Alabama Crimson Tide

It’s Rankings Week at TideNation. Every day we’ll rank some facet of the Alabama football program heading in 2013. Today we’re ranking the top 10 defensive players the Tide will face this season. On Thursday we’ll switch gears and rank the top 10 freshmen with a chance of making the biggest impact in the fall for UA.

Ranking the defensive players

1. DT Anthony Johnson (LSU): Stop me if you're heard this one before: LSU has one of the best defensive line prospects in the country. Yeah, this year is no different as Johnson steps to the forefront, already the No. 22 prospect on Mel Kiper's early Big Board. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound linemen is nicknamed Freak for a reason. Even behind players like Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery and Bennie Logan, Johnson shined as a raw talent capable of terrorizing offenses up the middle.

2. LB Denzel Nkemdiche (Ole Miss): He isn't a typical linebacker because of his relatively slight frame, and he's certainly not what you'd call a safety. But Nkemdiche is what every coach covets: a playmaker. In Ole Miss' complex defense, Nkemdiche thrives. He led the Rebels with 82 tackles and chipped in with team-leading 13 tackles for loss. He even finished tied for first with three interceptions.

3. DE James Gayle (Virginia Tech): We'll know right away whether Alabama's retooled offensive line is capable of living up to last year's standard, as Gayle and the Virginia Tech pass rush comes calling in the season opener. As a junior, Gayle tallied 43 tackles and five sacks on his way to a second-team All-ACC selection. He turned down the NFL and comes back to Blacksburg as one of nine returning starters on defense.

4. LB A.J. Johnson (Tennessee): It's tough to find a player in the SEC who produced more last season than Johnson, who racked up 138 tackles for the Volunteers. The 50th-ranked player on Kiper's early Big Board, Johnson is a guy who can keep Alabama's ground game from running away from what stands to be a lackluster Tennessee defense.

5. LB Lamin Barrow (LSU): Barrow was understandably lost in the haze of NFL prospects in Death Valley last season. But the 6-2, 229-pound linebacker did finish with a whopping 104 tackles, five pass breakups and five quarterback hurries. There will be a lot of new faces on defense for the Tigers in 2013, and Barrow should serve as the glue to hold the operation together.

6. DT Daniel McCullers (Tennessee): The Vols very own Mount Cody, McCullers is the kind of big-bodied nose guard you can build a defense around. The 6-8, 370-pound prospect ranks 43rd on Kiper's early Big Board, and could see his stock rise farther with a solid 2013 campaign.

7. S Craig Loston (LSU): Loston is a rising star on the Tigers defense who very nearly spirited all the way to the NFL after last season. Unlike many of LSU's underclassmen, Loston decided to return, and coach Les Miles should consider himself lucky for having a veteran to anchor what is an otherwise green secondary. Loston played in 12 games last season and finished with a respectable 55 tackles and three interceptions on his way to a second-team All-SEC selection.

8. DE Dee Ford and Nosa Eguae (Auburn): Say what you will about Ellis Johnson the head coach, but Ellis Johnson the defensive coordinator knows what he's doing. And with a few parts still remaining on Auburn's defense, Johnson has a chance to outdo expectations on the Plains. Ford, who led the Tigers in sacks last season, and Eguae have the tools Johnson can build around up front.

9. LB Avery Williamson (Kentucky): You might not know his name, but the 6-1, 243-pound linebacker finished second in the SEC in tackles (135) and led the conference in solo stops (70) in 2012. With new head coach Mike Stoops breathing new life into the program and its underwhelming defense, Williamson could see his profile rise this season.

10. DE Chris Smith (Arkansas): The Razorbacks were a mess last season, but it wasn't all bad news for Arkansas fans as Smith emerged as a quality pass-rusher, finishing fourth in the SEC with 9.5 sacks. He and fellow defensive end Trey Flowers combined for a solid 26 tackles for loss last season and helped Arkansas to a top 25 finish nationally in sacks.

