College Football 2011: Cyrus Kouandjio and 5 Alabama Freshmen Ready for Impact

With just 89 days remaining until Alabama takes the field against Kent State, talk surrounding some of the Crimson Tide's freshman players has already begun in Tuscaloosa.

The team is currently trying to recover from losing three of its top juniors to this year's NFL draft and also working to deal with the pressure to win that has been put on the team following April's tornadoes.

Here a list of five of the Tide's top freshman players who will likely make a large impact on the team's successes in 2011. That being said, the list is in no particular order.

Cyrus Kouandjio

Cyrus Kouandjio, ranked No. 3 on ESPNU's Top 150 Prospects list, signed with the Crimson Tide just days after telling a national television audience that he planned on taking his skills to Auburn.

It was a huge signing for the Tide, as Kouandjio is possibly Alabama's most skilled offensive lineman since Andre Smith. The team already had a strong offensive line, which includes Cyrus' brother Arie, before Cyrus' commitment to the University, but after it, the Tide may have propelled themselves into talk about the best offensive line in the nation.

Kouandjio will likely need time to develop before joining talks of Smith and other former Alabama greats, but look for him to be an All-SEC player by his sophomore year.

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Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix

Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix is one of the best all-around safeties in this year's class, impressing many scouts with his speed and stature. Clinton-Dix's ability to read the quarterback and anticipate where the ball is going to end up made him a highly sought-after player, as teams such as Florida, Ohio State and Notre Dame were all in the running for signing him.

But it was Alabama who came away with Clinton-Dix, who is also one of the best at stripping the football and creating turnovers.

During his junior year, he recorded 93 tackles, 13 of which were for a loss, and had three interceptions. He'll be a huge asset for the Tide in years to come and will likely be ready to make an immediate impact whenever head coach Nick Saban calls upon him.

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Demetrius Hart

Demetrius Hart, a running back out of Orlando, Florida, is a short, stocky runner who has the ability to hit the hole with a great deal of authority.

Hart finished his high school career at Dr. Phillips High School with more than 2,220 yards rushing, more than 3,350 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns. He also recorded a 12-game streak in which he ran for over 100 yards each time out onto the field.

With the departures of running backs Corey Grant and Demetrius Goode, Hart has quickly become the Tide's No. 3 back behind Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy. If either succumbs to injury, it will be Hart who moves up to fill his role on the squad. Barring injury to Richardson or Lacy, Hart is expected to play a role similar to what Roy Upchurch played with the team in years past.

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Jesse Williams

Jesse Williams, a 6'3", 310-pound defensive tackle from Australia, was another big addition to the Crimson Tide.

Despite his size, Williams is surprisingly quick, as he has shown that he can explode off the ball and quickly knock down blockers. He is an extremely tough run defender and also possesses the ability to be an interior passing threat.

What may be most impressive about Williams is that he, unlike most defensive lineman, has no gut, nor does he look like someone competing on World's Strongest Man. Rather, he looks fit and agile. Nick Saban and the Tide will likely utilize Williams' strengths to make the defensive line tougher and more effective than it has been in years past.

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Brent Calloway

Brent Calloway, like Cyrus Kouandjio, played the recruiting version of musical chairs between Alabama and Auburn before finally committing to the Crimson Tide.

He is a very fast pass rusher and effective at blitzing off the edge. He is also very versatile, as he could play safety or even running back for the Tide, depending on where they need him to play.

He will likely begin 2011 playing on special teams, as he is a threat when playing on kickoff and punt coverage. Once Calloway shows Saban his ability to terrorize on special teams, look for him to make his way into the starting lineup on defense for the Crimson Tide.

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