everything from Spectacular to Ugly

• 2020 Alabama Football Eligibility Tracker