Alabama Football: Ranking the Top 10 inside linebackers of the Nick Saban era
By Matt Melton
Throughout the tenure of Nick Saban as head football coach at The University of Alabama, there is one position on the defensive side of the ball where the pure level of talent has arguably stood out above the rest – Inside Linebacker. Yes, just by that sentence alone, you can probably already think of at-least four-to-five former Alabama football greats at the position who have played under Nick Saban from 2007-22.
So, let’s take a look at some of those names from this loaded position group, and rank the Top 10 inside linebackers to play under Nick Saban at Alabama, starting at No. 10.
Ranking the Top 10 Alabama football inside linebackers of the Nick Saban era
10. Dylan Moses
Career Stats: 192 tackles, 21.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 2 INT, 4 PD, 3 FF across 35 games
We begin the list of the greatest Alabama football inside linebackers under Saban at No. 10 with Moses, who came to Tuscaloosa as a five-star prospect in the Crimson Tide’s 2017 class out of IMG Academy in Florida. Across his three seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2017-20 (missed all of the 2019 season due to injury), Moses would compile a combined 192 tackles, 21.5 TFL, six sacks, two INT’s, four PD, and three FF as a member of the Crimson Tide’s defense.
Arguably the five-star’s best single-season in Tuscaloosa was his 2018 sophomore year, where he amassed 86 tackles, 10 TFL, 3.5 sacks, one PD, and one FF for the Crimson Tide. Moses also won two national championships as a member of the Crimson Tide in 2017 and 2020.
9. Trey Depriest
Career Stats: 232 tackles, 18 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 5 PD, 2 FR, 2 FF across 38+ games
Moving on to No. 9 is Depriest, who came to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide’s 2011 class, rated as a five-star prospect out of Springfield High School in Ohio. Across four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Depriest would compile a combined 232 tackles, 18 TFL, two sacks, one INT, five PD, two FR, and two FF from 2011-14.
Arguably Depriest’s best season in Tuscaloosa was his 2012 senior campaign, one in which he compiled 87 tackles, five TFL, and two PD for the Crimson Tide. Depriest was also a two-time national champion with Alabama football, coming in 2011 and 2012.