It’s Rankings Week at TideNation. Every day we’ll rank some facet of the Alabama football program heading in 2013. Today we’re ranking the top 10 offensive players the Tide will face this season. On Wednesday we’ll rank the top 10 defensive players Alabama will face in the fall.

Ranking the offensive players

1. QB Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M): Alabama hasn't faced a Heisman Trophy winner since Tim Tebow starred at quarterback for the Florida Gators. And while UA didn't come out on top of the first meeting with Tebow in the SEC Championship, it did in the second. Alabama fans are hoping for similar results after a heartbreaking defeat to Manziel and the Aggies last season. Stopping an athlete with his unique skill set and ability to make plays out of nothing won't be an easy task, though.

2. RB LaDarius Perkins (Mississippi State): He did so largely under the radar, but Perkins was second in the SEC in all-purpose yards and out-rushed every running back in the SEC West not wearing crimson last season, tallying 1,016 yards on 205 attempts. With All-SEC offensive guard Gabe Jackson leading the way, he should be in for a banner senior year.

3. QB Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech): Thomas has been up and down in his career under center, but no one doubts the senior's arm strength and athleticism. He threw for just as many yards as AJ McCarron did last season (2,976), despite playing in one fewer game. And he finished 18th in the ACC in rushing with 524 yards. His ability to stretch the defense vertically through the air and horizontally with his feet will give Alabama headaches.

4. WR Mike Evans (Texas A&M): With an entire offseason to prepare for Manziel, rest assured that the Alabama coaching staff has been busy devising ways to keep the fleet-footed quarterback stationary this time around. That means Manziel will have to use his arm to beat the Tide, and he'll have a good target to throw to in the 6-foot-5 Evans, who finished third in the league with 1,105 yards receiving.

5. QB Bo Wallace and RB Jeff Scott (Ole Miss): When they're executing the read-option and pushing the tempo, Wallace and Scott are hard to stop. Neither is what you'd call an NFL talent, but together they can keep a defense on its heels, as they did against Alabama last season. If they get going downhill and can convert on third downs, it will mean trouble for UA.

6. RB Jeremy Hill and Alfred Blue (LSU): Alabama's duo of tailbacks has commanded the lion's share of attention in recent years, but LSU has quietly perfected its rotation of ball-carriers as well. And Hill and Blue should be respected as they're both prototypical NFL backs in terms of size and speed. Hill averaged 5.3 yards per carry, and Blue had two 100-yard performances in his first three games before missing the rest of the season with an injury.

7. WR Odell Beckham (LSU): He was a steady playmaker last season when he caught 43 passes for 713 yards, but he hasn't been much of a threat to score, settling for four touchdowns in his career. With new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron in place and Zach Mettenberger a year wiser, Beckham could see his role expand as the Tigers look to inject some explosiveness into the passing game.

8. OT Jake Matthews (Texas A&M): More than weapons in the passing and running game, someone will need to protect Manziel from opposing defenses. Matthews is as capable an offensive tackle as you'll find in the SEC. If Alabama hopes to get its revenge against Texas A&M, it will have to find a way to get around Matthews and the Aggies offensive line.

9. RB Dennis Johnson (Arkansas): Bret Beilema leaned heavily on his running game at Wisconsin the past two seasons, handing his former running back Montee Ball the ball 663 times over that time. Now at Arkansas, Beliema will likely look to do the same with Johnson, who led the Razorbacks with 757 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

10. HC Gus Malzahn (Auburn): Malzahn turned Chris Todd into a respectable quarterback, morphed Michael Dyer into an All-SEC performer and helped Cam Newton to one of the best single seasons in college football history. Auburn's new head coach has a knack for getting the most out of his players and we'll likely see a few surprises for the Tigers this season, whether it's running back Tre Mason, quarterback Jonathan Wallace or an unknown commodity like wide receiver Ricardo Louis.

It’s Rankings Week at TideNation. Every day we’ll rank Alabama's opponents in some form or fashion. Today we turn to the Football Bowl Subdivision teams on the Tide’s schedule. Tomorrow we’ll rank the offensive players Alabama will face.

