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. 30 Denzel Devall
Sophomore linebacker

Expectations for 2013: He wasn't the highest-rated linebacker to sign with Alabama in 2012, but he wound up being the most effective on the football field as a freshman. Devall played in all 14 games, racking up two sacks and three quarterback hurries in what amounted to a third-down pass rushing role for defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. As a sophomore, he'll be asked to do more of the same at outside linebacker, backing up starters Adrian Hubbard and Xzavier Dickson.

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Da’Shawn Hand recently narrowed his focus of top schools, and two programs still very much in the mix are Alabama and Michigan.

The five-star is a talented and promising defender who would be a great addition to either defense, but let’s take a quick look at how he may fit each team.

First thing to consider is that he brings certain attributes that would be coveted by either team regardless of scheme or need. Hand is an intelligent and measured young man who not only puts a premium on education in the classroom, but he can also be a knowledgeable and disciplined player on the field and potentially grow into a strong leader for either unit.

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Gavin Bryant (Jackson, Ala./Jackson) had offers from Alabama and Auburn, but neither in-state program was ready to take a commitment from the ESPN 300 linebacker. He grew tired of waiting, and after a visit to Tennessee over the weekend, he committed to the Volunteers on Monday.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It’s never a surprise to see Alabama football near the top of any ratings. Nick Saban has a proven track record on the field. That has translated to the recruiting trail as he has pulled in top classes year in and year out, finishing in the top three in recruiting in each of the past five years. He's had the top class for the past two seasons.

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When the updated ESPN 150 and the new ESPN 300 rankings came out Monday, Alabama climbed all the way up to No. 2 in the class rankings. The only school currently standing between them and a third consecutive No. 1 recruiting class is Michigan, the same Michigan program that was dominated by the Crimson Tide last September in the season opener.

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