Alabama Crimson Tide's Top 10 Players for 2012

If you are looking for a few breakout players on the Alabama defense, keep a close watch on the linebackers. Sophomores Trey DePriest, Adrian Hubbard and Xzavier Dickson could shine with extended playing time, but Mosley gets the nod as Alabama’s No. 10 player. He has started nine games in his first two years with the Crimson Tide and has 57 career stops. The junior could share time with Nico Johnson at middle linebacker, but is one of Alabama’s rising stars on defense.

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Fluker enters his junior year primed for a breakout season. He was one of Alabama’s top recruits in the 2009 signing class and started nine games as a true freshman in 2010. Fluker followed up his solid debut by starting all 13 games last season and will anchor the right side of the line in 2012. Fluker has yet to earn All-SEC honors, but all signs point to him developing into one of the conference’s best tackles this year.

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Williams made a splash in his first season with the Crimson Tide last year. After playing at Western Arizona Community College for two seasons, the Australia native was a key performer on the line. Williams recorded 24 tackles, while recording four tackles for a loss and three quarterback hurries. Although he moved between end and tackle last year, Williams is expected to anchor the interior of the line in 2012. At 6-foot-4 and 319 pounds, Williams has the necessary size and speed to plug the gaps and allow Alabama’s linebackers to make plays. 

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With Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie performing at a high level last year, Milliner was almost a forgotten man in the secondary. As a freshman in 2010, he made 11 starts and recorded 55 tackles. Milliner only started six games last year, but picked off three passes, including one that went for a score against Auburn. Kirkpatrick and Menzie have departed, leaving Milliner as Alabama’s No. 1 cornerback this season.

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Warmack heads into 2012 with high expectations. He has made 26 consecutive starts and earned second-team all-conference honors by the coaches last season. With Barrett Jones moving to center, Warmarck will be expected to anchor the left side of the line, especially with talented, but inexperienced sophomore Cyrus Kouandjio taking over at left tackle.

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Even with stalwarts Dont’a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw no longer in Tuscaloosa, the linebacking corps should remain a strength for Alabama. Johnson has played in 38 career games and has made 15 starts. He started seven contests last year and recorded 47 stops and one interception. The senior will be expected to provide leadership as the most experienced starter in the linebacking corps and should be one of Alabama’s top defensive players this season.

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With the departures of Dre Kirkpatrick and Mark Barron, Lester is expected to become the leader in Alabama’s secondary. He has started 26 consecutive games, while recording 10 interceptions during that span. Lester has 99 tackles through three years and recorded a career-high seven pass breakups in the win over Arkansas last year. He is an Athlon Sports second-team All-SEC selection for 2012.

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Trent Richardson is gone, but Alabama’s rushing attack isn’t likely to miss a beat. Lacy rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns in a backup role last season and will assume the No. 1 spot in 2012. He averaged an impressive 7.1 yards per carry and caught 11 passes for 131 yards. Lacy will have help on the ground from redshirt freshman Dee Hart, true freshman T.J. Yeldon and Jalston Fowler, but look for the junior to eclipse 1,000 yards and contend for All-SEC honors in 2012.

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McCarron was steady in his first year as a starter, throwing for 2,634 yards and 16 scores. He had a breakout performance in the national title victory over LSU, completing 23 of 34 passes for 234 yards. With the losses on defense, and running back Trent Richardson departing for the NFL, McCarron is expected to shoulder more of the offensive load in 2012. Even with a new coordinator, the junior should easily surpass last season’s totals and is primed to become one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks.

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Offensive linemen are some of the most underappreciated players in college football, but Jones is arguably the SEC’s No. 1 returning performer for 2012. He has 36 career starts and has earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2010-11. With William Vlachos finishing his eligibility, Jones will slide from left tackle to center, which will be his third position in three years, after spending 2010 at right guard. His versatility is a huge bonus for Alabama’s offense, which could be better in 2012, despite the loss of running back Trent Richardson.

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