Ranking the schedule

1. Texas A&M (Sept. 14 in College Station, Texas): It may not be the Alabama-LSU Game of the Century Trilogy, but the Week 2 date with Texas A&M will be the Tide's Game of the Year in 2013. Why? If for nothing other than revenge. Johnny Manziel and the Aggies had the ball bounce their way in a thrilling finish last season, and Alabama will be eager to prove the loss a fluke. Kevin Sumlin's squad might take a step back after losing its franchise tackle (Luke Joeckel) and best defensive player (Damontre Moore), but don't doubt the talent assembled in College Station. Alabama might have been favored at home, but on the road it's anyone's guess.

2. LSU (Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.): If these two teams are undefeated at this point in the season, we could be talking about extending the Trilogy of classics between SEC rivals. But having lost so much on both sides of the ball, it's difficult to imagine the Tigers making it through the likes of Georgia and Florida without a loss. Les Miles is a magician, but even his tricks have their limits. Replacing seven starters on defense won't be as easy task, and the offense will need time to adjust under new coordinator Cam Cameron.

3. Virginia Tech (Aug. 31 in Atlanta): If the Hokies are going to challenge in the opener, it will be have to be because of Logan Thomas. The senior quarterback turned down the NFL, and after watching him in the Hokies' spring game, his stock doesn't look so solid. He threw three interceptions against what will be a good but probably not spectacular defense. Thomas is one of four returning starters on an offense under the direction of coordinator Scott Loeffler, who struggled mightily at Auburn last season.

4. Ole Miss (Sept. 28 in Tuscaloosa): Give Hugh Freeze credit. What the Rebels did holding Alabama to its lowest offensive production of the season in 2012 was impressive. And given what Freeze's offense can do with Bo Wallace at quarterback pushing the tempo, it's easy to see Ole Miss giving the Tide fits again. The flow of talent coming into Oxford, Miss., is starting to level the playing field.

5. Mississippi State (Nov. 16 in Starkville, Miss.): Unlike last season, we'll know just how good the Bulldogs are before they face Alabama. (See dates with LSU, South Carolina, Texas A&M). And maybe some toughening up is exactly what they'll need to get ready for a challenge. But the loss of their top two cornerbacks (Johnthan Banks, Darius Slay) and the No. 1 receiver (Chad Bumphis) might be too much to overcome. The good news is Tyler Russell is back under center and LaDarius Perkins returns at tailback, and they'll be helped by an offensive line with four returning starters.

6. Arkansas (Oct. 19 in Tuscaloosa): Bret Bielema might be regretting his comments about Alabama when he travels to Tuscaloosa to face Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. It's probably not wise to poke the bear in your first season, even if you're supposed to be doing it behind closed doors to like-minded fans.On the field, Bielema and his new staff have their hands full, replacing 11 starters.

7. Auburn (Nov. 30 in Auburn, Ala.): It's the Iron Bowl, which means anything can happen. And it will be on Auburn's home turf, which means a Super Bowl atmosphere for a program that will likely have nothing to lose. Gus Malzahn should fare better than his predecessor after cleaning house, but the cupboard was left pretty bare. Cam Newton is on campus, but only for classes. Making him eligible might be the only thing that could save what will be a rocky season for Auburn.

8. Tennessee (Oct. 26 in Tuscaloosa): Butch Jones has re-energized the program, but much like Malzahn at Auburn, he wasn't left with much to work with. Tyler Bray is gone, as is core of the offense with Justin Hunter, Cordarrelle Patterson and Mychal Rivera out the door as well. The defense isn't in much better shape, as it returns a secondary that finished 111th in pass defense. The good news is the Vols should have one of the best offensive lines in all of college football. It's a start.

9. Kentucky (Oct. 12 in Lexington, Ky.): Mike Stoops is building from the ground up in Lexington, and that hard work is showing on the recruiting trail. But it will take time before it shows up on the football field, where it counts. Until the Wildcats start bringing in SEC talent on a consistent basis, they won't compete in big games like Alabama. It will be a while before Kentucky can make the climb from last in scoring offense and next to last in scoring defense in the league.

