Alabama’s Linebacker Corps Faces Crucial Questions Ahead of 2026 Season
Alabama’s defense enters the 2026 season with a thin linebacker corps, having lost several key veterans from the previous year. Senior edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre returns as the team’s most productive pass rusher, having posted 14½ tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2025, putting him in position to become the first Crimson Tide player to reach double‑digit sacks since Dallas Turner in 2023. At the heart of the middle of the defense, Caleb Woodson brings the most extensive playing experience of any Alabama linebacker, having logged 152 career tackles across 35 games at Virginia Tech before joining the Crimson Tide. Coaches are evaluating a handful of candidates to fill the second middle linebacker slot, including third‑year players Cayden Jones and the emerging Reese, as well as second‑year options such as Luke Metz, Duke Johnson II and Abduall Sanders Jr., while five‑star freshman Xavier Griffin also commands attention. The overall lack of depth in the middle of the unit has become a focal point of spring practice discussions, as the staff works to blend returning talent with new transfers and freshmen before the season begins.
