With 16 practices in the books, we’re beginning to see players emerge at Alabama.
Even a handful of true freshmen have stood out.
Here are four such rookies -- two on offense and two on defense -- who have made a name for themselves:
Harrison’s inclusion should come as no surprise to anyone who followed spring practice. The former four-star prospect enrolled early and was an instant hit during camp, becoming easily the most talked-about freshman in camp. Saban called the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Florida native a “bright guy” with “great size and speed.” He liked Harrison so much, he had him work out at times as the first-team safety. And that optimism hasn’t diminished. Saban said last week that, “Ronnie being here in the spring is probably going to help him make a contribution this year.”
Reasonable expectations: It’s hard to imagine any rookie starting in Saban’s secondary. The defense is just too complex. Remember Landon Collins? He didn’t start his first season on campus. Neither did Mark Barron. But like Barron and Collins, Harrison can be a key contributor on special teams and one of the first safeties off the bench.
The hype train surrounding the No. 1-ranked player in New Jersey is reaching breakneck speeds. Though the 6-foot-1, 194-pound defensive back was late to arrive at Alabama, he’s wasted no time assimilating himself to the defense. Junior defensive back Maurice Smith said he’s “come on strong” and is “learning the plays a lot faster than I think we did as freshmen.” In a telling statement, Saban said the rookie is “very instinctive and learns quickly, understands concepts.” Seeing as that’s the hurdle most newcomers struggle with, it’s no wonder Saban said that if he continues to progress, “[He] could make some contribution for us this year.”
Reasonable expectations: His size and mental acumen give him a fighting chance. The fact that he can play both nickel and corner helps, too. But the biggest reason he has a could play beyond play special teams is the depth chart. Outside of senior Cyrus Jones, there isn’t a sure thing at cornerback. Tony Brown played a lot as a freshman last season, but with mixed results. Marlon Humphrey, a former five-star prospect, redshirted. If either of those two struggle, Fitzpatrick could be given a shot.
We’ll let Lane Kiffin explain this one. The offensive coordinator said he wasn’t going to talk about individuals during his only news conference of the year, but he couldn’t help himself when he was asked about Ridley, the top-ranked receiver in the 2015 class: “Calvin has really kind of showed some elite talent of guys over the years we’ve been able to be around. ... Now there’s a long way to go to get to that level, but his speed and the way that he catches the ball and his transition, if he does the other things all the way through, which is a lot, I think he can be really special.”
Reasonable expectations: Saban must have cringed when he heard Kiffin say “elite talent.” It’s just not like Alabama to say such things. So Saban later walked back the comments, saying, “I wouldn’t put that kind of expectation on any young player.” But Ridley certainly looks the part. And considering that Alabama’s top three receivers from last season are gone, including Amari Cooper, Ridley has a chance to play early. Remember, Chris Black missed time with an ankle issue and Robert Foster is dealing with a knee problem.
There’s a reason Barnett was a five-star prospect and ESPN's top-ranked pocket passer in the 2015 class. The West Coast kid can sling it. But don’t let the “pocket passer” monicker fool you. He’s an athlete with excellent quickness. In fact, he could be the most talented runner of all the QBs on the roster. When Saban was asked about which QBs did well during Saturday’s scrimmage, he mentioned Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman and Jake Coker. But he didn’t leave out Barnett, which is telling, saying that he is “a young guy that we need to continue to try to develop.”
Reasonable expectations: Saban wants to develop Barnett for the here and now. And that’s as much a testament to Barnett’s talents as the talent of those around him. Because let’s face it, the rest of the QBs have just been OK. Coker missed a few practices with a bum toe and David Cornwell appears to have regressed since the spring. Morris and Bateman are in the mix, but they’re not front-runners. So Barnett isn’t out of it despite the long odds against him. After all, it’s not in Saban’s nature to hand the reins over to a true freshman. He never has.