The Alabama Crimson Tide became the first team to win a road game in the College Football Playoff this past season. However, after getting blown out by eventual-champion Indiana in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal, the Tide drew some ire from a fan base that misses the Nick Saban days.
Thus, Kalen DeBoer faces a very important 2026 campaign this fall. He’s retooled his roster and will look to have a better offensive performance than the one-dimensional unit that couldn’t move the ball on the ground last year.
But when putting together a list of the most underrated players on each top 25 team’s roster, ESPN analyst Harry Lyles Jr. named a defender — LB Caleb Woodson — as the Tide’s entry:
Under-the-radar player: LB Caleb Woodson. “Under the radar” may not describe Woodson, because there should be hype around him coming into 2026. He was a key contributor on Brent Pry’s defense at Virginia Tech for three seasons, and he’s just a damn good athlete. He used to be a year-round competitive swimmer, starting at the age of 6 and continuing until he was 14. He originally played wide receiver, and decided to switch to defense because when he was going to football camps in his youth, the wide receiver and defensive back lines were long. He’s willing to do what needs to be done on the field and should fit in nicely at Alabama.
Woodson has recorded 151 tackles and 2 sacks in 3 years at Virginia Tech. He also has 3 pass breakups and an interception. For an Alabama team that lost key linebackers to the NFL Draft, having Woodson step into a big role would be a major boost.
Will Alabama claim the SEC crown in 2026? The Tide have a 10% chance, according to Kalshi:
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ESPN names under-the-radar player for Alabama entering 2026 season Saturday Down South.
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