21 for 21: Who are Alabama's biggest freshmen to watch?
Alabama will look to repeat as national champions this year as it aims to add a 19th title to its trophy case. The Crimson Tide opens its season on Sept. 4 against Miami inside Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. To help pass the time until then, BamaInsider is delving into 21 topics and questions concerning the 2021 season.
Today we begin our series by taking a look at a few true freshmen to watch in the coming year.
Agiye Hall, wide receiver
The hype surrounding Agiye Hall isn’t about to die down anytime soon. After introducing himself to Alabama fans with a breakout A-Day performance, the freshman receiver went viral with another highlight grab last week as he out-jumped Indianapolis Colts defensive back Isaiah Rodgers for a ball last week.
Hall flashed his acrobatics several times during the A-Day scrimmage, pulling in four receptions for 72 yards. The freshman’s first catch of the day came on a 37-yard gain where he secured a deep ball while falling backward over a defender. Later, Hall came away with perhaps the play of the game, recording a sideline snag over cornerback Ronald Williams Jr. where he outleaped the defender while managing to keep his left foot in bounds for a first down.
“He makes a lot of contested catches,” head coach Nick Saban said of Hall following A-Day. “He’s got great size. He’s got some explosive speed that I think we need. We need some guys to complement John Metchie when he gets back. We are pleased with his progress. He had a really good spring.”
Alabama brought in Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams to the mix earlier this month, adding a bit more speed and experience to the unit. The junior is an early favorite to land a first-team role alongside returning starters Metchie and Slade Bolden. However, Hall should still have plenty of opportunities to flash his big-play ability this fall.
Ga'Quincy McKinstry, defensive back
Offensive players tend to get the bulk of attention on A-Day, but Ga’Quincy McKinstry also managed to make a good first impression in front of the Alabama faithful last month. The five-star freshman defensive back recorded the interception that set up the White team’s game-winning field goal drive and also recorded a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and three tackles during the scrimmage.
