Alabama Football: 2015 Signee with the Best Chance to Start

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Less so than in years past, Alabama’s 2015 recruiting class doesn’t contain many names that immediately jump off the page.

There are no Da’Shawn Hands or Rashaan Evans; no Derrick Henrys or Reuben Fosters; no Landon Collins or T.J. Yeldons.

Quarterback Blake Barnett is easily the most recognizable name in the class for Alabama fans. But Barnett probably won’t see the field for another two or three years.

That doesn’t mean this isn’t a good class. It is a phenomenal one—No. 1 in the nation, per ESPN and the 247Sports Composite.

But this year was more about building depth. For all the holes Alabama has on offense and defense, it has players already on its roster fit to step up. 2015’s class will pay dividends down the road, instead of immediately like some other classes have.

So it’s appropriate that the guy with the best chance to start for Alabama as a true freshman isn’t going to be the most familiar name for Crimson Tide fans.

Meet Ronnie Harrison, a 4-star safety from Tallahassee, Florida.

Photo courtesy 247Sports

Harrison isn’t the top-rated or most highly regarded 2015 signee for Alabama. But a combination of Alabama’s current depth chart and Harrison’s physical maturity make him a prime candidate to get the first start of Alabama’s 2015 class.

While the Crimson Tide’s “base” defense is a 3-4 look: three defensive linemen, four linebackers and four defensive backs (two safeties and two corners).

But the offensive trends in college football over the last four or five years have meant that Alabama isn’t actually in its base look as much. Nick Saban estimates that Alabama is only in base 25 percent of the time and is otherwise in nickel or dime, substituting linebackers for one or two more defensive backs to counter spread looks.

This year, Alabama opened the game in base in just three of its nine SEC games.

So if you consider Nickel its “starting” look—where Alabama opened eight of its 14 total games—the Crimson Tide are almost losing three of its five starters in the defensive backfield, all of whom were safeties.

Landon Collins and Nick Perry started every game at strong and free safety. Jarrick Williams was the Star more often than not. That leaves three openings for starting roles in Alabama’s secondary.

Geno Smith, who split time at Star, is expected to fill the free safety role. So two the two other openings—strong safety and Star—are up for grabs.

Enter Harrison.

Harrison is one of two safeties on campus early for Alabama. The other, Deionte Thompson, is higher rated. But Harrison’s physical makeup is more suited to early playing time. The Star plays closer to the line and needs to be more physical to help in run support.

“I think I have a good opportunity to start playing next year,” Harrison said on national signing day. “I just have to learn the playbook and come in and work hard every day.”

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

He’s already making progress in the physical department. He said he came in at 206 lbs. and is already up to 218 after a month of work with strength coach Scott Cochran.

“I gained a lot of muscle,” he said. “I cut a lot of bad weight and I gained a lot of muscle.”

There aren’t many big, physical types in Alabama’s secondary that can fill those roles right now, either. Jabriel Washington and Maurice Smith are the other two returning safeties with some experience. But both are smaller, rangier types more suited to free safety.

Hootie Jones is the only physical type and should be a candidate to immediately start at strong safety.

Harrison will likely first have to prove himself on special teams. That’s where safeties like Collins and Vinnie Sunseri showed what they had before creeping into playing time in the secondary.

And once he does that, a start later on down the road could be in order. By that time, he wouldn’t be an unknown name among Alabama’s 2015 signing class.

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

Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.