19 for 19: How do Alabama's returning grades stack up on defense?
Alabama will begin its quest for an 18th national title on Aug. 31 when the Crimson Tide takes on Duke inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To help pass the time until then, BamaInsider is answering 19 important questions concerning the 2019 season.
Today we continue the series by taking a look at the top graded out defensive players returning for the 2019 season.
Click here to see Alabama's highest graded players on the offensive side of the ball
The Secondary returns plenty of experience
About Pro-Football Focus: After each game during the season, former coaches and scouts grade each player and distribute their grades on Pro Football Focus. Our staff at BamaInsider.com has access to Pro-Football Focus' premium grades.
Despite losing safety Deionte Thompson to the NFL Draft, the Crimson Tide secondary returns plenty of talent and experience into the 2019 season. Shyheim Carter who will be a senior this season graded out at (88.4) during his junior season playing mostly the star position and finished the 2018 season with 43 tackles with two interceptions, each which he returned for touchdowns. Also returning for the secondary is Xavier McKinney at the safety position who was the Defensive MVP during the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma last season.
McKinney finished with 74 tackles and two interceptions and had a grade from PFF of (82.0). Corners Patrick Surtain II (79.0) and Trevon Diggs (75.5) return for the 2019 season, which should be a very nice duo for defensive backs coach Karl Scott. Surtain II saw a ton of time as a true freshman last season and finished with 37 tackles and one interception. Diggs missed a majority of the season last season with a foot injury, but still finished with 20 tackles and one interception. Watch for now sophomore Josh Jobe to get onto the field plenty this season, last year he played a good amount towards the later part of the season and he finished with a grade out of (73.3).
Dangerous duo in Raekwon Davis and Bryan Ray
Alabama’s defensive ends are among some of the best in the nation with Raekwon Davis and LaBryan Ray each returning in 2019. Davis at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds had a grade of (81.9) and finished with 55 tackles. Ray who had a grade of (78.9) recorded 39 tackles with 2.5 sacks. The Crimson Tide lose Quinnen Williams who was drafted No. 3 overall in the NFL Draft by the New York Jets and it could D.J. Dale who is a true freshman that replaces him. Earlier in the spring, Phidarian Mathis who graded out at (67.3) last season that was repping with the first team defensive line at tackle.
Question marks remain at the inside linebacker position
Alabama returners their leading tackler from the 2018 season in Dylan Moses who had 86 tackles, 10.0 for a loss. However, Moses only graded out of (67.6). The Crimson Tide lose Mack Wilson who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and going into the season, there is a position battle for the WILL inside linebacker between Joshua McMillon (66.1), true freshman Shane Lee, and Ale Kaho (69.4).
| Player | Position | Grade | Star Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Shyheim Carter |
Star |
88.4 |
|
|
Jaylen Moody |
Inside backer |
82.1 |
|
|
Xavier McKinney |
Safety |
82.0 |
|
|
Raekwon Davis |
Defensive end |
81.9 |
|
|
Patrick Surtain II |
Corner |
79.0 |
|
|
LaBryan Ray |
Defensive End |
78.9 |
|
|
Trevon Diggs |
Corner |
75.5 |
|
|
Stephon Wynn |
Defensive line |
73.8 |
|
|
Tevita Musika |
Defensive tackle |
73.6 |
|
|
Josh Jobe |
Corner |
73.3 |
|
|
Anfernee Jennings |
Outside backer |
72.5 |
|
|
Ale Kaho |
Inside backer |
69.4 |
|
|
Dylan Moses |
Inside backer |
67.6 |
|
|
Phidarian Mathis |
Defensive tackle |
67.3 |
|
|
Joshua McMillon |
Inside backer |
66.1 |
|
|
Jared Mayden |
Safety |
65.0 |
ICYMI: 19 for 19: How do Alabama's returning grades stack up on offense?
Tua Tagovailoa and Najee Harris graded out as Elite in 2018
About Pro-Football Focus: After each game during the season, former coaches and scouts grade each player and distribute their grades on Pro Football Focus. Our staff at BamaInsider.com has access to Pro-Football Focus' premium grades.
Alabama returns a ton of talent as you know on the offensive side of the football and we've compiled the list of the highest graded out players returning. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa along with running back Najee Harris each graded out extremely high during their sophomore season in 2018. Tagovailoa graded out at 90.8 and Harris finished an overall grade of 90.6.
Tagovailoa’s highest grades came against Louisiana Lafayette (92.8), Louisville (92.4), The Citadel (92.0), and against Arkansas (90.7). Tagovailoa’s grade outs against teams with a higher caliber of competition dropped significantly. Here are his top five lowest grades from last season: Georgia (40.7), Mississippi State (50.7), Clemson (66.4), Missouri (67.8), and against LSU (72.4).
When we look at Tagovailoa’s passing chart, his grades for passing the football over 20-yards are incredible. To the outside left his season grade was (94.8), between the numbers (92.5), and to the outside right (96.7). For Comparison sake, Kyler Murray who won the 2018 Heisman Trophy and was the number one overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft had a passing grade of (86.8) to the outside left past 20-yards, between the numbers he had a grade of (94.9), and to the outside right, Murray’s grade was a (92.3).