10. Colorado State (Sept. 21 in Tuscaloosa): Jim McElwain has familiarity with Alabama. Give him that much. He'll try to prepare his players for what to expect in Tuscaloosa, but nothing he can say will truly get his team ready for the dramatic change of scenery. Colorado's four wins last season came against dreadful competition (Colorado, Hawaii, UNLV, Mexico), but the silver lining is McElwain returns a whopping 19 starters.

During the summer, TideNation will analyze each of the scholarship players on the Alabama roster -- excluding the Tide's 2013 recruiting class -- in our Crimson Countdown series. Starting with No. 1 Dee Hart, we will go through the roster numerically, finishing with No. 99 Brandon Ivory.

No. 4 T.J. Yeldon
Sophomore running back

Expectations for 2013: Where does Yeldon go from last season? A spot on the All-American team? A seat in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony? Honestly, after a freshman campaign in which he outperformed Eddie Lacy at times, it's hard to imagine what Yeldon will do next. One thing is certain, though. He'll be the unquestioned starter at running back this season and will carry the ball upwards of 15 times per game.

Best-case scenario: If he hasn't already peaked, it's hard to believe he isn't close to maximizing his full potential. But for Yeldon to truly cement himself in the conversation of great Alabama tailbacks, he must stay healthy. And with Alabama's penchant of sharing the football, he should avoid the wear and tear usually put upon featured backs. At the end of this season, don't be surprised if it's Yeldon in the Heisman conversation, not quarterback AJ McCarron. Only one running back has won the award since 2000, but that man was Mark Ingram.

Worst-case scenario: If it were even five years ago, Yeldon would be in line to get the ball 25 times a game this season. As it stands now, that won't happen. Alabama likes to rotate in at least three backs and save its featured back some tread on the tires, and that will be the major argument against Yeldon in a Heisman conversation. He simply won't have the reps of what Ron Dayne or Ricky Williams -- two of the last three tailbacks to win the award -- had in college.

Future impact: Barring injury, Alabama fans are looking at two more seasons of Yeldon carrying the football. Because of the short shelf life associated with running backs, don't expect him to stay any longer than that. As Saban said of Lacy's decision to turn pro early: "When you’re a running back in the NFL, it’s the shortest shelf-life of any position. So I kind of get it; I get where you’re at.’"

During the summer, TideNation will analyze each of the scholarship players on the Alabama roster -- excluding the Tide's 2013 recruiting class -- in our Crimson Countdown series. Starting with No. 1 Dee Hart, we will go through the roster numerically, finishing with No. 99 Brandon Ivory.

No. 3 Vinnie Sunseri
Junior safety

Expectations for 2013: It's not a make-or-break year for Sunseri, but it's awfully close. A standout as a freshman in 2011, he took a step back as a sophomore, faltering in coverage a few too many times in key games. It was a clear indication again of where the junior's talents lie: in space, not one-on-one against a speedier receiver. Expect Sunseri to compete for a starting job but get rotated out depending on the situation. If it's a running team and he's needed near the line of scrimmage, he'll play significant reps. If it's a passing team that goes four- and five-wide, then he could be used sparingly.

Best-case scenario: He's got the experience and he has the trust of the coaching staff. For that alone, he'll have a leg up on Landon Collins for the starting safety spot opposite Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix. Sunseri has seen action in 27 of 27 games in his career, and he's shown in that time that he's capable of being a playmaker on the field. We've seen his nose for the football on special teams and we've seen it from a utility role on defense. The question is whether he can become a contributor on every down.

Worst-case scenario: The talent disparity between Collins and Sunseri is obvious. And while player rankings can be overrated, the difference between the No. 1 safety in his class and the No. 18 outside linebacker is fairly significant. Collins, of course, is the former in that scenario and Sunseri the latter, and this spring we got to see why as the former five-star prospect from Louisiana made big play after big play at A-Day. He'll push Sunseri and fellow safety Nick Perry for the starting job throughout the fall.

