Alabama Football: Which Early Enrollees Have the Best Chance to Play in 2015?

Nick Saban doesn’t require it, nor does he hold it against players who don’t wish to do it.

But there’s no question that high school commitments who enroll in school a semester early get a leg up on the rest of the competition within their class for early playing time. Going through spring practice, as well as getting settled into life as a college student without the season going on, pays big dividends.

Last year, for example, seven of Alabama’s eight January enrollees saw the field in some capacity in 2014, with only quarterback David Cornwell taking a redshirt.

Notably, Cam Robinson started every game at left tackle. JUCO transfers Jarran Reed and D.J. Pettway were regulars in the defensive line rotation. Tony Brown got two starts at cornerback. Cam Sims played in all but two games at wide receiver. Their extra time paid off.

This year, Alabama will once again have eight early enrollees, which the school announced on Friday:

Name	Position	247Sports Composite star rating
Blake Barnett	QB	*****
DeSherrius Flowers	RB	****
Ronnie Harrison	DB	****
Brandon Kennedy	OL	****
Bo Scarbrough	ATH	*****
Jonathan Taylor	DT	*** (JUCO)
Deionte Thompson	DB	****
Dallas Warmack	OL	****

So who will be the candidates from this class to see the field next year? Let’s take a look at some of the more likely possibilities.

Bo Scarbrough

Bo Scarbrough is Alabama’s best bet from this group at early playing time.

The 5-star athlete from Tuscaloosa was practicing with Alabama in town during Sugar Bowl prep at running back, so he already has a head start on the guys getting a head start.

It’s still unclear where, exactly, Scarbrough will play at Alabama. The versatile player can do a lot on the offensive side.

At running back, he’ll face a logjam even with the departure of T.J. Yeldon. Derrick Henry, Kenyan Drake and Tyren Jones all return and played meaningful snaps last year.

He could land at wide receiver or even in an H-back-type role. At 6’2”, 225 pounds, he has a little bit of size, but his athleticism in the open field sets him apart. Scarbrough can do a lot of different things, which should help Lane Kiffin get him on the field sooner rather than later.

Jonathan Taylor

Saban and Alabama will continue to face tough questions for the signing of Jonathan Taylor—who, police say, “choked” and “struck with a closed fist” his 5’11”, 170-pound girlfriend, his second arrest while on the Georgia football team—and rightfully so.

Photo courtesy 247Sports

But, from a strictly on-field perspective, Taylor should have a good chance to see the field, assuming he does all of the right things off of it.

The 6’4” 335-pound Taylor was rated a 3-star defensive tackle out of junior college and gives Alabama a big run-stuffer in the middle of its 3-4 defense in running situations.

Brandon Ivory had previously played that role for Alabama, but his graduation leaves an open spot there.

The Crimson Tide are only in their base 3-4 about 25 percent of the time, with changing offenses in the SEC dictating more nickel and dime. But against teams like LSU and Arkansas, Alabama still needs to keep run-stopping looks at a high level.

Taylor can be that man in the middle for Alabama.

Blake Barnett

Normally, Alabama’s quarterbacks have gone straight to a redshirt their first year on campus under Saban.

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That will probably be the plan for Blake Barnett, but he could make things interesting over the next seven or eight months.

Barnett is a 5-star quarterback out of Corona, California, the highest-rated quarterback Saban has ever signed. Saban and Kiffin saw how valuable a mobile quarterback can be in that kind of offense when Blake Sims saw success this season.

Barnett is a similar mobile type who rushed for 479 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season.

If he can pick up the offense during the spring and into the summer, he could end up being a player in a quarterback competition that doesn’t have a sure thing right now.

Ronnie Harrison and Deionte Thompson

Alabama needs some safeties in a big way. Ronnie Harrison and Deionte Thompson could be those safeties.

Photo courtesy 247Sports

Harrison and Thompson, two 4-stars who are already enrolled, will have an opportunity to play early on.

In Landon Collins, Jarrick Williams and Nick Perry, Alabama loses its top three safeties and starters for most of the year in nickel and dime. Geno Smith, Hootie Jones and Maurice Smith are candidates to replace them but are anything but sure things.

Jones was in a similar spot last year as an early enrollee and ended up playing in seven games, on special teams and defense. Special teams has traditionally been a proving ground for Alabama’s DBs. Landon Collins was a phenom on punt and kick coverage before taking over full-time defensive duties.

Harrison and Thompson will likely get their shots on special teams initially but could eventually find themselves playing defense before the year is over.

Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.