re: 2020 FB Recruiting & Roster

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We continue our rankings with redshirt junior center Chris Owens at No. 19.

*** Breakdown of Alabama’s Top-25 Most Important Players for 2019: Two things went into consideration in this breakdown. One was how much the player would see the field this fall. With that condition, the list is primarily made up of starters. The second aspect is the player’s importance to the team, meaning if they are replacing a starter at a key position and how hard it would be to replace them should something occur to force them out of commission.
OWENS PROFILE
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 315 pounds
Hometown: Arlington, Texas High School: Lamar

247Sports Composite ranking: 4-star (2016)
- No. 187 nationally
- No. 10 offensive guard
- No. 28 in state of Texas
2019 OUTLOOK
Owens is entering his fourth season in Tuscaloosa, Al., after spending the last two years as a reserve. The now-redshirt junior played in 13 games in 2018 as Alabama’s backup center and reserve tackle, missing only the Texas A&M and Georgia games. He also saw time on the Tide’s field goal and extra point teams as a redshirt sophomore after appearing in three games in 2017.

With Ross Pierschbacher running out of eligibility after the 2018 campaign, Alabama needed to find a new center this offseason, and the Lone Star State native entered the spring as the top candidate at the position. Starting there in the A-Day for the Crimson team (first-team offense), Owens exited the spring as a projected starter at center -- a position that concerned Nick Saban.

“I think the issue is making sure that the center position is solidified,” Saban said during the spring. “Chris Owens has done a good job there so far, but that’s the thing that we have to make sure to develop -- the depth and the consistency -- because we’ve been very fortunate to have some very experienced good players play in that position in the past.”
WHY NO. 19?

Owens has been in the program and did nothing in the spring to jeopardize his opportunity to take over in place of Pierschbacher. But outside of the tackle positions, which are held by Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills, Alabama has options in the interior of its offensive line.

Outside of Owens, Emil Ekiyor and Darrian Dalcourt saw reps at center in the spring. Saban praised Owens’ performance in March and April but always mentioned other possibilities at center.

“Chris Owens has done a really good job there. He has done a really good job when he’s had to play there,” Saban said. “Dalcourt looks like he’s a young guy that could be a good center somewhere down the road, at some point in time. We’ve got a lot of guys that can play the position, and I’m pleased with the progress they’ve made.

“Chris Owens has really shown a lot of leadership and really worked hard this spring. I think his teammates have a lot of confidence in him but we’re going to keep on trying to get those guys to play better and better and better as we go. I think we have enough good players in the offensive line. We’re just going to have to figure out what the best combination of guys will be for us next year.”

Right now, Owens is the leader in the clubhouse to anchor the Crimson Tide’s offensive line in 2019. And if that holds true through the preseason, in the season opener and beyond, he will be ranked much higher than No. 19 when we revisit these rankings in January. But for now, like a lot of other players still competing, Owens comes in behind established starters on our annual offseason list.

*** Below are the players that are ranked below Owens at No. 19.
25. PKs Joseph Bulovas and Will Reichard
24. QBs Mac Jones and Taulia Tagovailoa
23. OL Matt Womack
22. WR DeVonta Smith
21. S Jared Mayden
20. DT DJ Dale

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Theodore four-star linebacker Demouy Kennedy, one of the top 2020 prospects in the state of Alabama, committed to the Crimson Tide on Sunday morning after a banner camp in Tuscaloosa the day before.

Kennedy previously had told AL.com he would wait until December to make a decision but said Sunday morning he was ready for recruiting to be over.

“I knew where I wanted to be,” he said. “I’m ready for it to be done and focus on my senior year at Theodore with my teammates.”

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He said Sunday’s decision was “100 percent.”

“It feels great,” he told AL.com. “I’m not changing anymore. I just love the tradition and the coaching at Alabama and how they will prepare you, not just in football, but after football as well. I love the facilities and the school and the campus. Everything is awesome.”

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Damn we are dominating in state

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