Every year, thousands of college football players see an increased role from the previous season, and it could lead to major individual success.
This is extremely common at Alabama, as former players like Quinnen Williams , Tua Tagovailoa and DeVonta Smith went from having limited field access one year to becoming superstars the next.
The Crimson Tide is under 120 days from running out onto Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the season opener against East Carolina. There's bound to be a ton of Alabama players who break out during the 2026 campaign. Here are five candidates poised to show major improvement this upcoming season.
Note: guaranteed 2026 starters who also started throughout the second half of last season (Michael Carroll and Dijon Lee Jr. ) are not included below.
Alabama Defensive Back Red Morgan (6) during Practice at Thomas-Drew Practice Fields in Tuscaloosa, AL on Thursday, Mar 26, 2026. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
The starting group of defensive backs last season was perhaps the most consistent on the depth chart. Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard were the safeties, Zabien Brown held a cornerback spot and Dijon Lee Jr. plus Domani Jackson alternated the other.
Last season, Morgan moved around from safety to husky and also had reps at cornerback, but mostly alternated at husky with DaShawn Jones. But now that Jones has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, the starting husky spot is Morgan's to lose.
The 6-foot, 203-pound junior models his game after former Alabama and current NFL Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch , who also switched positions multiple times while in Tuscaloosa. Versatility is something that Morgan embraces and he aims to put it on full display in his increased time on the field.
"My ability to just play anywhere and the coaches trust me to play anywhere," Morgan said on March 7 . "I appreciate them for putting that trust in me to go and play anywhere in the secondary. Shoutout to the coaches.
"I wouldn't say it's hard. I've been balling out my whole life, it's just another position. I'm just going out there and being the best player I could be...Just being physical. Being able to play on the ball, being able to go out there and guard the best receivers."
Alabama Wide Receiver Lotzeir Brooks (3) during Scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Friday, Apr 3, 2026. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
The 2025 Alabama starting wide receivers were set in stone well before the season started, as Ryan Coleman-Williams, Germie Bernard and Isaiah Horton held those spots. Coleman-Williams returned for 2026, but Bernard's collegiate eligibility expired (he was then drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers ) and Horton transferred to Texas A&M.
In other words, two spots need to be filled this offseason, and all signs point to Brooks taking one of them. Rico Scott was the first player off the bench at the beginning of last season, but Brooks quickly took over that role. The then-freshman finished with 32 receptions for 441 yards and a pair of scores - both coming in the College Football Playoff first-round road win over Oklahoma .
As he enters his sophomore year, Brooks has expectations to be the primary competitor with Coleman-Williams for targets. His career-highs of five receptions for 79 yards and the two touchdowns against the Sooners showed a flash of what could come from him this fall.
"He's got twitch, he's got the ability to separate, and then he's really good with the ball in his hands," Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said after the Oklahoma game . "And so I think you saw a little bit of all that happening, whether it would be on third down, on a third down there in the first half, the touchdowns - winning before you catch the ball, the other one winning after you have the ball in your hands.
"And so love the energy he brings. He's pretty loose, easy going, and sometimes I make sure I got to reel him in a little bit. But, man, that's when he's at his best. So, just let him be who he is. You know, kind of figuring out your players as you go through the season. He came out and had a great game. And you know, you see him and Ty [Simpson] really connecting and being on the same page."
Alabama Defensive Lineman London Simmons (90) in action against Wisconsin at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Sep 13, 2025. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
Four of the five breakout candidates listed in this story are accompanied by a photo from spring practice. That's except for Simmons, who missed the entire spring window, including the A-Day scrimmage.
If it were extremely serious, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer would've said more than just "London Simmons will be out for the spring" on March 10 , meaning he should be good to go by the time the season rolls around. And if Simmons does play Week 1, he'll all but certainly start in a crowded defensive line room.
