BamaInsider Top 40 for 2017: Hurts the most important among Alabama players
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Alabama's season opener is more than two months away, but it's never too early to start thinking about what the Crimson Tide has in store for the upcoming year. Looking to make the College Football Playoff for a fourth straight season, Alabama returns a stacked roster which should set the Tide up for another national title run.
Over the next week, BamaInsider.com will break down the top 40 most important players for the upcoming season. Players were determined based on their projected impact on Alabama's success next season.
Today we look at No. 5-1 | 11-6 Here| No. 20-11 Here | 30-21 Here | 40-31 Here
No. 5: Bradley Bozeman, OL
Labeled the "unsung hero" of last season by Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Bozeman is perhaps the most underrated player on the Tide's roster. The 6-foot-5, 314-pound center is the heart and soul of Alabama's offensive line and will continue to take a leadership position within the unit heading into his senior year.
Bozeman started all 15 games for Alabama last year, providing protection for an offense which averaged 455.3 yards per game. He also helped block for 11 different 100-yard rushers.
Bozeman had big shoes to fill when he stepped in for Rimington Trophy winner Ryan Kelly last season. Not only does he look poised to make a run at the award himself this season, Bozeman has also carried over Kelly's leadership. That will be essential, especially as the Tide sorts out the right side of its offensive line this fall.
No. 4: Jonah Williams, OL
Staying on the offensive line, Williams comes in at No. 4 on the list, both for what he brings to the team talent wise and the role he will serve this season. A Freshman All-American, he followed in former offensive lineman Cam Robinson's footsteps by starting every game during his first year on campus.
Now that Robinson has left for the NFL, Williams will need to follow after him once again, moving across the line to fill his spot at left tackle. Williams played left tackle in high school where he was rated as a five-star and the No. 24 player overall in the 2016 class. Despite his familiarity, the 6-foot-5, 301-pound offensive lineman put forth extra determination over the offseason to make sure he was prepared.
"I would go out on the field after practice with Ross (Pierschbacher) and my buddies and play the left tackle spot, getting used to it, getting a feel for it," Williams said this spring. "I tried to eat and write with my left hand, get a little ambidextrous. It was smooth for me. It wasn't a big shock."
It might sound extreme, but when the job is to protect starting quarterback Jalen Hurts' blindside, there's no such thing as too cautious.
No. 3: Da'Ron Payne, DL
As Alabama looks to replace two of its three starters on the defensive line, the importance of its lone returner becomes more and more obvious. Payne will be the engine that keeps the Tide's front seven going this season, providing a veteran stability to what will be an inexperienced unit.
Last season, Payne tallied 36 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, with 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and a fumble returned for a touchdown. Often fighting off double teams, the 6-foot-2, 308-pound nose guard won't ever have the stats as Alabama's outside defensive linemen. However, his ability to fill up space and occupy offensive linemen will take away pressure from the Tide's pass rushers.
Perhaps the most athletic defensive linemen to play under Saban, Payne might be the strongest player on Alabama's roster. According to Al.com, he squatted 635 pounds, bench-pressed 545 pounds and recorded a team-best 365-pound power clean during spring workouts.
No. 2: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB
Wherever Fitzpatrick lines up next season, he will be the most talented person on the field for Alabama. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound defensive back can play any position across the secondary. After excelling at the Star position as a freshman, Fitzpatrick started at the position last year before switching to safety midway through the season to fill in for injured Eddie Jackson. Fitzpatrick excelled with the switch, earning All-American honors while recording 66 tackles, five for a loss, with seven pass deflections, and a team-high six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Fitzpatrick was originally going to move to cornerback this season but switched back to safety after Saban decided to move Trevon Diggs to corner. During A-Day, Fitzpatrick was one of the few bright spots in the Tide’s secondary, tallying seven tackles, one for a loss and one pass deflection.
“I mean he pretty much can do everything in my eyes,” Alabama cornerback Anthony Averett said this spring. “Put him at corner, safety, Star, wherever you want to put Minkah he can play. Wherever Saban wants to play him or wherever he wants to experiment with him, he’s willing to do that.”
No. 1: Jalen Hurts, QB
Were you expecting anyone different? Returning as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, Hurts takes the top spot as Alabama's most important player for the upcoming season. Last season, Hurts became the first true freshman to start at quarterback since Vince Sutton in 1984. The Channelview, Texas native didn’t disappoint either, earning Freshman All-American honors while breaking Alabama’s single-season record with 36 combined touchdowns.
Hurts completed 63 percent of his passes for 2,780 yards with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season. The 6-foot-2, 214-pound quarterback also flashed his 4.5 speed on several occasions, racking up 954 yards and a team-high 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Despite Hurts' success, he will need to improve in the downfield passing game this year. Over his final three games last season, Hurts completed just 48 percent of his passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns. That included a disappointing performance against Clemson in the national championship game where he completed 13 of 31 (42 percent) of his passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.
If spring is any indication, Hurts will be much improved this season. During Alabama’s A-Day game, he completed 16 of 25 (64 percent) of his passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Alabama’s offense will go as far as Hurts will take it next season, which at this point seems pretty promising for the Tide.