TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama waited until game day to release its first depth chart of the season. However, we now have a look at how the Crimson Tide will line up for Saturday’s season opener against Middle Tennessee State.
Friday, it was revealed that Jalen Milroe would earn the starting quarterback position. Later that night, Tide Illustrated learned that Tyler Buchner will be Alabama’s No. 2 option behind center for the opener. The quarterback position on Saturday's depth chart had Milroe or Buchner or Ty Simpson as the starters. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has not revealed how he will use his quarterbacks against MTSU, but it is expected that Milroe won’t be the only passer to take snaps Saturday night.
While Milroe will get the first start of the season, Saban has remained adamant that Saturday’s opener will not mark the end of his team’s quarterback competition.
"The quarterback who plays on Saturday, that's the quarterback for Saturday," Saban said during his weekly radio show Thursday night. "The life of a quarterback, any quarterback, depends on how they perform. If a guy plays well, that's what creates security at that position. If you don't play well ... the first thing everybody does, when you have success, the quarterback gets a lot of credit. But also, when things don't go well, the first guy they point at is the quarterback. So a guy has to understand the way he performs is really, really important."
Outside of the quarterback position, the depth chart featured several other notable starters, including true freshmen Kadyn Proctor and Caleb Downs. Proctor will the first true freshman to start at left tackle for Alabama since Cam Robinson in 2014. Meanwhile, Downs will occupy one of the starting spots at safety.
Here’s a full look at the depth chart.
OFFENSE
QB
4 Jalen Milroe OR 8 Tyler Buchner OR 15 Ty Simpson
12 Dylan Lonergan
RB
2 Jase McClellan OR 5 Roydell Williams
26 Jam Miller
22 Justice Haynes OR 25 Richard Young
WR Z
3 Jermain Burton
19 Kendrick Law
18 Shazz Preston
WR X
11 Malik Benson OR 7 Ja'Corey Brooks
14 Jalen Hale
WR H
17 Isaiah Bond
6 Kobe Prentice
13 Cole Adams
TE
81 C.J. Dippre OR 87 Danny Lewis Jr. OR 84 Amari Niblack OR 45 Robbie Ouzts
LT
74 Kadyn Proctor
57 Elijah Pritchett
LG
52 Tyler Booker
69 Terrence Ferguson II
C
56 Seth McLaughlin
58 James Brockermeyer
RG
71 Darrian Dalcourt
77 Jaeden Roberts
RT
65 J.C. Latham
54 Miles McVay OR 75 Wilkin Formby
DEFENSEÂ
DE
91 Jaheim Oatis
50 Tim Smith
47 James Smith OR 95 Monkel Goodwine
NG
96 Tim Keenan III
44 Damon Payne Jr.
59 Anquin Barnes
DE
92 Justin Eboigbe
93 Jah-Marien Latham
90 Jordan Renaud
SAM
15 Dallas Turner
34 Quandarrius Robinson
MIKE
17 Trezmen Marshall
40 Kendrick Blackshire
43 Shawn Murphy
WILL
32 Deontae Lawson
J30 ihaad Campbell
28 Justin Jefferson
JACK
41 Chris Braswell
19 Keanu Koht OR 35 Jeremiah Alexander
CB
1 Kool-Aid McKinstry
12 Antonio Kite
CB
3 Terrion Arnold
9 Trey Amos
FS
6 Jaylen Key
4 Kristian Story OR 8 DeVonta Smith
SS
2 Caleb Downs
27 Tony Mitchell OR 21 Jake Pope
STAR
13 Malachi Moore
20 Earl Little II
SPECIALIST
PK/KO
16 Will Reichard
31 Conor Talty
HOLD
86 James Burnip
P
86 James Burnip
16 Will Reichard
SN
48 Kneeland Hibbett
PR
1 Kool-Aid McKinstry
17 Isaiah Bond
13 Cole Adams
KR
19 Kendrick Law AND 7 Ja'Corey Brooks
3 Terrion Arnold AND 13 Cole Adams