Early shot at a depth chart...

[JessN]

This will change frequently but I think this is how they'll line up the first few days...

POS|#|FIRST TEAM|#|SECOND TEAM|#|THIRD TEAM
SE|82|Earl Alexander|9|Nikita Stover|8|Julio Jones
FL|80|Mike McCoy|11|Brandon Gibson|19|Chris Jackson
WR|15|Darius Hanks|##|Marquis Maze|1|B.J. Scott
TE|88|Nick Walker|87|Chris Underwood|17|Brad Smelley
HB|83|Travis McCall|85|Preston Dial|34|Jeramie Griffin
RT|79|Drew Davis|68|Taylor Pharr|72|Tyler Love
RG|76|Marlon Davis|74|David Ross|##|Brad Pounds
C|59|Antoine Caldwell|70|Evan Cardwell|66|Brian Motley
LG|78|Michael Johnson|73|William Vlachos|67|John Michael Boswell
LT|71|Andre Smith|60|Scott Deaton|75|Barrett Jones
QB|14|John Parker Wilson|12|Greg McElroy|16|Thomas Darrah
RB|29|Terry Grant|5|Roy Upchurch|38|Glen Coffee
PK|##|Leigh Tiffin|44|Corey Smith||
|| || ||
DT|93|Bobby Greenwood|52|Alfred McCullough|96|Luther Davis
NG|97|Lorenzo Washington|99|Josh Chapman|62|Terrance Cody
E|95|Brandon Deaderick|58|Nick Gentry|90|Milton Talbert
OLB|55|Chavis Williams|##|Jerrell Harris|32|Eryk Anders
RILB|25|Rolando McClain|30|Don’ta Hightower|51|Michael DeJohn
LILB|13|Cory Reamer|45|Charlie Higgenbotham|42|Jennings Hester
JACK|98|Brandon Fanney|91|Alex Watkins|35|Charlie Kirschman
RCB|28|Javier Arenas|##|Chris Rogers|##|Alonzo Lawrence
FS|49|Rashad Johnson|4|Mark Barron|20|Tyrone King, Jr.
SS|27|Justin Woodall|26|Ali Sharrief|43|Sam Burnthall
LCB|3|Kareem Jackson|24|Marquis Johnson|23|Robby Green
P|##|P.J. Fitzgerald|##|Heath Thomas|44|Corey Smith

 

[BamaInBham]

Thanks Jess. It's exciting to see.

OT is a position of deep deep need . In some respects, worse than LB.

 

[BEATtutorsee]

Upshaw's not cracking the three deep at any of the LB spots???

 

[Crimson Hawk]

Smelly at TE is a bit of a surprise. I thought H-back or even an early shot at QB. Is he big enough to be a TE?

Sure is gonna be hectic watching this thing change from now to opening day!

 

[BoroBama]

Coach Nick Saban, not content to just rate players at their position, said the staff would rank every player on the team from 1 to "whatever" to see who are the best athletes.
"It's a useful tool for us as a staff," Saban said.
"One year (at LSU) we had Corey Webster as the No. 5 wide receiver but the No. 9 athlete overall. So we said 'that guy needs to be playing somewhere else because he isn't going to play much at wide receiver."

This is a quote from Lindy's 2008 preview. Webster is now a starting conerback for the NY Giants. I believe this depth chart will change a good bit as time goes on. Saban will put the best athletes on the field where they best serve the team.

 

[PisgahDave]

This is a quote from Lindy's 2008 preview. Webster is now a starting conerback for the NY Giants. I believe this depth chart will change a good bit as time goes on. Saban will put the best athletes on the field where they best serve the team.

Can't argue with that.

 

[JessN]

Upshaw's not cracking the three deep at any of the LB spots???

As soon as the whole squad gets together I think he'll go up pretty quickly. Certainly he'll advance beyond Hester.

I think eventually he goes to Jack, and when that happens he might get as high as second-team.

Don't read too much into this first day's list. That's why I wrote "will change frequently" across the top of it.

