In the next few days, we will take a look at the incoming freshmen for this fall. Change is inevitable in the college ranks as players only remain for 3-5 years depending on their situation.

The recruiting class of 2011 is packed full of talent, several of which I believe can step-in and contribute to this years team.

Who Will Be Alabama’s Impact Recruits of 2011 Fall Camp?

The impact player I think will be the cornerstone of this team (if he can pick up on the nuances of the offense) will be star OL Cyrus Kouandjio. Although Barrett Jones played spring ball at left tackle, I believe Alabama is preparing for the worst case scenario in the case the Kouandjio takes a year to develop (much like fellow 5-star OL Fluker did).

Hopefully, Kouandjio can avoid the issues that plagued Fluker. With Fluker, I don’t it was as much physical limitations (although he did need to shed some body fat) as much as it was the mental adjustments. It is a big step going from high school football to stepping into Coach Saban’s complex NFL pro-style offense.

The next guy who will make a splash on this team is Dee Hart. He is the bolt of lightning in a bottle that Alabama was really needing last year. He has the capability of stretching the opposing defenses and causing them to over-pursue. It will definitely open up the middle of the field in passing situations, and keep the defenses on their heels.

One player who could be a head hunter on special teams this year is linebacker Vinnie Sunseri, the son of current Alabama linebackers coach Sal Sunseri. He reported early for spring ball, and he made some real vicious hits on players in the spring game. Very impressed with his toughness and tenacity, as he closed quickly on tackles. I would not be surprised to see him see the field in certain passing situations next fall.

Team is Deep - Reloading, Not Necessarily Plugging In Freshmen Starters

Look for big things from this years class. Not all of them will contribute this year, of course, but there are some future stars in the making. Many will play in some capacity, such as on special teams, but this Alabama team is really at the point of reloading… not so much plugging in freshmen into starting roles.

This team is deep in talent. The recruiting class is deep in talent, however sometimes a player has to get in line for playing time. It’s the nature of the well-oiled recruiting machine that has defined Alabama since Nick Saban’s arrival on the Capstone.

Look for an up-close look at the individual players in the next few days.

ROLL TIDE!

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