For all of the good things we’ve seen from Kane Wommack’s defense the last two seasons, the Tide has only tallied 58 total sacks over 28 games. Admittedly, this defensive scheme is much more akin to the early Saban/Smart in terms of approach to a defensive front and a pass rush (i.e., two-gapping and blitzing with linebackers, rather than relying on bookend edge rushers like we saw with the Pruitt Golding defenses). Still, the pass rush production hasn’t quite been good enough, and it’s an area the Tide and Wommack really want to improve.
While there is something of interchangeability by package between the “Bandit” position and the “Wolf” position, this year it seems like Wommack is working to beef up the Bandit while keeping the Wolf as more of a true edge rusher. The position has to do double duty, splitting between playing on the line of scrimmage, but also often dropping into coverage in the slot, so it does take some special types of players to play it.
The Star#42 – Yhonzae Pierre (RJr) 6’3” 251
The former 5-star rusher from Eufala had an interesting career, as it seemed he was buried on the depth chart for most of his first three years. However, some minor injuries last year saw Pierre get a little playing time early in the season, and once he got on the field, it was impossible to take him back off. Pierre led the team with 8 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss with his quick-twitch athleticism and disruptive speed. It was an excellent season for a player who wasn’t even expected to be a starter going into 2025, and he likely would have been a Day 2 pick in the NFL draft last spring, but he chose to return to college for another year (and hopefully play his way into being a Day 1 pick). Pierre is one of the top players on the entire team, and make no bones about it, he’s the leader in the clubhouse at the Wolf position.
The Robin to his Batman#8 – Justin Hill (So) 6’3” 245
Hill was a true freshman last year that played a tremendous amount of snaps without hardly getting any counting stats. It was an interesting role, as, despite his status as a borderline 5-star pass rusher in high school, Wommack consistently put him on the field as a Wolf that dropped into slot coverage, often having him shift over to play truly in a defensive back role. The amount of responsibility put on Hill was enormous, and it speaks to what the coaches think about him… but we also didn’t get to see him pass rush very often. How he gets used in 2026 will be fun to follow.
The Incoming Veteran#9 – Desmond Umeozulu (Sr) 6’6” 255
At 6’6” with impressive speed and multiple years of rotational experience at South Carolina, Umeozulu made the transfer to Alabama ostensibly for a bigger role in the pass rush. What makes his situation intriguing to me is that I don’t see Alabama wanting to cut snaps from either Pierre or Hill. In reality, I think that Umeozulu will actually wind up being the primary “3rd down Bandit” most of the year while also being a back up at Wolf linebacker.
Incoming Freshmen#11 – Xavier Griffin (Fr) 6’3” 228
Griffin was the highest rated recruit of the Tide’s 2026 class, and he brings a level of excitement and potential stardom that has had people talking about him all offseason. Griffin maybe isn’t a true edge rusher, but more of a versatile linebacker who can rush the edge or play either of the other spots, and has repeatedly drawn comparisons to Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell, who did both for Wommack’s defense in 2024.
I don’t know where he fits on this depth chart, but don’t be surprised if he finds his way on the field somehow.
#41 – Jamarion Matthews (Fr) 6’2” 254
Where Griffin is a hybrid linebacker, Matthews is more of a true defensive end that can do a little a linebacker if he needs to. He had some impressive production in high school and is a top 70 recruit, but I think the scheme fit for him at Wolf is a little awkward and will take some time for him to learn it.
Predicted Depth ChartThis one is easy. Yhonzae Pierre is the starter, and I think that Justin Hill and Desmond Umeozulu will be listed as co-backups. Where it gets interesting is that all three have very different skillsets, and I think we’ll often see two of them on the field together at the same time depending on the package and situation.
Griffin and Matthews will offer depth and I can see Griffin getting a nice handful of snaps in some games, but I don’t expect either one to really cut into the snaps of any of the three above them.
Leave a Comment