College football analyst and media personality J.D. PicKell outlined his belief that Kalen DeBoer of the Alabama Crimson Tide is the fourth best coach in CFB.
A Review of Kalen Deboer’s First Season at Alabama
While on “The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell,” PicKell highlighted how he thought that DeBoer was coaching a team this year that didn’t fully fit the style of football that he wanted to play.
“I can’t help but feel like Bama and the situation Kalen DeBoer walked into there, I’m not going to tell you there wasn’t still talent for them to win, but I think the nature of the ingredients that Kalen DeBoer was dealing with weren’t necessarily playing exactly to who he is as a head coach in the systems he wants to run,” he stated.
As alluded to, the Crimson Tide had an up-and-down campaign this past season. The program finished with a 9-4 overall record and went 5-3 against fellow SEC opponents.
Though for most programs this would be considered a successful season, the Crimson Tide have set the standard over the past few decades that anything short of a deep playoff run is not up to their expectations.
Alabama did not make the expanded version of the College Football Playoff this season, something extremely surprising.
Furthermore, with many top talents expected to be drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft later this year, DeBoer will need to remain active in recruiting and the transfer portal to ensure the program has a much more successful season next year.
In College Football Network’s recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft, the Crimson Tide had one player projected to be taken within the top 10, with guard Tyler Booker being selected No. 9 overall by the New Orleans Saints.
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“I watched every snap of the 2023 South Carolina Gamecocks, and Spencer Rattler was never under as much pressure as he was with the New Orleans Saints last season. Yes, they had some injuries, but the Saints’ offensive line was as bad as I’ve ever seen from an NFL team.
Tyler Booker is a high-floor, NFL-ready guard with great power and the profile to be a great pass blocker. The Saints need all the help they can get. I’d also consider an edge rusher here, but the need to protect whoever the quarterback is supersedes the desire to pressure the opposition.”
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