Kane Wommack discussed his biggest area of concern with the Alabama defense on Friday

Entering his second year as the defensive coordinator for Alabama football, Kane Wommack should field a talented and deep defense that ranks among the best in college football in 2025. In his first year, despite a plethora of freshmen seeing significant snaps in the secondary, by most metrics the Crimson Tide was a Top 10 defensive team in the country.

2024 wasn’t without its hiccups on that side of the ball, which was to be expected. The unit struggled in allowing a second half comeback against Georgia, couldn’t get many stops against Vanderbilt, and got bullied up front at Oklahoma in November.

But all in all, it was a really good first year for Wommack. 2025 should be even better with depth and experience at all three levels of the defense. Guys like LT Overton, Tim Keenan III, Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, Keon Sabb, and Domani Jackson all skipped out on early entry to the NFL Draft to return to Tuscaloosa.

That doesn’t mean that the unit is perfect, however, and Wommack spoke on Friday following Alabama’s third practice of the spring about the position group that he considers to be an area of concern. I think most Alabama fans would agree.

Alabama’s biggest area of concern defensively is on the defensive line

According to Kane Wommack, the defensive line depth is cause for early concern, but not panic, in Tuscaloosa. We’re still six months away from the season opener and there will be a lot of developing to be done between now and then.

“I don’t know if I ever feel like I have enough depth on the interior,” Wommack said following practice. “But it’s certainly an area that I think, from a defensive standpoint, it’s probably one of our biggest areas of depth concern. Development is the best recipe for that, but certainly we’ll make sure we address those needs in any way we need to before the season.”

Alabama has a couple of proven players expected to start on the interior of the defensive line in graduate senior Tim Keenan III and junior James Smith. Smith will be limited this spring with an injury, which gives more young players valuable reps.

Wommack singled out both Edric Hill and Jeremiah Beaman as players who have had good starts to spring practice thus far. Alabama will need both of them to step up and contribute in 2025.

Wommack did not outright deny that Alabama could be active in the spring Transfer Portal window shopping for depth up front. They could use depth on both lines of scrimmage and Wommack is right in that you can never really have enough of it.

Due to Alabama’s depth at the Bandit position, Florida transfer Kelby Collins is pulling double duty. He’s practicing at both Bandit (the DE/OLB hybrid) and DT for the Crimson Tide. He’s a better fit at Bandit but is strong enough to hold is own in the interior if called upon. Collins being versatile positionally will open up more opportunities at Bandit behind Overton for a pair of third year guys – Keon Keeley and Jordan Renaud – who have both shown promise.