Reggie Ragland flirted with the NFL Draft, and it flirted back.

Coming off his best season, Alabama's starting Will linebacker had reason to be inquisitive about how he might fit in at the next level. After careful deliberations, though, he opted to stay, and the reason was simple.

He wasn't ready.

"I wanted to come back and get even smarter for the game, because I know at the next level, if you're not smart playing on the inside, you're not going to last that long," Ragland said. "So I wanted to come back and learn more from Coach Saban, and Coach Smart, and all the defensive guys that we've got coaching."

It's a good thing for Alabama's defense, too, especially this spring as Ragland helps prepare and get less experienced linebackers up to speed.

Already without departing Mike linebacker Trey DePriest, the team losing Ragland would have been a crushing blow to the inside linebackers, a spot without a tremendous amount of experienced depth.

Ragland, the was the team's second-leading tackler in 2014 (95), will work beside a new Mike linebacker this year. The main candidates are hard-hitting, oft-injured junior Reuben Foster and sophomore Shaun Dion Hamilton.

"The only thing stopping Reuben is him," Ragland said. "It's only him. Only he can stop him.

"(With Hamilton) I love that he's physical, he's smart. He was the valedictorian of his class when he came out of high school. He's great, smart and he picks up stuff very easily. I think this year's going to be a very big year for him."

Foster, a junior, played in 11 games and recorded 22 tackles. As a true freshman, Hamilton mainly saw action on special teams, playing in all 14 games and making three tackles.

Dillon Lee is another candidate to extend his playing time. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound senior worked inside and outside during his career, athletic enough to rush the passer and versatile enough to drop into coverage.

"He's very physical. He's crazy, too," Ragland said. "He's also a good guy, he's very smart. When he gets his chance to get out there and contribute the way I know he can, he's going to do very well."

Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart moved back to coach the inside linebackers this season after working with the safeties last season to replace Kevin Steele, who became the defensive coordinator at LSU.

Smart will work closely with Ragland this season, and Ragland knows a lot of eyes will turn to him throughout the course of the season either as he's calling the defense or for his senior experience.

"I'm one of the guys that everybody's looking at, hopefully," Ragland land said. "...but we've got a bunch of guys out there that everybody's going to look at. Everybody's going to contribute and be monsters this year."

Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.