Initial Top 10 2023s Dominated by Defense

It’s never easy to put together a big board of overall rankings. It’s even more difficult for younger classes of players. Fortunately for the state of Alabama, there are already dozens of prospects who stand out in the 2023 class. With so many good players already, it was hard for us to pick a top 10 in the state for our initial rankings. This class is absolutely LOADED with defensive talent, especially at the defensive line and defensive back positions. I’ve never seen anything like it. These rankings will change over the next two seasons before signing day, but the front end talent is already well established. Below are the initial top 10 players in the state of Alabama in 2023. 1. [player_tooltip player_id="125527" first="James" last="Smith"] | DL | Carver Elite size and athleticism for the position. Raw power and strength. Twitchy mover in space who can disrupt pockets and dominate versus the run. 2. [player_tooltip player_id="125520" first="Tony" last="Mitchell"] | DB | Thompson Can legitimately play any of the skill positions well. Elite length and ball tracking ability. Great and bump and run as well as playing over top as a safety. Covers ground efficiently. 3. [player_tooltip player_id="125528" first="Kelby" last="Collins"] | DL | Gardendale Long, wiry, and raw. Great initial step off the ball. Can change direction well on the move and bends well off edge. Disruptive in passing lanes. Will develop into a special 3 down DL. 4. [player_tooltip player_id="125521" first="Jahlil" last="Hurley"] | DB | Florence Twitchy and explosive. May have the best hips in the class. Fluid mover who knows how to use his length to cause disruption. Great field awareness and understands route concepts. 5. [player_tooltip player_id="125529" first="Peter" last="Woods"] | DL | Thompson Strong potential he grows into an inside defender. Elite hand usage and ability to create separation. Quick and twitchy in space. Natural instincts as a defender. Powerful at the point of attack. 6. [player_tooltip player_id="125522" first="AJ" last="Harris"] | DB | Glenwood Long with elite speed. Baits quarterbacks into easy turnovers. Breaks on ball well when in the air. Tackles well in the open field. Great return man as well. 7. [player_tooltip player_id="125526" first="Keldric" last="Faulk"] | DL | Highland Home Natural athlete growing into a defensive lineman. Has been a playmaker since the 8th grade. Great burst off the ball with good stack and shed technique. Bends well off edge. 8. [player_tooltip player_id="125523" first="Sylvester" last="Smith"] | DB | Munford Loves contact. Hard hitter in the open field. Times interceptions and pass break ups well. Productive as a WR and RB as well. Great speed and natural ball skills. 9. [player_tooltip player_id="125524" first="DaKaari" last="Nelson"] | DB | Selma Covers ground extremely fast. Smart player with high football IQ. Natural ball skills on both offense and defense. Long strider who can be effective on the blitz. Great on contact. 10. [player_tooltip player_id="125530" first="Tomarrion" last="Parker"] | DL | Central Had 11 sacks last year. Natural pass rusher with a variety of moves. Uses his length well. Quick burst off the ball with good twitch in the open field. Also productive versus the run. Big time potential ahead. Watch for these guys to dominate AL football this coming season. What a great group to get things started with!