Alabama Football: Ranking 10 Best Tide Players from 2014 Regular Season
Alabama finished the season in the top spot of the college football playoff rankings, thanks to a tried-and-true formula that has resulted in three national championships in the past five years.
Only this time the formula was altered slightly with the addition of offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and a dual-threat quarterback in Blake Sims. It may be surprising for some to learn that the move actually resulted in one less point per game than the Crimson Tide averaged over the previous two seasons, but no one would argue the offense was less dynamic.
In fact, behind a strong running game and explosive receiving corps, Alabama was as much of a threat to hit the big play as it was to bully its way down the field, and that's something we're not entirely used to seeing.
Every player contributes in some form or fashion throughout the season, some obviously more than others. How would you rank the 10 best? Do you go with the slightly altered definition of most valuable? Is it perhaps the most productive? Both of those matter, but the simplest way to look at it is by considering who had the biggest impact.
The top few spots on the list are non-negotiable. After that, however, a number of players played pivotal roles in Alabama, earning the top seed in the inaugural playoff. Here's how we see the top 10 and feel free to let us know who's missing or if the rankings should be in a different order.
10. LB Reggie Ragland
1 of 10
Playing linebacker at Alabama isn't like anything else in college football with the reputation the Tide have built at the position in recent years. From Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw to C.J. Mosley, Alabama has featured All-American-caliber players at the position almost every year.
While Reggie Ragland may not belong in the conversation with the aforementioned trio just yet, his play on defense made him one of the 10 best players on the team in 2014.
Ragland finished second in tackles with 86, with 8.5 going for a loss of yards. He also had an interception, a forced fumble and at 6'2" and nearly 260 pounds, he's practically an undersized defensive lineman.
The junior linebacker probably isn't even the first player at the position that comes to your mind—more on that later—but you can still make as big of an impact as anyone while flying under the radar, and that's exactly what Ragland has did in 2014.
9. P JK Scott
2 of 10
The day you start forgetting about the punter is the day your program starts going downhill, as the saying goes that we just made up. True or not, Alabama didn't have any issues as far as punting is concerned, thanks to freshman JK Scott.
Scott, who finished second in the nation in punt average at nearly 47 yards per boot, was crucial to Alabama's success against teams such as LSU and Arkansas where points came at a premium and the field-position game rose to the forefront of the battle.
It goes without saying that the farther the offense has to go, the less likely it is to score. Against the stout defense of Alabama, that rings all the more true and the task of pinning teams deep in their own territory fell on Scott alone.
If you don't want to see a punter's name on a list of the 10 best Alabama players in 2014, you're probably forgetting how many times a deep kick can change the course of the game.
In fact, despite not playing a position that scores points or makes routine defensive plays, Scott has a case to be listed even higher. As it is, his strong play in 2014 earns him the No. 9 spot as he was easily one of the top 10 most impactful players for the Tide.
8. RB Derrick Henry
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From this point forward, your main reaction to each slide will probably be "how is he not higher?," which makes sense given that the remaining names are some of the top-tier talents in all of college football.
But there are only 10 spots, and not everyone can make the top five, so we're starting with running back Derrick Henry, a player many thought would have a monster year and perhaps be in contention for the Heisman Trophy.
While Alabama's two-back system essentially squashed that from happening, Henry was nevertheless extremely effective when toting the rock. He averaged over 5.5 yards per carry and reached the end zone 10 times. His best performance occurred when it was needed the most: against Missouri in the SEC championship, where Henry carried the ball 20 times for 141 yards and a pair of scores.
Under offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, Alabama has opened things up a bit more and added in some flashier plays. But the bread and butter of the offense is still the physical running game, and there may be no more punishing runner in the game than Henry. He'll be on the short list for top backs in the game heading into the 2015 season, especially if the next player on our list turns pro.
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7. RB T.J. Yeldon
4 of 10
With only 25 more carries than Derrick Henry, running back T.J. Yeldon had little chance of cracking the top five in our countdown despite being one of the most talented players on Alabama. Production matters, and with those 25 extra carries Yeldon had just 37 more yards—932 in total—and the same number of touchdowns.
But the tone here isn't supposed to be negative; it's more an explanation for those who rightfully consider Yeldon to be among the best backs in the country and are thus wondering how he could be Alabama's seventh-best player.
Part of that is—like we said—because Alabama uses multiple backs, and Yeldon had just four 100-yard outings. Perhaps an even bigger reason is there's just too much talent in one locker room. Either way, Yeldon is the most explosive back on the team with excellent lateral quickness and breakaway speed in the open field.
He figures to have a strong career in the NFL, and with 15 catches for 180 yards, his talents receiving the ball out of the backfield should not go unnoticed. As a featured back, the spotlight would shine brighter on Yeldon. But even splitting time couldn't keep Yeldon from having his usual impact on offense, and without him, the rushing attack would be severely hampered.
6. LB Trey DePriest
5 of 10
In the No. 6 spot we have yet another player who's in the discussion for best at his position in the entire SEC and yet doesn't crack the top five on his own team. Again, that's what happens when you play for Alabama and it shouldn't lessen the impact that linebacker Trey DePriest has had in 2014.
All things considered, DePriest is a rare talent with a bright future in the NFL. But potential NFL impact bears no weight here, and neither does talent alone. In 2014, DePriest finished third on the team with 81 tackles and also had a forced fumble to go along with three pass breakups.
The 6'2" 250-pound senior is yet another player who fits perfectly in with the physical mold of former Bama linebackers like Mosley, and playing alongside him and others has undoubtedly helped DePriest become a leader on defense.
Every great defense has one or two players who stand out every time you watch them play. In DePriest's case, he's the guy who's always near the ball, always ready to make a play and rarely if ever out of position, thus costing his team.
