Alabama Crimson Tide

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. 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.

With spring practice complete and fall camp right around the corner, TideNation's power rankings return with a look at the top 10 Alabama players heading into the offseason.

1. QB AJ McCarron (Last ranking: 2): After three trips to the White House, there's not much that fazes McCarron. Even after two interceptions in the A-Day game, there wasn't an ounce of concern. "None," in his words, and at this point in his career there shouldn't be. His championship rings, his record-breaking stats and his talent speak for themselves. There might not be a more decorated quarterback in school history by the time he hangs it up.

2. ILB C.J. Mosley (3): It's one thing for a quarterback to play with a black jersey. It's another for a linebacker to do it. But a bum shoulder wouldn't slow Mosley down. The rising senior and leading tackler from last season played all spring with a shoulder harness and a no-contact jersey, yet he found a way to contribute. On Saturday, Mosley finished with a team-high nine "tackles" and, more impressively, caused and recovered a fumble on the same play.

3. LT Cyrus Kouandjio (NR): He's the rock, the anchor to a line replacing three starters. And if you're going to start over, it's nice to have a franchise left tackle like Kouandjio. The rising junior enters the season as arguably the most prized offensive linemen in the SEC. It's only a matter of time before he declares for the NFL draft and is taken near the top of the first round, so Tide fans should enjoy him while they can.

4. RB T.J. Yeldon (7): It's almost as though Yeldon was an afterthought as many fans clung to the untapped potential of early enrollee Derrick Henry this spring. It's typical of a talented team, though, as Yeldon, only a sophomore, is already taken for granted. It was only a year ago that he was the energizing rookie making fans forget about incumbent Eddie Lacy. Unoticed or not, Yeldon is a feature back worth his weight in gold.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Most high school seniors take to the beach for their spring break. Not ESPN 150 running back Altee Tenpenny. Instead, he visited the University of Alabama, his home for the next three to five years.

Tenpenny spent four days in Tuscaloosa, where he met with the coaches and the players and watched the Crimson Tide’s first week of spring practice.

“It was good,” he said. “I went down there and really got to see the environment, the tempo of their practice and got to see what they were doing.”

This spring, all eyes have been on freshman sensation T.J. Yeldon and early enrollee Derrick Henry, but it was the veteran of the group who pulled Tenpenny aside and gave him advice during practice.

“The one that I communicated with the most was Jalston Fowler,” Tenpenny said. “I watched the drills, and he would come over there and tell me what was going on and what Coach [Burton] Burns kind of expected.”

As for Burns, Alabama’s running backs coach, he’s ready to get Tenpenny on campus.

“He was just telling me what he expected of the running backs and how he expected us to practice,” Tenpenny said. “He told me when I come down there, he expects me to get to work.”

On his visit, Tenpenny toured the Tide’s new weight room. Because of track, he’s only been able to lift in his spare time, but he says he’s can’t wait to put some work in when he gets to UA. He plans to return in April for Alabama’s spring game.

Schedule: The Crimson Tide will open spring practice on Saturday and conclude the spring with their annual A-Day spring game on April 20 at 3 p.m. ET in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

What’s new: Former Florida International head coach Mario Cristobal will coach the Alabama offensive line. He replaces Jeff Stoutland, who left to become the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line coach. Billy Napier is the Crimson Tide’s new receivers coach and replaces Mike Groh, who left to take a job with the Chicago Bears. Also, Greg Brown will replace Jeremy Pruitt as secondary coach. Pruitt left to take the Florida State defensive coordinator’s job.

On the mend: Senior cornerback John Fulton (toe) and senior receiver Kevin Norwood (toe) will be limited this spring. Fulton is recovering from toe surgery.

On the move: Alabama’s deep enough at receiver that receivers Christion Jones and/or Cyrus Jones could get a look at cornerback this spring.

New faces: The Crimson Tide have nine early enrollees who will go through spring practice. Included are two of their most highly rated true freshmen in the 2013 class – running back Derrick Henry and tight end O.J. Howard. Alabama would like to get the 6-6, 235-pound Howard involved in the passing game right away. Junior college newcomer Leon Brown will get a long look at right tackle on the offensive line.