The defensive line won't be similar to last year's. Six members of the unit transferred out and LT Overton and Tim Keenan III were selected in the NFL Draft . That said, five defensive linemen transferred in and there's a ton of moving pieces up front. Nevertheless, the former three-star recruit is poised for a breakout season because of what he was able to accomplish as a freshman depth piece who didn't even enroll until that summer.
Simmons played in all 15 games (two starts) as a true freshman with 266 defensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus, trailing only the aforementioned Dijon Lee Jr. in snaps by true freshmen. He recorded 19 tackles, including 1.5 sacks (-12 yards), along with two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery. He was named to the Freshman All-SEC Team by the league coaches.
"He did a good job of just coming in and learning what was going on, following the leadership of the older guys, and not saying a whole bunch," Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach said at Rose Bowl Media Day . "Just kind of being a sponge on what was going on and how he needed to do things and with the right mindset and working. That's been his whole thing, and he's worked his butt off. He had to start some games when TK was down for a little bit, but he's done a tremendous job."
Alabama Tight End Kaleb Edwards (81) during practice Spring Practice at Thomas-Drew Practice Fields in Tuscaloosa, AL on Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
This bends the rules a little bit, as Edwards is an obvious breakout candidate, but unlike Carroll and Lee, before and after Josh Cuevas sustained a foot injury that sidelined him for a couple of games, he was the starter and earned far more snaps than Edwards. But Cuevas' collegiate eligibility has expired (he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens ) and the tight end position is Edwards' to lose.
"[I've learned] a lot of leadership stuff," Edwards said on March 25 . "The mindset. Just how to take control of the room, help everyone around me and myself. ... [My freshman year] was surreal. I didn't expect to play as much as I did. Then my number got called and it was just a lot of fun. It was a great learning experience, especially just getting to play with Cuevo (Josh Cuevas), learned a whole ton from him. We still talk all the time. I'm still learning from him."
Edwards was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team last season after 11 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown. This includes his six catches and 80 yards during the three-game stretch without Cuevas.
Edwards told BamaCentral at Rose Bowl Media Day that he models his game after George Kittle , and like the seven-time NFL Pro Bowler, Edwards is poised to have a much better second season than his first.
"I think I've developed even more than I could've possibly imagined, especially in just this short time," Edwards said on March 25. "Having one spring under my belt now is going to be a big difference in me and all of my teammates."
Alabama Linebacker QB Reese (36) during practice Spring Practice at Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa, AL on Thursday, Mar 12, 2026. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics
Similar to Morgan, Reese is hoping the third year is the charm to dominate for the Crimson Tide. The linebacker was somewhat of a breakout candidate entering 2025, but he finished with six tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while appearing in all 15 contests. Reese only appeared in five games in 2024 after redshirting as a freshman.
That said, the linebacker unit will look completely different, as last year's starters Justin Jefferson (drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns ), Deontae Lawson and Nikhai Hill-Green each exhausted their eligibility. Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson is very likely to take one of the spots, but Reese's experience at UA makes him a very strong candidate for one of the other vacancies, and Lawson agrees.
"Honestly, I would just say QB because just watching him develop from a freshman to a sophomore," Lawson, a two-time captain, said at the NFL Combine . "Man, he wasn't even traveling to the games, but he's showing up to every meeting and just being present no matter what the situation was. His role couldn't grow that much last year, but he still took advantage. I'm definitely excited for him and the rest of the inside backers."
"He's always been a hard worker," Keenan said of Reese at the NFL Combine. "He's going to keep working harder. I expect him to make some big plays this year. He's gonna do his thing."
Reese is an in-state product out of Ramsay High School in Birmingham. He's mostly worked on special teams since his arrival, and unlike most college athletes today, he's waited his turn. The stars are beginning to align for him to make a massive impact this fall - can he get the job done?
Five Breakout Honorable Mentions: wide receivers Rico Scott and Derek Meadows, offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd, defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman and linebacker Justin Hill.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Five Alabama Football Players Poised for a Breakout 2026 Season .
