BamaInsider Roundtable: Ranking Alabama's position groups (Part 1)

Andrew Bone (BamaInsider Recruiting Analyst) 1. Running backs 2. Wide receivers, and 3. Defensive backs. Alabama has the best collection of running backs in the country. Najee Harris will have a big season regardless of the talent ahead of him. There is a lot of talent at the receiver position, especially in the freshmen class. Calvin Ridley will have an All-American year. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett and Tony Brown are leaders in the secondary which also features plenty of young talent.

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Tony Tsoukalas (BamaInsider Team Writer) My top three position groups would be in order running back, quarterback and offensive line. It’s no secret this could be the best offense Alabama has put together under Nick Saban, so naturally, the three strongest positions are all on that side of the ball to start the season.

Running back is the most obvious of the trio, as Alabama will have the best stable of backs in the nation. The Crimson Tide returns a 1,000-yard rusher in Damien along with Heisman favorite Bo Scarbrough and versatile Josh Jacobs as starters. Alabama will also see the return of B.J. Emmons along with two electrifying freshmen in Najee Harris and Brian Robinson. Even if Alabama was to lose a couple of backs due to injury, it’d still be in better shape than most teams.

Alabama finds itself in an unusual spot at quarterback, returning a starter at the position for the first time since 2013. That starter is none other than reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Jalen Hurts, who broke the Tide’s single-season touchdown record with a combined 36 last year. The fact that early enrollee Tua Tagovailoa has even raised questions of unseating Hurts shows how much talent Alabama has behind center.

While the right side of Alabama’s offensive line still needs plenty of work, the Tide return a stacked left side to start the season. Left tackle Jonah Williams and left guard Ross Pierschbacher were named first-team SEC Media Days preseason All-SEC members last week, while center Bradley Bozeman earned second-team honors.

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Kyle Henderson (BamaInsider Managing Editor) Running Back. Period. As I've written earlier this year, no one in the Country has as many quality backs as Alabama. I truly feel Bo Scarbrough will hit the 1,000-yard mark, Damien Harris is not taking a step back this year, and I'm expecting Josh Jacobs, BJ Emmons, Najee Harris, and Brian Robinson to get touches.