Key battle: With three starters gone in the offensive line, the battle for the right tackle job could be a closely contested one. Junior Austin Shepherd probably enters the spring as the guy to beat, but don’t count out Brown.

Breaking out: There hasn’t been any shortage of marquee cornerback talent to come through Alabama over the last few years, and sophomore Geno Smith looks like he could be the next great one. He’s poised to take Dee Milliner’s spot and saw his role expand as last season progressed. By the end of the season, he was the Tide’s third defensive back on passing downs. Staying in the secondary, look for talented sophomore Landon Collins to make his presence felt at safety. And on offense, sophomore center Ryan Kelly was impressive during pre-bowl practices last December while filling in for the injured Barrett Jones and working with the first unit.

Don’t forget about: Alabama should be as deep and talented at receiver as it’s been under Nick Saban. Sophomore Amari Cooper returns as one of the premier playmakers in the league. But the Tide will also add redshirt freshman Chris Black to the mix, and Black would have played a lot last season had he not injured his shoulder during the preseason. He’s the one who turned heads during the spring game. Norwood isn’t expected to be out there much this spring, but senior Kenny Bell should be back from a broken leg. And there’s also junior DeAndrew White, who missed most of last season with a knee injury.

All eyes on: T.J. Yeldon was sensational last season while sharing time in the Alabama backfield with Eddie Lacy. They became the first two players in Alabama history to both rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. With Lacy leaving early for the NFL draft, Yeldon gets his shot to be the feature back, although Alabama has played multiple backs under Saban. Everybody will be watching the 6-3, 242-pound Henry this spring after he racked up an incredible 4,261 rushing yards as a high school senior. Don’t sleep on junior Jalston Fowler and sophomore Kenyan Drake. How healthy is sophomore Dee Hart after a couple of knee injuries? There’s also more talent on the way this summer when true freshmen Altee Tenpenny, Alvin Kamara and Alvin Jones arrive. The Tide just seem to breed great running backs.

Editor's note: From now until the start of spring camp on March 16, TideNation will count down the 12 most intriguing players to watch on the Alabama football roster. Today we look at running back Kenyan Drake.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Barring injury or some catastrophic setback, T.J. Yeldon is a given for the University of Alabama. The rising sophomore became the first rookie in school history to rush for 1,000 yards this past season, an accomplishment that neither Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson nor Mark Ingram can claim despite their lofty placement in the pantheon of Crimson Tide running backs.

If there was any doubt who Alabama's next great running back would be when Lacy left, that question was answered definitively by every one of Yeldon's 1,239 total yards and 13 touchdowns. The former blue-chip prospect led the team in rushing for much of the season and finished with just 29 fewer carries than Lacy, who earned First Team All-SEC honors.

Now that Lacy is off to a career in the NFL, the question is no longer who the top dog will be at running back, but rather who his sidekick will become. The answer, as Lacy put it, isn't so simple.

"That's a tough one," he said. "I have no idea. … However they decide to do it, I'm pretty sure they'll be the same way T.J. and I were this year, if not better."

Said Alabama coach Nick Saban: "We have one guy coming back that rushed for a 1,000 yards. We have another guy that carried the ball a few times as a freshman, and two guys that got hurt that may or may not be able to come back and play that position very well."

While Kenyan Drake lacks the experience of a Jalston Fowler or Dee Hart, he might be best equipped to become Yeldon's backup. Both Fowler and Hart are health risks after major knee operations last season, as Saban pointed out, and while Drake carried the ball just 42 times as a true freshman, he hasn't shown many holes in his game. In fact, he might have been the most explosive tailback on the roster. At least his numbers indicate as much.

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TideNation's Alex Scarborough released his All-Saban squad earlier today, highlighting the best players to suit up for Alabama during the Nick Saban era. Almost immediately, fans keyed in on the running back pick as Scarborough went with current back T.J. Yeldon over former Heisman winner Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, both of whom are starring in the NFL.

So who is the fans' pick to occupy that spot? Check out the tweets below for a sampling of what TideNation had to say on the debate. Tweet @TideNationESPN to give us your RB pick or give us feedback on any of the other positions.