Alabama football returns plenty of experience along its defensive line ahead of the 2024 season.
The Crimson Tide returns seven interior defensive lineman from its 2023 squad while bringing in two prospects from its 2024 recruiting cycle. It lost four members from 2023 over the offseason: Justin Eboigbe (NFL Draft), Isaiah Hastings (transfer to Syracuse), Anquin Barnes (transfer to Colorado) and Monkell Goodwine (transfer to South Carolina).
Alabama also retained defensive line coach Freddie Roach from coach Nick Saban staff to that of coach Kalen DeBoer’s. Under DeBoer, Roach will lead Alabama’s defensive line under new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack while also earning the roll of associate head coach.
Here is how Alabama’s defensive tackle room looks heading into fall camp. Every scholarship player and any notable walk-on is mentioned:
The options for Alabama football at defensive tackle
Projected starters: Tim Keenan III, r-jr.; Tim Smith, gr.
Reserves:.Jehiem Oatis, jr.; Damon Payne Jr., r-jr.; James Smith, so.; Edric Hill, r-fr.; Hunter Osborne, r-fr.; Jeremiah Beaman, fr.; Isaia Faga, fr.
Keenan III is coming off a redshirt sophomore season that saw him earn the starting spot at nose tackle. The 6-foot-2, 315-pound Keenan III finished the season totaling 38 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one sack, seven quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.
Smith saw time in all 14 of the Crimson Tide’s games in 2023, making 10 starts. On the season, Smith tallied 31 tackles, two sacks and a quarterback hurry. As a graduate, Smith by far brings back the most experience along the Crimson Tide’s interior defensive lineman.
Oats appeared in 13 games for the Crimson Tide last season with three starts, where he finished the season totaling 26 tackles, one of those for loss, along with half a sack, two quarterback hurries and two pass break ups. He was also named to the Outland Trophy Watch List in 2023, which is annually presented to the top interior lineman in the nation.
Payne Jr. saw time in all 14 of Alabama’s games in 2024 with limited snaps. He finished the season with nine stops, one tackle for loss and half a sack. Smith saw time in nine games during his freshman season in Tuscaloosa, totaling two tackles and a fumble recovery.
Hill saw time in two games during his freshman season with one tackle, while Osborne did not see any action. Faga and Beaman come to Tuscaloosa as three-star and four-star prospects, respectively, per the 247Sports Composite. They were a part of an Alabama recruiting class which ranked second in the nation.
The upside
Roach returning to coach the defensive line is huge for the Crimson Tide. He is the second coach, alongside assistant head coach/running backs coach Robert Gillespie, to remain on staff from the coaching transition from Saban to DeBoer.
This year will mark Roach’s fifth-year leading Alabama’s defensive line, having served the same role at Ole Miss for three seasons prior to his time in Tuscaloosa. He has coached these Crimson Tide players for years, having recruited most of them out of high school.
Roach led Alabama’s defensive line to be one of the most effective in recent years last season. In the NCAA, Alabama’s defense ranked 16th per scoring defenses, allowing an average of 19 points per game.
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One question or concern
With all of its experience returning, Alabama has the potential to have a very strong defensive line rotation.
A question looms, however, as to how the Crimson Tide will use its rotation.
With Eboigbe being drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Alabama loses most of its production from last season along its defensive line. As a whole, Eboigbe played 657 snaps last year. Behind Eboigbe, though, were Keenan III (497 snaps) and Smith (391 snaps).
The Crimson Tide returns plenty of experience and production from 2023, but it will be interesting to see how they use it come this fall.
Breakout candidate
Oats, being named to the Outland Trophy Watch List following last season, is poised for a breakout junior season.
Oats worked to make an impact on the team during his freshman season in 2022, which he did, and he worked to expand that role even more last season.
The junior is listed as 6-foot-5, 320-pounds per the UA website and was a five-star prospect out of Columbia High School in Columbia, Mississippi.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Here’s how Alabama football defensive tackles shape up for fall camp
