Which Alabama players will join Nick Saban at SEC Media Days?

SEC Football Media Days will usher in a new season next week in Nashville from July 17-20.

Three student-athletes from each of the 14 conference schools will travel to the Nashville Grand Hyatt with their respective head coaches, and representing Alabama on Wednesday, July 19, alongside Nick Saban will be offensive tackle JC Latham, cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and linebacker Dallas Turner. All three players are juniors and top 2024 draft prospects.

Latham started every game at right tackle this past season as a true sophomore, and he tallied 29 knockdown blocks and only allowed two sacks and 11 pressures. With Tyler Steen turning pro, some thought he might move over to left tackle and protect the blindside of whoever wins Alabama’s quarterback competition, but in the spring, he stayed at right tackle. Regardless of where, he will be on the field. Latham probably didn’t get enough attention last year, and while he needs to cut down on the penalties, he could be in for an All-American season.

McKinstry stepped into a full-time role as a starter in 2022 and was Alabama’s most consistent cornerback in a season where four different players logged first-team minutes. In addition to shutting down opposing receivers, he was also one of the nation’s top punt returners, finishing second in yards per return (15.86). He earned second-team All-American recognition as both a corner and return man. With several starters leaving the secondary, McKinstry will be called on to not only continue to play at an elite level but also lead the bevy of new contributors.

After closing out the 2021 campaign as a starter, Turner was the Crimson Tide’s first-team Sam linebacker for the duration of the 2022 season, playing in all 13 games with nine starts. He didn’t put up the same numbers as his freshman year, finishing with eight tackles for loss and only four sacks, but Turner was still impactful with more tackles (37) and hurries (9) – and finding the end zone on a fumble return. With Will Anderson now a Houston Texan, Turner will be Alabama’s most experienced outside linebacker and will look to improve his stats in Year 3.

The SEC Network will once again televise the four-day event, starting Monday at 11:30 a.m. CT.

2023 SEC Media Days Student-Athlete Attendees

Alabama
JC Latham, OL, Junior
Kool-Aid McKinstry, DB, Junior
Dallas Turner, LB, Junior

Arkansas
Landon Jackson, DE, Junior
KJ Jefferson, QB, Senior
Raheim Sanders, RB, Junior

Auburn
Luke Deal, TE, Senior
Elijah McAllister, LB, Senior
Kameron Stutts, OL, Senior

Florida
Kingsley Eguakun, OL, Junior
Jason Marshall Jr., DB, Junior
Ricky Pearsall, WR, Senior

Georgia
Brock Bowers, TE, Junior
Kamari Lassiter, DB, Junior
Sedrick Van Pran, OL, Junior

Kentucky
Eli Cox, OL, Senior
Octavious Oxendine, DL, Senior
J.J. Weaver, LB, Senior

LSU
Jayden Daniels, QB, Senior
Josh Williams, RB, Senior
Mekhi Wingo, DT, Junior

Ole Miss
Cedric Johnson, DE, Senior
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Sophomore
Deantre Prince, CB, Senior

Mississippi State
Jaden Crumedy, DT, Senior
Jo’quavious Marks, RB, Senior
Will Rogers, QB, Senior

Missouri
Kris Abrams-Draine, DB, Junior
Javon Foster, OL, Senior
Darius Robinson, DL, Senior

South Carolina
Tonka Hemingway, DL, Senior
Kai Kroeger, P, Senior
Spencer Rattler, QB, Senior

Tennessee
Joe Milton III, QB, Senior
Omari Thomas, DL, Senior
Jacob Warren, TE, Senior

Texas A&M
Fadil Diggs, DL, Junior
McKinnley Jackson, DL, Senior
Ainias Smith, WR, Senior

Vanderbilt
Ethan Barr, LB, Senior
Jaylen Mahoney, S, Senior
Will Sheppard, WR, Senior

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