Ten Alabama sophomores to know ahead of the 2023 football season

With Alabama set to begin preseason football practice in less than a month, we decided to take a closer look at the Crimson Tide roster by breaking it down by class, seniors to freshmen.

We continue with the sophomore class, which is made up of 13 redshirt sophomores and nine true sophomores. Some of the players listed below carved out first-team roles this past season, while others are looking to do that ahead of the upcoming season. Most of the sophomores we highlighted below will be competing for starting spots during UA’s preseason practices.

Without further ado, here are 10 Alabama sophomores to know in 2023.

TERRION ARNOLD, DB

Arnold started six of the first seven games of the season at the cornerback position opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry and ended up being named a freshman All-American by the FWAA. But in between those two occurrences, he was replaced in the starting lineup by Eli Ricks, who was the starter for the second half of the season, only missing one game due to injury. With Ricks leaving for the NFL, Arnold has an opportunity to reclaim his spot on the first team, but he will have to compete with several other talented corners this offseason for the starting job.

ISAIAH BOND, WR

There are four wide receivers that could have been mentioned here with Bond, Kendrick Law, Kobe Prentice and Emmanuel Henderson all playing in double-digit games a year ago. But we elected to choose only two, and Bond got one of the nods. He played in 13 games last year and made only one start against Tennessee, but as the year progressed, Bond was one of the first receivers off the bench. He caught at least one pass in each of the last three games, including a touchdown in the bowl game, and could blossom into an explosive weapon for the Tide.

TYLER BOOKER, OL

Booker played in 12 of Alabama’s 13 games as a true freshman, but he saw plenty of the field with the ones on offense, as he typically replaced left guard Javion Cohen on the third series of games and right guard Emil Ekiyor on the fifth drive. Once Cohen decided to transfer to Miami, Booker stepped into that spot in the starting five against Kansas State, and with both Cohen and Ekiyor not returning, Booker is locked in as a starter along the offensive line. He worked at right guard in the spring, and some believe he can be the best guard in the SEC this season.

TYLER BUCHNER, QB

Buchner joined the Crimson Tide shortly after the spring, once head coach Nick Saban decided the quarterback position at Alabama needed more competition. Notre Dame’s Game 1 starter this past season, Buchner played in three games (missing 10 due to injury) and threw for 651 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 55.4 percent of his passes. At Alabama, he reunites with his offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees, and will compete with both Jalen Milroe (more on him in a bit) and Ty Simpson for the starting spot behind center.

JIHAAD CAMPBELL, LB

Campbell saw the field in nine games as a reserve linebacker and contributor on special teams. He appeared in each of the final five games, and with Deontae Lawson and Jaylen Moody off to the side during some bowl practices, Campbell received first-team reps alongside Henry To’o To’o in New Orleans. Could that have been a preview of what was to come at inside linebacker? Both To’o To’o and Moody are moving on, and UA is in the market for Lawson a running mate. With a year in the Alabama system under his belt, Campbell could be a top option.

KENDRICK LAW, WR

Law is the second wide receiver to make our sophomores list, and it was tough to settle on just two. But Law is highlighted for several reasons. The first is he saw the field quite a bit as a true freshman last year, playing in 11 games and catching eight passes for 103 yards. He was also one of Alabama’s best special teams players. Another is the toughness he plays with. Law was one of the offensive players Saban mentioned in the spring that plays hard and affects the rest of the receivers. With that in mind, the wideout should once again make an impact.

DEONTAE LAWSON, LB

Similar to Booker, Lawson is a player that played plenty of first-team reps throughout the year, splitting time with Moody at the Will linebacker position. He appeared in 11 games and made four starts, including the Iron and Sugar Bowls with Moody dealing with a shoulder injury. He finished fifth on the team in tackles last year, which was a couple of spots ahead of Moody, and with both the latter and To’o To’o moving on to the next level, Lawson is the most experienced returner at inside linebacker. Look for him to lead that group on and off the field.

JAM MILLER, RB

The artist formally known as Jamarion is now listed as “Jam” on Alabama’s online roster – which is a great name for a running back, in our opinion. He played in every game of the 2022 season as an active special teams contributor and a backup tailback. Miller finished fifth on the team in rushing with 223 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, but he paced the Tide’s backfield in yards per carry (6.76). Jahmyr Gibbs is gone, but there are two seniors ahead of Miller and two talented freshmen behind him. Still, he should compete for carries this spring.

JALEN MILROE, QB

With Bryce Young turning pro, Alabama will have a new starting quarterback this year. Milroe and Simpson were the leading candidates in the spring, but with Buchner entering the mix, the battle for the starting spot remains up for grabs. Milroe has a little bit of an upper hand, having played in eight games and filling in for Young when he hurt his shoulder against Arkansas. His 1.5 starts were invaluable, and his ability to make plays with his legs is what sets him apart. He will need to improve his consistency, but Milroe has put in some work this offseason.

JAHEIM OATIS, DL

Oatis was the true freshman that made the biggest impact for UA a year ago – literally and figuratively. The massive defensive tackle played in 12 games and took over the starting nose guard role by Week 3, making 10 starts. He was able to get on the field early after transforming his body over this past offseason, which allowed him to record 29 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and four quarterback hurries. Oatis will be a key piece to the defensive puzzle in 2023 as a returning starter and will likely take on more of a leadership role in Year 2.

*** Honorable mention: Terrence Ferguson, Emmanuel Henderson, Keanu Koht, Amari Niblack, Damon Payne, Kobe Prentice

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