Wide Receiver Expected To Move To Safety For Spring Practice

As the Alabama Crimson Tide open spring practice Friday, it is expected that former wide receiver Kendall Kelly will begin practicing at Safety. The move was most likely made to add competition to a shallow group of players in the defensive backfield.

Kelly was a highly rated WR recruit out of high school, but because Safety depth is lacking, Saban probably moved Kelly to add more competition at the position. Kelly could move back to WR if someone else manages to lock up the open Safety position that was vacated by Justin Woodall.

The Alabama coaching staff knew that they needed to shore up competition at Safety, where several inexperienced players and only one starter returned. The situation only worsened when Robby Green, who received extensive playing time last year, was suspended indefinitely.  It doesn’t appear that he will practice this spring.

It now looks like there will be heavy competition at Safety with Kelly, Robert Lester, Wesley Neighbors, and others competing for the open Safety spot.

Returning starter Mark Barron has firmly landed his job as FS after leading the SEC in interceptions in 2009.  Other possible moves to safety include B.J. Scott and Demarcus Milliner.

Arriving this fall are two physically gifted Safeties in Jarrick Williams and Nick Perry. It will be tough for either of them to win a starting position, but one or both of them could play in packages with extra DB’s in them.

Considering the fact that Safety is one of the most important defensive positions, it should be exciting to see who steps up and wins the job for Bama.