LSU vs Alabama Rematch: Depth Chart Evaluation for Both Teams

Judging from the recent reaction, it certainly seems as if the rematch between LSU and Alabama in the BCS national championship game hasn't exactly pleased every college football fan out there, but whether you love the All-SEC pairing or not, you at least have to admit that these are by far the two most talented teams in the country.

The type of star power and future NFL talent that will be on display down in New Orleans on Jan. 9 is almost unprecedented.

You're just simply not going to find any other teams in college football that have the type of talent and overall depth that the Tigers and the Tide possess.

With that in mind, let's have a look at the two teams' depth charts to see just how stacked they really are.

LSU: Quarterback

Starter

QB:  No. 9 Jordan Jefferson, Sr., 6'5", 225

Key Backup

QB: No. 12 Jarrett Lee, Sr., 6'2", 206

Jordan Jefferson hasn't been spectacular since taking over for Jarrett Lee midway through the "Game of the Century" but he has been efficient enough to guide the offense to success, with the exception of the first half of the SEC championship game against Georgia.

He may not be the most productive quarterback out there, but Jefferson is a good enough game manager to win you games, as he's proven these past few weeks, leading the team to four victories to end the season.

LSU: Running Back

Starter

RB: No. 11 Spencer Ware, So., 5'11", 223

Key Backups

RB: No. 42 Michael Ford, So., 5'10", 215

RB: No. 4 Alfred Blue, So., 6'2", 215

RB: No. 27 Kenny Hilliard, Fr., 5'10", 240

Spencer Ware and Michael Ford are one of the best running back duos in the country, and the two have combined to rush for 1,455 yards and score 16 touchdowns this season.

Neither Ware nor Ford is truly an elite back, but both are strong, physical runners, who are capable of wearing down a defense over four quarters.

LSU Receivers

Starters

WR: No. 2 Rueben Randle, Jr., 6'4", 208

WR: No. 10 Russell Shepard, Jr., 6'1", 185

WR: No. 33 Odell Beckham Jr., Fr., 5'11", 183

TE: No. 19 Deangelo Peterson, Sr., 6'4", 235

Key Backups

WR: No. 86 Kadron Boone, So., 6'0", 195

WR: No. 80 Jarvis Landry, Fr., 6'0", 195

TE: No. 88 Chase Clement, Jr., 6'4", 251

Everyone around Baton Rouge had been waiting for Rueben Randle to finally have a breakout season, and they finally got it in 2011, as Randle finally lived up to his enormous potential. The former highly touted recruit has hauled in 50 passes for 904 yards and scored eight touchdowns this year.

His fellow receivers, Odell Beckham Jr. and Russell Shepard, are two other talented threats that can both stretch a defense and make a big play when it's needed.

LSU: Offensive Line

Starters

LT: No. 76 Chris Faulk, So., 6'6", 325

LG: No. 60 Will Blackwell, Sr., 6'4", 303

C: No. 64 P.J. Lonergan, Jr., 6'4", 305

RG: No. 53 T-Bob Hebert, Sr., 6'3", 304

RT: No. 72 Alex Hurst, Jr., 6'6", 340

Key Backups

OG: No. 74 Josh Williford, So. 6'7" 324

OT: No. 75 Greg Shaw, Sr., 6'5", 281

LSU possesses two of the best offensive linemen in the SEC, OT Alex Hurst and OG Will Blackwell.

And the other three starters aren’t too shabby either.

The Tigers’ offensive line has opened up some big lanes for Spencer Ware and Michael Ford to run through this season, and they’ve been basically a brick wall in pass-protection, as they’ve only given up 14 sacks in 13 games.

LSU Defensive Line

Starters

DE: No. 49 Barkevious Mingo, So., 6'5", 240

DE: No. 99 Sam Montgomery, So., 6'4", 245

DT: No. 90 Michael Brockers, So., 6'6", 305

DT: No. 93 Bennie Logan, So., 6'3", 287

Key Backups

DE: No. 94 Kendrick Adams, Sr., 6'5", 255

DE: No. 89 Lavar Edwards, Jr., 6'5", 264

DT: No. 56 Anthony Johnson, Fr., 6'3", 294

LSU has two of the most dangerous edge-rushers in the country with defensive ends Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, who have combined to rack up 16 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss this season.

