When it comes to college football, Alabama has been at the top of the mountain recently. Don’t expect that to change in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Alabama needed overtime last season to win the College Football Playoff over Georgia. That sort of close shave isn’t good enough for Nick Saban and company. They aspire for perfection in all aspects of the game. That requires the Crimson Tide to dominate the opposition.
Fortunately for Alabama fans, there are tons of reasons to like Alabama’s chances to finish the job again this year. Yes, they lost a lot of talent to the NFL, but that’s an annual occurrence in Tuscaloosa. There’s still more than enough talent on Saban’s squad to win it all.
In this piece, we’ll examine the top five reasons why you should back Alabama to win it all. We’ll start by looking at the team’s talented receiving corps.
5. The embarrassment of riches at wide receiver
Saban’s offenses always have the ability to run the football effectively, but this year’s team is stocked full of talent on the outside. No matter who lines up under center for the Tide, they’re going to have multiple NFL talents to target.
Calvin Ridley is with the Falcons now, but Jerry Jeudy may have even more talent. He only had 14 catches last season but posted an impressive average of almost 19 yards per catch. Look for him to stretch the field vertically for the Alabama offense this season.
Jeudy isn’t the only weapon returning. Henry Ruggs is also a very intriguing talent. He only caught 12 passes last season but he ended up in the end zone six times. He won’t hold that proportion this year, but it does illustrate what a big play receiver he can be.
Lastly, the tight ends will continue to be a healthy staple for the Alabama offense. Irv Smith and Hale Hentges are two upperclassmen that are both good run blockers, but they’re quality receivers as well. Look for them to get attention from NFL scouts as the season rolls on.