His main task now will be slowing down Ohio State's much-improved offense, but in a battle between the highly inexperienced quarterback Cardale Jones and the veteran DePriest, there's little doubt as to who has the edge.
5. DL A'Shawn Robinson
6 of 10
Of the many defensive greats who claim Alabama as their alma mater, defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson has a chance to be called one of the very best. It's terrifying—at least to future opponents—to think about how good Robinson is and could become after two sensational seasons to begin his college career.
The numbers don't really do the sophomore justice, though that's typical for interior defensive linemen. On the season, Robinson has 47 tackles with zero sacks. He does have 6.5 tackles for loss, however, to go along with two pass breakups and a forced fumble.
The best teams are not only talented, but they also often have an intimidating physical presence, even if it's just walking through the hotel before a game. If the objective were to scare opposing teams, then Robinson at 6'4" and 320 pounds would be the first off the bus every time.
He's the immovable object in the middle of the Tide's defense, holding his own against constant double-teams to make room for guys such as Ragland and DePriest to step up and end the play. His youth is the only thing holding him back, but with another year under Nick Saban, Robinson could quickly become one of the top linemen in the game, if he isn't already.
4. OL Arie Kouandjio
7 of 10
Alabama football doesn't work without a devastating offensive line, something that became brutally apparent in last year's Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma. Though center Ryan Kelly has a claim for the most valuable player in the unit and freshman Cam Robinson has exceeded lofty expectations, the best player has been guard Arie Kouandjio.
The elder Kouandjio is naturally compared with his younger brother Cyrus—now in the NFL—but he's begun to carve out a strong reputation for himself in 2014. After struggling with injuries to start his career, the senior guard has enjoyed a healthy season, thanks to a veteran perspective (via Andrew Gribble, AL.com):
"Every day I find different processes and things I can do to get it better and fulfill the goals I have set for myself and the team. I tend to look for any ways, new things I can do to find things to allow me play to my full potential so I can play tenaciously and do the things I would like to do on the field.
"
Kouandjio's breakout season was rewarded with a spot on the AP's All-SEC First Team, and as the key cog in yet another powerful rushing attack, his impact cannot be overstated.
3. QB Blake Sims
8 of 10
The biggest beneficiary of Lane Kiffin's offense is first-year quarterback Blake Sims, a dual-threat passer who's proven to Alabama fans that having a mobile signal-caller may just be an advantage, even for the Crimson Tide. Of course, AJ McCarron and Greg McElroy are still the ones with the rings, but there's no doubt Sims' elusiveness and ability to use his legs to get downfield has been a big part of the offense.
What separates Sims, however, isn't just his running ability; plenty of quarterbacks in today's game can do that. Instead, it's his passing ability and specifically the touch on his deep ball that gives him a leg up on most quarterbacks. Only Dak Prescott put together a better overall season in the SEC at the position, and you'd still rather have Sims' passing ability on offense.
In 2014, Sims completed nearly 65 percent of his throws for 3,250 yards and 26 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also had over 300 yards on the ground and another six scores. Despite three picks against Auburn, Sims still threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the Iron Bowl, meaning that he also had just four interceptions in all other games.
Unfortunately, the former running back is a senior and won't have a chance to get better in the offseason and return for another campaign. For Sims, the playoff is the end of the line in college football. But regardless of how he goes out—be it a first-round loss or championship victory—Sims has been hugely important to Alabama's success in 2014.
2. S Landon Collins
9 of 10
It doesn't take a football genius to realize just how good Alabama safety Landon Collins has been throughout his career and specifically in 2014. As a Thorpe Award finalist and first-team All-American on any list that matters, Collins is the clear-cut choice for most impactful player on defense.
Collins led the Tide in tackles with 90 while also picking off three passes and forcing six pass breakups. He's got future NFL Pro-Bowler written all over him and will be a candidate to start from day one on Sundays.
So how does he compare to Ha Ha Clinton Dix? Or Dee Milliner? Or Mark Barron? That's a debate for another day, but those former Alabama players would be proud of Collins becoming the next great Tide defensive back.
As is the case with most starters on Nick Saban's defense, Collins is defined by his physicality and willingness to make the play regardless of obstacle or cost to his own body. The game-changing hits and interceptions by Collins have led the defense week in and week out, and he's one of the few players you can say has single-handedly changed the outcome of games.
1. WR Amari Cooper
10 of 10
As we said in the beginning, the top few spots are nonnegotiable. Perhaps you're a defensive-minded fan and want to put Collins in the top spot over a Heisman finalist, and the subjective nature of the list gives you that right. But you'd be wrong, because nobody has been as spectacular throughout the 2014 season as wide receiver Amari Cooper.
When folks start comparing you to Julio Jones, that's when you know something is going right, especially considering the success Jones has had in the NFL. The box score isn't the best place to start when telling a player's story, but one glance at Alabama's receiving chart tells you all you need to know about why Cooper is second-to-none.
He's made 115 catches for 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. No one else has more than 40 grabs. Nobody has more than 450 receiving yards, and nobody has more than four scores at the position.
Cooper is, quite literally, almost two-thirds of Alabama's passing attack by himself, and while Sims gets credit for getting him the ball, he merely needs to throw it as high and as deep a he can to be assured that Cooper will outrun the defender and make the play.
Finally, not that character counts in this particular set of rankings, but Cooper has it in spades:
"Congrats to Marcus Mariota, that man is truly the most humble and down to earth guy I have ever met. He has a very bright future just watch."
All stats via cfbstats.com. Just missed the cut: DL Jonathan Allen, CB Cyrus Jones
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