Future impact: Whether it's as a starter or a reserve, Sunseri will have an impact on the Tide for the next two seasons. What he does on special teams and from a leadership standpoint cannot be overvalued. There might be more talented guys on the roster, but the experience Sunseri brings to the table will be enough to keep him on the field in some form or fashion.

During the summer, TideNation will analyze each of the scholarship players on the Alabama roster -- excluding the Tide's 2013 recruiting class -- in our Crimson Countdown series. Starting with No. 1 Dee Hart, we will go through the roster numerically, finishing with No. 99 Brandon Ivory.

No. 2 DeAndrew White
Junior wide receiver

Expectations for 2013: If he hadn't been hurt, White might still be starting alongside Kevin Norwood at receiver, as he did for the first five games last season. But a major knee injury sustained against Ole Miss cost the talented junior his season and opened the door for Amari Cooper to break into the starting rotation, where he developed into the most prolific rookie at the position in school history. Even though the possibility of becoming a starter again seems minute, it doesn't mean White won't be a major contributor on offense. After a strong spring in which he showed he's close to 100 percent again, it's safe to say he'll have an opportunity to be among the first receivers off the bench.

Best-case scenario: White will see the field plenty and could break back into the starting rotation in the likely event of an injury during the course of the season. (SEC defenses aren't kind, and the position has had its fair share of durability issues in years past.) White, if healthy, is a guy who can stretch the field and allow offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier to go three, four or five wide any time because of the depth he and his fellow receivers will provide.

Worst-case scenario: Depth cuts both ways, though, as White won't be the only reserve with starting potential. Kenny Bell, Chris Black, Christion Jones and Raheem Falkins will all vie for time this season as well, leaving White as high as third on the depth chart or as low as seventh depending on how things shake out. The thing fighting against White is his lack of a niche skill. He doesn't have elite size like Falkins or superior speed like Bell, Black or Jones. But as a guy like Norwood can attest, the game is about more than measureables.

Future impact: White should be a steady contributor for Alabama over the next two seasons. When Norwood and Bell graduate after this year, an opportunity to start will again open up. But again, there will be plenty of contention from others, including the No. 2 receiver in the ESPN 150, Robert Foster.

During the summer, TideNation will analyze each of the scholarship players on the Alabama roster -- excluding the Tide's 2013 recruiting class -- in our Crimson Countdown series. Starting with No. 1 Dee Hart, we will go through the roster numerically, finishing with No. 99 Brandon Ivory.

No. 1 Dee Hart
Redshirt sophomore running back

Expectations for 2013: Until he proves he can get to 100 percent and stay there, it's hard to determine just what kind of impact he'll have on the football field. He does have a unique skill set, though, with the speed to get outside the tackles and the hands to catch the ball out of the backfield. Simply put, he's a scatback in a room full of bruisers. But it's also a crowded rotation with T.J. Yeldon, Kenyan Drake and Jalston Fowler all vying for carries. The addition of early enrollee Derrick Henry further complicates things, and it's conceivable that one of the three incoming freshmen at the position creates a role for himself as well.

Best-case scenario: Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier can get creative with Hart if he chooses. In addition to being a threat in the return game, Hart could be a weapon on third down and a possibility to split out as a wide receiver at times, something Alabama hasn't done much of in years past. He may not be a guy the defense circles in the running game, but he's someone it will have to account for as a pass-catcher. However, Hart's biggest asset might be his knowledge of the system and his ability to pass protect, something Yeldon struggled with at times last season and something the younger backs will have to pick up quickly.

Worst-case scenario: Hart isn't someone the staff should rely on this season. You can't ignore back-to-back major knee operations. And even if he finds a way to stay healthy, there are still questions whether or not he'll have the same burst that made him such a highly regarded prospect coming out of high school.

Future impact: A few carries per game a significant role on special teams looks to be Hart's future at Alabama for the time being. After a spring spent learning the ropes on defense, there's also a real possibility that he could transition to cornerback in the event of a few injuries at that position.