Youngsters worth watching in 2010

A few guys who didn’t make much or any impact in 2009 who I expect to have strong springs and challenge for significant playing time in the fall…

* Jonathan Atchison -He and Ed Stinson are both impressive youngsters who pass the eye test, but I look for Atchison to be a bit more in the mix for playing time. Stinson is a big kid but still not quite the ideal size for the Jack spot (yes, I know Anders pulled it off undersized last year, but long-term, small Jacks will be the exception, not the rule). Atchison is ticketed for the Sam position, which isn’t quite as demanding for size (see Cory Reamer).

Jerrell Harris (left) has a wide-open chance to play in 2010 at more than one linebacker position.

* Jerrell Harris - Potential playing time for Harris and Atchison may, in time, be an either/or proposition if both end up at the Sam spot. But Harris was the primary backup to Dont’a Hightower at the Will (inside) spot when fall camp broke. He could end up back there again, especially if Hightower is moved to the Mike spot to replace Rolando McClain. Future is now for Harris, and he has all the athleticism necessary.

* Phelon Jones and Dre Kirkpatrick - We’ll kump these two together as the odds-on favorites to take over at the starting cornerback spots. Jones has a bit of SEC experience from his LSU days, but not much. Talk among players is that Jones was a tough customer on the scout team. Kirkpatrick got plenty of action on special teams in ‘09.

* Michael Williams - It wasn’t an accident that Williams saw so much playing time against Tennessee when Colin Peek went down with a knee sprain. In terms of raw potential, he’s got as much or more than any TE on the roster. He has the size to be a reliable edge blocker, something the UA staff values highly.

* Darrington Sentimore - The freshman proved to be one of the most agile of all the defensive linemen during individual drills this season. He’s strong, quick, and strikes with power. Is he big enough to hold the point as an end in a 3-4 scheme? Probably so. He’s every bit as big as Wallace Gilberry, who had just enough size as a 3-4 end. While UA has some returning experience to replace three lost starters up front, UA’s penchant for frequent substitutions on the DL are good news for guys like Sentimore.

Warmack

* Five others to watch - 1) RB Eddie Lacy … Can he pass protect? Assumptions that he’ll step right in for Roy Upchurch as the No.3 behind Ingram and Richardson may prove true. If he isn’t reliable with blitz pickups, however, he won’t be the third-down guy Upchurch was. 2) OL Chance Warmack … A wide-open guard position could be his. Saban has praised Warmack since he joined the team last spring. He’s got a great build for a guard, but word is his pass protection must catch up with his run blocking. 3) WR Michael Bowman … He slipped out of the playing rotation late in the year, but has tremendous physical gifts. Trouble is, the Jones-Hanks-Maze trio returns intact for 2010, so he’ll have a battle on his hands in terms of competition. 4) DB B.J. Scott … The sophomore couldn’t ask for a more open competition at cornerback – Alabama’s top four corners from 2009 are gone come spring drills. The nickelback position gives Scott yet another area where he could contribute. Like Harris, the future is now for Scott. 5) OL Alfred McCullough … He worked at both tackle positions in practice late in the year when Drew Davis and James Carpenter missed a bit of work in December with illness. For all the prep hype surrounding tackles D.J. Fluker, and Tyler Love before him, McCullough could be the one to beat for the right tackle spot.

Tags:

(0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5, rated)