Projected Alabama defensive depth chart for fall camp 2026

Alabama defensive depth chart projections below map likely starters, backups and spots that could still shift before fall camp. This projection highlights key names — including Devan Thompkins, Yhonzae Pierre and Bray Hubbard — while using “or” where the early-week pecking order is uncertain.

Note: This is a projection based on reporting and roster fits roughly a month before fall camp, not an official depth chart from the coaching staff. Coaches will finalize roles after practice reps, special-teams work and early scrimmages.

Alabama defensive depth chart: projected starters

Bandit: Devan Thompkins; Jah-Marien Latham; Mhari Johnson.

Nose Tackle: London Simmons or Terrance Green; Jeremiah Beaman.

Defensive Tackle: Kedrick Bingley-Jones; Steve Mboumoua or Edric Hill or Isaia Faga.

Wolf LB: Yhonzae Pierre; Desmond Umeozulu or Justin Hill; Fatutoa Henry or Jamarion Matthews.

Stinger: QB Reese (provisional/unspecified) or Luke Metz; Abduall Sanders or Cayden Jones; Duke Johnson.

Mike: Caleb Woodson; QB Reese (provisional/unspecified) or Luke Metz; Xavier Griffin.

Husky: Red Morgan; Dre Kirkpatrick; Chuck McDonald.

Cornerbacks: Dijon Lee / Jorden Edmonds and Zabien Brown / Carmelo O’Neal (nickel and dime rotations follow).

Free Safety (FS): Bray Hubbard; Ivan Taylor.

Strong Safety (SS): Keon Sabb; Zavier Mincey; Jireh Edwards.

Front seven report: Nose, DT and interior

Nose tackle is a live job: London Simmons or Terrance Green look like the earliest options to handle heavy inside run work, with Jeremiah Beaman staging as the primary rotational backup. The “or” flags here are intentional — practice rep balance and short-yardage snaps will decide the early rotation.

Kedrick Bingley-Jones projects as the primary interior anchor on early downs. Behind him, Steve Mboumoua, Edric Hill and Isaia Faga form a multi-person rotational group built to provide pass-rush bursts and sub-package pressure. Alabama’s preference for rotating interior linemen means snap-splits will be a big determinant for workload and matchups.

Why it matters: the interior defensive line dictates how often linebackers can stay clean to make plays; heavier use of Bingley-Jones on base downs would push rotational rushers into passing situations.

Linebacker spots: Wolf, Mike and Stinger

The Wolf slot looks to be Yhonzae Pierre’s to lose. Pierre’s range, downhill instincts and effort plays project him as the primary Wolf with Desmond Umeozulu or Justin Hill behind him. Those backups are likely to earn early snaps on special teams while pushing to expand defensive reps.

At Mike, Caleb Woodson projects as the primary off-ball presence — a player expected to patrol the middle and handle underneath zone responsibilities. The Stinger role is more tactical and shows the most flexibility on this list: QB Reese (provisional/unspecified) or Luke Metz are listed as options, reflecting a staff choice between coverage flexibility and rush-versus-coverage tradeoffs.

Coaches will watch tackling efficiency, play processing and short-yardage performance to determine who handles early-down work versus sub-package duties.

Secondary breakdown: corners and safeties

Corner groups look defined in pairings: Dijon Lee with Jorden Edmonds on one side and Zabien Brown with Carmelo O’Neal on the other. Those duos give length and press capability; look for rotation into nickel/dime looks and situational matchups as the season opens.

The safety picture has Bray Hubbard projected as free safety with Ivan Taylor behind him. Keon Sabb projects to hold the strong safety role where his box presence helps match tight ends and fill run gaps; Zavier Mincey and Jireh Edwards provide depth behind him.

Hubbard’s role leans toward range and turnover-seeking plays; Sabb is the in-box defender whose assignment soundness matters in base packages.

Position battles to watch

Any spot listed with “or” is actively in competition: Nose Tackle (London Simmons or Terrance Green), the defensive tackle rotation, and the Stinger listing (QB Reese uncertainty vs. Luke Metz) are the most likely to change before camp. Those are the high-variance roles where a few practice days or a scrimmage showing could flip the early depth order.

Key indicators coaches use during preseason: who takes first-team snaps in practice, how players perform on special teams, short-yardage and two-minute drills, and assignment soundness in team periods. A backup who wins a special-teams job and shows clean coverage mechanics can accelerate into defensive snaps quickly.

Snapshots and social praise

Beat and fan accounts have highlighted a handful of high-effort plays as evidence of momentum. One widely discussed clip praised Yhonzae Pierre’s aggressive rush and finish on a recent strip-sack sequence — the sort of play that can push a young linebacker into more high-leverage snaps.

These clips are illustrative snapshots, not definitive proof of role lock. Coaches still weigh consistency across multiple practice days and reps before shifting regular-season rotations.

What comes next

Fall camp opens in approximately a month. Coaches will use early practices, scrimmages and daily evaluations to adjust this projected Alabama defensive depth chart. Expect regular updates in daily practice reports and early-season rotation notes that show who’s trending up or down.

Watch for role consolidation over the first two weeks of camp: consistent assignment soundness, tackling angles and special-teams availability are reliable accelerants for backups seeking defensive snaps.

Source attribution

This projection draws from reporting at tdalabamamag.com — “Predicting Alabama football’s defensive depth chart a month ahead of fall camp”. This is a projection, not an official roster from the coaching staff.

FAQ

Is this the official Alabama defensive depth chart?
No. This is a projection based on reporting and roster fits roughly a month before fall camp. Official depth charts come from the coaching staff once camp begins.

Who is the projected starter at the Bandit spot?
Devan Thompkins is the projected Bandit starter with Jah-Marien Latham and Mhari Johnson listed as backups.

Which positions are most likely to change before camp?
Nose Tackle, the defensive tackle rotation and the Stinger listing (QB Reese uncertainty vs. Luke Metz) are most likely to change. Any spot labeled with “or” indicates higher uncertainty.