Unproven Alabama roster 'absolutely' has firepower to win it all in 2023

Nick Saban finds himself in uncharted waters at Alabama. For the first time in a long time, people are seriously questioning if the Crimson Tide can keep up with college football’s powers. Not having a proven quarterback is part of the equation but the roster is going through a bit of a transition period.

On3’s J.D. PicKell is not one of those doubters and instead, is putting faith in the Alabama roster. He thinks they “absolutely” have enough to compete for a national championship and the College Football Playoff, despite a ton of unknowns. Saban has just been recruiting at too high of a level.

“When you look at the roster itself, there’s absolutely the firepower there to get it done,” Pickell said during an appearance on Wednesday’s edition of the Paul Finebaum Show. “I think the motivated Alabama team is scarier for people.

“I keep going back to the roster. A lot of it is unproven for sure. I think they are somewhere in the 120s for returning production this season. But at Alabama, they way they have recruited, new isn’t necessarily bad for the Crimson Tide.”

Multiple new faces are expected to play a role from Alabama. Freshman safety Caleb Downs and running back Justice Haynes are making an early impression in Tuscaloosa. The offensive line is going to be reshuffled, with a new left tackle stepping in.

Of course, the quarterback is the biggest piece of it all. Jalen Milroe is the only one with real SEC experience, closing out a game against Arkansas and starting against Texas A&M. Ty Simpson has played nothing but garbage time and Tyler Buchner comes from Notre Dame.

A majority of the roster shares the inexperience as well. PicKell has enough faith in Alabama to step it up in 2023.

Alabama had opportunity to make CFP last season

PicKell also took time to reflect on last year’s Alabama team, saying they were close to making the College Football Playoff. Had Tennessee missed the field goal or Maason Taylor never caught the two-point conversion, Saban is heading to Atlanta with a foot in the door.

Just because Alabama did not appear in the CFP does not mean it did not have the capability of doing so.

“Just because they didn’t get it done doesn’t mean they weren’t capable,” PicKell said. “That team last year was two plays away from being 8-4. They were also two plays away from being 12-0 and locking up a spot in the College Football Playoff before even playing in the SEC title game. Last year’s team kind of wrote its own story.”