 

[BamaGreek]

Thanks Jess! This first crack at the depth chart looks good. it will be exciting during the next couple of weeks to see the changes taking place. Roll Tide!

 

[tidefanblake]

Jess,

Quick question regarding Baron Huber....Why is it that he is not percieved as a good fit for the H-back position? Judging from his move to Defense in the Spring (even though he is back on offense now), and how tepidly people mention his name as a factor there, I'm a bit confused.

If you have a solid blocking FB and you bring in an offense that uses the H-back, it would seem to me that height and inability to catch the ball would be the only valid reasons he wouldn't be a natural at H-back. Huber is over 6'3, and by most reports I've heard he has hands that are quite a bit above average for a FB.

 

[BigEasyTider]

If you have a solid blocking FB and you bring in an offense that uses the H-back, it would seem to me that height and inability to catch the ball would be the only valid reasons he wouldn't be a natural at H-back. Huber is over 6'3, and by most reports I've heard he has hands that are quite a bit above average for a FB.

I may be wrong, but I believe Huber's biggest problem is the lack of overall athleticism.

You do need to be a bit of a receiving threat as an H-back, and regardless of how good your hands may be, unless you have the athleticism to consistently get separation from the defender, you'll never be much of a use as a receiving threat. From what I can gather, Huber really just doesn't have the athleticism.

 

[Crimson Bourne]

This is a quote from Lindy's 2008 preview. Webster is now a starting conerback for the NY Giants. I believe this depth chart will change a good bit as time goes on. Saban will put the best athletes on the field where they best serve the team.

It would be interesting to see how the coaches rank this years players 1 to whatever. Andre Smith #1?

 

[silentsam74]

It would be interesting to see how the coaches rank this years players 1 to whatever. Andre Smith #1?

I wouldn't think so. I would think the best athlete ratings would take into account more speed, agility, quickness, maybe measurable hand eye coordination or something of the like. If they made a best offensive linemen rating then maybe but not athlete.

 

[silentsam74]

This will change frequently but I think this is how they'll line up the first few days...

Hmm, are all the numbers still not known yet?

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

So, GMc got the vaunted 12 after all. When did that happen?

 

[bamabryan]

Upshaw's not cracking the three deep at any of the LB spots???

According to ABC 33/40 news in Bham, Upshaw worked with the second team today. They said he was the only true freshman that worked on the second team.

The only other freshman they mentioned were Julio and BJ which they said both worked with the third team.

 

[BEATtutorsee]

According to ABC 33/40 news in Bham, Upshaw worked with the second team today. They said he was the only freshman that worked on the second team.

I'm not surprised, I think he'll play some this year. Thanks for the info.

 

[bamabryan]

I'm not surprised, I think he'll play some this year.

I agree.

I really expect to see Upshaw, Barron, Harris, Lawrence and Hightower on defense quite a bit this year.

JMHO, but it does not seem like Upshaw is getting quite the hype that some of the other incoming freshmen are getting. Of course this is a great class, but I think he's maybe getting a little lost in the shuffle with a lot of the fans and media anyway. I think when this class is finshed at Alabama, we are going to find that Upshaw was one of the very best in this class.

 

[crimson_blood]

So, GMc got the vaunted 12 after all. When did that happen?

Smelley got his old #17...so maybe that triggered the change...AJ McCarron would look lovely in #12.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Smelley got his old #17...so maybe that triggered the change...AJ McCarron would look lovely in #12.

Old news... Mcelroy was presented #12 by Saban on the practice field, in front of several other players, during Spring Camp. Some out this way were disappointed he didn't keep his #17; he set all-time Southlake (eclipsing many of Chase Daniel's records) and TX5A QB records, was TX POY, in process of all-win season beat 4-Nationally ranked teams, and won a 5A championship, wearing #17. Smelly wasn't in the picture...he got a spare number. IMO Mcelroy will wear number through 2010..then maybe whoever's the current flavor of the day may step up.

 

[NativeTider]

Jess,

Is Chris Jordan going to get a shot a ILB or will he stay at RB?