BamaInsider Top 40 for 2017: Ridley is a dangerous weapon

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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. 11-6| No. 20-11 Here | 30-21 Here | 40-31 Here

How do you replace a player who won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award and the Lombardi Award next season? Alabama's hoping the answer lies in the former No. 1 player in the 2014 class. After serving as a reserve his first three seasons with the Tide, Hand will finally get an opportunity to start for Alabama as he draws the arduous task of replacing Jonathan Allen on the defensive line.

While he has yet to start at Alabama, Hand is no stranger to the field. The former five-star recruit appeared in all 15 games for the Tide last season, tallying 21 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, with two sacks and five quarterback hurries.

After waiting his turn, the 6-foot-4, 282-pound defensive is anxious to make a difference this season. When asked this spring how hungry he was to get on the field, Hand let out a long sigh and smiled.

"To be honest, man, I don’t even know how to answer that question," he said. "That’s how hungry I am. It’s immeasurable, for real. We’re all very hungry."

After seeing its young secondary picked apart this spring, Alabama knows it can ill afford to lose any of its returning starters this season, especially at the two safety positions. That's what makes Harrison such a valuable asset.

Harrison finished second on the team last year with 85 tackles and also added seven pass break-ups, two interceptions, a fumble return for a touchdown and a blocked kick. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound safety is one of the hardest hitters and drops down to the Money position, serving essentially as a linebacker, when the Tide runs out of its dime package. Harrison will also be relied upon to help shore up Alabama's downfield coverage, which was susceptible to giving up big plays this spring.

Entering his junior year, Harrison will also step into a veteran role. So far he has embraced the responsibility and says he's anxious to lend a helping hand when needed.

"I’m just excited, I guess you can say," Harrison said in the spring. "When I first came here, guys like Reggie Ragland, Eddie Jackson, they took me under their wings. Now it’s my turn to show the favor back to the freshmen. I’m just excited.”

Evans has spent enough time waiting. Entering his senior season at Alabama, the 6-foot-3, 234-pound linebacker is expecting results and he isn’t afraid to let people know. Earlier this year, Evans predicted in a post on his Twitter account that he would follow in former Alabama linebacker Rueben Foster’s shoes and win the Butkus this season.

When asked the spring if he stood by the prediction, the linebacker answered “absolutely,” stating that his time studying Foster both at Alabama and as a teammate in high school would pay off next season.

“I have been with him for so long, it’s sort of like if anything I will be another him in a way, but a little different,” Evans said. “We’re two different guys who have two different types of abilities, but at the same time I feel like the way he approached the game, I’m going to approach the same way he did.”

Evans received his first career start during the Peach Bowl and also started the national championship game, filling in for injured linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton. Appearing in 14 games, he tallied 53 tackles, 4.5 for a loss, with four sacks and six quarterback hurries.

It's easy to forget about Hamilton given that he missed the spring while rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered in the SEC Championship game. However, the 6-foot, 233-pound linebacker plans to return to the field this summer and should be ready to go for the Tide's season opener against Florida State on Sept. 2.

That's good news for Alabama, who will look to lean on the Montgomery, Ala., native both on and off the field. Playing in 13 games last season, Hamilton finished fifth on the team with 64 tackles. He also led Tide linebackers with two interceptions while recording two sacks and forced a fumble.

Entering his senior season, Hamilton will also have significantly more experience than any of the Tide's linebackers. Looking to replace three starters with a young unit, that veteran presence should go a long way, especially early in the season.

Alabama will bring back plenty of talent at the receiver position but not much experience. Ridley is the only one of the Tide's top four receivers to return this season, as Alabama must say farewell to wide receivers Ardarius Stewart and Gehrig Dieter as well as tight end O.J. Howard. The departing trio combined for 1,673 yards and 15 touchdowns on 114 receptions last season.

Luckily for Alabama, Ridley returns as Hurts' favorite receiver from last season, pulling in a team-high 72 receptions for 769 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound receiver is roommates with Hurts which should only add to his chemistry with the starting quarterback as Alabama. That should pay big dividends as Alabama looks to improve on its passing attack next season.

Hurts and Ridley connected on a 60-yard touchdown pass during the A-Day game, as the receiver finished the scrimmage with four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. If Alabama can continue to get Ridley the ball deep, it could see a repeat of the 2015 season when he set the single-season freshman receiving record with 1,045 yards.

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