Alabama Football 2023 Season Preview: Starting Lineup, Predictions & More
By Matt Melton
Alabama Football New Faces to Know
Similar to a year ago, Alabama had multiple impact players make their way to Tuscaloosa through the transfer portal, as well as names from their annual top recruiting class make impacts as well. With the Crimson Tide having done the same thing this offseason, which included the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the 2023 cycle according to the 247Sports Team Rankings, who are a few new faces to know for Alabama entering the 2023 season?
S Caleb Downs
One of the biggest names in Alabama football’s 2023 class, Downs comes to Tuscaloosa as a five-star prospect out of Mill Creek High School in Georgia, where he was also considered the nation’s top safety. With the Crimson Tide having lost all three starting safeties from last season, Downs is a likely major impact player from day one as a true freshman, and is undoubtedly a name to know for Alabama entering 2023.
OT Kadyn Proctor
Proctor, alongside Downs, was also another big name from Alabama’s 2023 class, rated as a five-star prospect out of Southeast Polk High School in Iowa, where he was also considered as the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country. Proctor could also see a noteworthy amount of action this fall as a true freshman, potentially in a starting role along Alabama’s offensive line.
RB Justice Haynes
Even despite Alabama returning the likes of Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams, and Jam Miller at the running back position, Haynes is still undoubtedly a name to know as a true freshman. A five-star prospect, Haynes was one of the nation’s top running backs in the 2023 class out of Buford High School in Georgia, and could very easily be a major impact player in what is a talented Alabama running back room.
TE CJ Dippre
Similar to last offseason, Alabama added multiple transfers that could make an immediate impact, the first of which is Dippre. Dippre is the arguable favorite to replace Cameron Latu at tight end, and is coming off a strong season at Maryland in which he had 30 receptions for 314 yards and three touchdowns.
WR Malik Benson
Arguably the Crimson Tide’s most talked about addition at the wide receiver position during the offseason was Benson, who was the nation’s No. 1 overall JUCO prospect out of Hutchinson C.C. in Kansas. Benson had 2,000+ receiving yards across the last two seasons at Hutchinson, and could very easily play a major role for Alabama at wide receiver this fall.
CB Trey Amos
A transfer addition in the secondary, Amos comes to Alabama from Louisiana where he has had 59 tackles across the last three seasons, as well as 35 a year ago. An experienced player, Amos could play multiple roles in Alabama’s secondary this season, as well as provide depth.
LB Justin Jefferson
Benson previously was not the only JUCO prospect in Alabama football’s 2023 class, as Jefferson, who was the nation’s No. 2 JUCO prospect out of Pearl River C.C., was also in that talented group. Jefferson is likely to see time for the Crimson Tide at inside linebacker this season, potentially in a starting role.
S Jaylen Key
Alabama also landed another transfer in the secondary with Key, a safety who transfers from UAB. Key is coming off a season in which he had 60 tackles and 4.5 TFL for the Blazers, and adds both experience and depth to the Crimson Tide secondary this fall.
EDGE Keon Keeley
The highest-ranked recruit in Alabama’s 2023 class, could Keeley make an immediate impact with the Crimson Tide similar to how Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner did as true freshmen? Alabama will certainly have production to replace at outside linebacker this season, and there weren’t many in the 2023 class better than Keeley, with the five-star considered the nation’s No. 1 edge rusher out of Berkeley Prep (FL).
QB Tyler Buchner
Another transfer addition for the Crimson Tide this offseason is also likely the most talked about in Buchner, a quarterback who transferred from Notre Dame. Buchner has seen action each of the last two seasons at Notre Dame, and is competing for Alabama’s starting job this fall against Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson.
OC Tommy Rees and DC Kevin Steele
While not players on the field, Alabama has two new coordinators this season in Tommy Rees and Kevin Steele. Rees comes to Tuscaloosa after previously serving as the offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, while Steele, who has been at Alabama under Saban before, was the defensive coordinator at Miami a year ago.