On the inside, the Tigers have three young, promising defensive tackles—Michael Brockers, Bennie Logan and Anthony Johnson, who all have the potential to be defensive stars in the years to come.

LSU: Linebackers

Starters

SLB: No. 23 Stefoin Francois, Sr., 6'3", 223

MLB:  No. 46 Kevin Minter, So., 6'2", 242

WLB: No. 22 Ryan Baker, Sr., 6'0", 236

Key Backups

LB: No. 58 Tajh Jones, So., 6'2", 205

LB: No. 37 Karnell Hatcher, Sr., 6'2", 223

LB: No. 57 Lamin Barrow, So., 6'2", 229

There are two constants for the LSU linebacker crew and those are seasoned veteran Ryan Baker and budding star sophomore Kevin Minter, who rank fourth and fifth on the team in tackles respectively.

The rest of the group is rotation-based, with four different linebackers seeing a good deal of snaps per game.

Overall, Minter's the only true standout of the unit, but there are no real weaknesses to be found, as all the linebackers that have been playing on a consistent basis have been about as steady and consistent as you would hope.

LSU: Secondary

Starters

CB: No. 17 Mo Claiborne, Jr., 6’0’’, 185

CB:: No. 7 Tyrann Mathieu, So., 5’9’’, 175

FS: No. 1 Eric Reid, So., 6'2", 208

SS: No. 18 Brandon Taylor, Sr., 6'0", 194

Key Backups

CB: No. 24 Tharold Simon, So., 6'3", 187

S: No. 6 Craig Loston, So., 6'2", 208

Patrick who?

LSU fans didn't have to worry for very long about the loss of star cornerback Patrick Peterson, as both Tyrann Mathieu and Mo Claiborne stepped up in a big way this season and played on the same elite level as their predecessor.

Both players earned their way onto the first team of the AP All-American team, while Mathieu found himself in the Heisman conversation, and Claiborne likely impressed NFL scouts enough to be the first defensive back taken in the 2012 NFL draft.

Although he's been overshadowed by his fellow defensive backfield mates, safety Eric Reid may actually be the most talented player in LSU's secondary, as Reid has the look of a future Top-15 pick.

Alabama: Quarterback

Starter

No. 10 AJ McCarron, So., 6'4", 205

Key Backup

No. 14 Phillip Sims, Fr., 6'2", 217

A.J. McCarron has been about as good as anyone could have hoped this year, as he's completed 66 percent of his passes and only thrown five interceptions in his first year as a starter.

McCarron hasn't been asked to put the team on his shoulders this year, and he's benefited a lot from having the best running back and one of the best offensive lines in college football, but it's hard to argue with going 11-1 in your first season as a starter.

Alabama: Running Back

Starter

RB: No. 3 Trent Richardson, Jr., 5'11", 224

Key Backups

RB: No. 42 Eddie Lacy, So., 6'0", 220

RB: No. 45 Jalston Fowler, So., 6'1", 246

Trent Richardson certainly gave a definitive answer to the question of who was the better Alabama running back, him or Mark Ingram.

Richardson exploded this season, rushing for 1,583 yards and scoring 23 total touchdowns.

The 5'11'', 224 Richardson ran all the way to New York City for the Heisman ceremony, and even though he didn't end up winning the award, he certainly made a deserving case.

Alabama: Receivers

Starters

WR: No. 4 Marquis Maze, Sr., 5'10", 180

WR: No. 15 Darius Hanks, Sr., 6'0", 185

TE: No. 17 Brad Smelley, Sr., 6'3", 229

TE: No. 89 Michael Williams, Jr., 6'6", 269

Key Backups

WR: No. 2 DeAndrew White, Fr., 6'0", 181

WR: No. 7 Kenny Bell, So., 6'1", 175

WR: No. 11 Brandon Gibson, Sr., 6'2", 194

You obviously don't lose a player the caliber of Julio Jones, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and get better at the wide receiver position, but Alabama's receiving corps, led by senior speedster Marquis Maze, has done enough to help QB A.J. McCarron feel comfortable in his first year as a starter.

Maze, Darius Hanks and Kenny Bell have all been reliable targets for McCarron this year, with Maze being the best of the bunch.

There is no true standout star like you had with Jones, but it's a seasoned group that knows what it takes to be successful.

