re: AJ McCarron: 2012 motto is "Be Legendary"

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Trying to get a handle on how good Bama's defense will be this year. I know a lot of NFL talent was lost, how good are some of the young studs?

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Mosley and Nico make up the best ILB duo in the country, Both have been tagged as potential first rounders with good seasons. Mosley is an OLB at the next level to most people.


Hubbard is the lengthy guy that the Jack Linebacker position is made for. At 6'6" 240lbs h's got really long arms and he's a threat to rush the passer off of the edge. He had three sacks in the A-Day game, and while that is just a Spring Game, it was against the best O-Line in the country. He's much faster than Upshaw and is better in coverage as well. He has more upside than Courtney did, but we have to see how that correlates onto the football field first on Saturdays.

Dickson is an upgrade from Harris. He was a True Freshman last year and he didn't know the defense well enough to get on the field more, but he should be just fine this season. He's a good pass rusher too, much better than Harris was, but he is more of a 4-5 sack a season guy than Hubbard who could easily grab 10. Dickson is about the same as Harris in coverage now, so by the time he's a Junior or a Senior he should be better. He's really good at sealing the edge against the run, but again we have to see if it stays that way in the Fall.


Quinton Dial and Ed Stinson are going to battle for one of the DE positions (WDE if I had to guess) and despite Stinson's rolling with the 1st team at A-Day, Dial should take the job before the season starts. Dial is a Senior and he's got very good size for a 34 End. Another guy who can stuff the run and get after QBs, but don't expect him to be Dareus. No matter which one starts, we'll still have the other, Pagan, Fanning, Ivory, and Taylor on the bench.

Belue and Dixon are JUCO transfers who are ready to get in at CB. Belue is way ahead of the learning curve for most players that play in Saban's secondary. By A-Day he was ahead of where Menzie was more than halfway through the 2010 season. Belue has nice height, but he's only 175ish pounds soaking wet with bricks in both pockets. He'll put on the weight in time to get to around 185 or so before he leaves for the NFL (most likely after his Senior campaign), but this year he should be a playmaker. In all likelihood if he picks off a pass, it is going to the house. Dixon is a hard hitter who has the perfect size and ability to be a lockdown CB. He's a bit behind in terms of learning the defense, but he'll get there in time. Both are Juniors. John Fulton is also a Junior who has been on the roster who should compete for playing time, but he's definitely not the most talented CB we've got.


Milliner has been the Nickelback and he and Menzie shared the 2nd CB position at times last year. He's a lockdown guy and won't give up much all season. He's not new to the starting line up at all, but some people don't count him when they say returning starters.


Vinnie is proven. He played on STs last year and looked good, but he also got in at Safety late in the season and he was always around the ball carrier. His vertical leap is low for a Safety, but he's a playmaker through and through. Of course Lester returns and he figures to compete with Reid and MacDonald for the best Safety in the nation spot. His INT numbers were down last year, but he wasn't thrown at a lot. Milliner and Menzie was targeted the most in the secondary, and Milliner made them pay. Menzie...not so much. He's gone now though.


Anyway, Bama stacked. Everyone fricked except LSU.