Kane Wommack praises pair of second-year defenders from Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – One of the points of emphasis for Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack for Year 2 with the Crimson Tide was to develop depth on his side of the ball.
When speaking to local reporters on Monday, Wommack pointed to the defensive backfield as an area where Alabama lacked depth a year ago but is in a much better place in 2025.
One of the Tide’s young defensive backs who has made noticeable progress between Years 1 and 2 is safety Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. This spring, Kirkpatrick received reps in the slot at Alabama’s Husky position, playing with the second-team defense behind DaShawn Jones.
A native of Gadsden, Alabama, Kirkpatrick played in all 13 games last year as a true freshman, working primarily on special teams but also late in games. His improvement could be beneficial to the Crimson Tide defensive backfield at some point this upcoming campaign.
“Dre is a great example of a guy that took a really big step from Year 1 to Year 2 in the offseason,” Wommack said. “Dre is another playmaker. He’s a football guy, understands the game, makes plays when it matters most. And I thought he flashed in a number of ways this spring.
“The thing that is exciting to me is you saw some of those things a year ago, but with the highs and the lows, there was too much of a polarizing player there. Whereas now, I think he’s playing at a much more consistent level, and he’s also making plays.
“He’s another guy that has position versatility. We can play him at the safety position and the nickel position. And so I’m excited to kind of work with him this summer and carrying into fall camp, as well.”
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Earlier this spring, Wommack mentioned depth along the interior defensive line as a possible concern for the 2025 team. Development of young defensive tackles was key in spring camp, and several young players seemed to take advantage of the reps they received.
Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Beaman only appeared in three games as a rookie last year, but with older players in his position room moving on this offseason, the Birmingham product has an opportunity to earn rotational reps. Wommack also praised Beaman’s progress.
“Really pleased with Beam and the steps that he has taken this spring,” Wommack said. “I think you saw pieces of that at the end of the season, even in bowl preparation, and what he was able to do and execute in the bowl game. He did a really nice job for us in the bowl game, and I thought took his game to another level in the spring.
“So there’s a big body and a big frame that can move, he’s athletic, and he is operating with consistency that we can trust. I’m excited about his trajectory.”
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