Alabama: Offensive Line

Starters

LT: No. 75 Barrett Jones, Jr., 6'5", 311

LG: No. 65 Chance Warmack, Jr., 6'3", 320

C: No. 73 William Vlachos, Sr., 6'1", 294

RG: No. 61 Anthony Steen, So., 6'3", 303

RT: No. 76 D.J. Fluker, So., 6'6", 335

Key Backups

OT:  No. 71 Cyrus Kouandjio, Fr., 6'6", 322

OG: No. 52 Alfred McCullough, Sr., 6'2", 311

Alabama's offensive line is one of the biggest, strongest and most talented offensive lines that you're going to find in the country.

Barrett Jones, this year's Outland Trophy winner, and D.J. Fluker are both impact linemen, who can dominate any defensive end you put in front of them, and as an overall unit, this line excels at opening up lanes for RB Trent Richardson and keeping QB A.J. McCarron safe in the pocket.

Alabama: Defensive Line

Starters

NT: No. 99 Josh Chapman, Sr. 6’1’’, 310

DE: No. 54 Jesse Williams, Jr., 6'4", 319

DE: No. 92 Damion Square, Jr., 6’3’’, 285

Key Backups

DL: No. 49 Ed Stinson, So., 6’4’’, 279

DE: No. 58, Nick Gentry, Sr. 6’1’’, 284

DL: No. 90 Quinton Dial, Jr., 6'6", 294

Obviously losing a versatile star defensive linemen like DE Marcell Darues, who could line up anywhere along Alabama's three-man defensive line, was a big blow for the Tide. But considering the fact that Alabama ranks first in the country in rush defense, allowing just 75 yards on the ground per game, it's hard to say that the Tide miss him all that much.

NT Josh Chapman and DE Jesse Williams are two of the biggest and most physical defensive linemen that you're going to find in college football, and trying to create running lanes with their big bodies flying around is no easy feat.

Alabama: Linebackers

Starters

SLB: No. 5 Jerrell Harris, Sr., 6'3", 242

MLB: No. 30 Dont'a Hightower, Jr., 6'4", 260

WLB: No. 35 Nico Johnson, Jr., 6'3", 245

JLB: No. 41 Courtney Upshaw, Sr., 6'2", 265

Key Backups

WLB: No. 32 C.J. Mosley, So., 6'2", 234

MLB: No. 33 Trey Depriest, Fr., 6'2", 242

SLB: No. 91 Alex Watkins, Sr., 6'3", 240

This year, Alabama has one of the deepest and most talented linebacker corps in college football history. Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower are two of the top linebackers in the country, and guys like Nico Johnson, Jerrell Harris, C.J. Mosley and Trey Depriest are all impact players in their own right.

Alabama has the benefit of having six linebackers that would start for basically any other team in the country, and that type of depth allows defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to get creative with his defensive schemes and substitutions.

Alabama: Secondary

Starters

CB: No. 21 Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr., 6'3", 192

CB: No. 24 DeQuan Menzie, Sr., 6'0", 198

FS: No. 4 Mark Barron, Sr., 6'2", 218

SS: No. 37 Robert Lester, Jr., 6'2", 210

Key Backups

CB: No. 28 Dee Milliner, So., 6'1", 196

S: No. 3 Vinnie Sunseri, Fr., 6'0", 217

S: No. 29 Will Lowery, Jr., 5'10", 180

When your nickelback is a player the caliber of Dee Milliner, a corner who would start for basically any other team in college football, you know your secondary is truly deep and talented.

Alabama has three potential future first-round picks in its secondary with cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and safeties Mark Barron and Robert Lester, and less-heralded cornerback DeQuan Menzie is a reliable player as well.

Saying that the Tide have one of the most talented secondaries in college football is an ambitious statement, but it's also just might be a true one.

Special Teams

Alabama

K: No. 90 Jeremy Shelley, Jr., 5'10", 165

P: No. 29 Cody Mandell, So., 6'4", 202

PR: No. 4 Marquis Maze, Sr., 5'10", 180

KR: No. 4 Marquis Maze, Sr., 5'10", 180

LSU

K: No. 30 Drew Alleman, Jr., 5'11", 183

P: No. 38 Brad Wing, Fr., 6'3", 184

KR: No. 17 Mo Claiborne, Jr., 6'0", 185

PR: No. 7 Tyrann Mathieu, So., 5'9", 175