Alabama redshirt junior guard Jaeden Roberts is slated to be a full-time starter for the first year of his career in 2024, but he’s shown enough to warrant a spot on Bruce Feldman’s prestigious “Freaks List.” Just how much of a physical specimen is Roberts, and what can fans expect from him this season?
Bruce Feldman Gushes Over Jaeden Roberts in His Freaks List
At a listed 6’5″ and 320+ pounds, you’d expect Roberts to be a filled-out offensive lineman, but he actually looks more like an athletic defensive end. “The 6-5, 322-pound junior is one of the most impressive-looking linemen in football, Feldman wrote. “He has 18 percent body fat and 272 pounds of lean muscle on his frame.”
Roberts committed to Alabama as a four-star recruit in the 2021 class at 340 pounds. He redshirted his true freshman season and hardly saw the field in Year 2. However, he dropped his weight down to 310 pounds last season, and after serving in a backup role to open the year, he started the final nine games.
After adding 10+ pounds of muscle mass this offseason, Roberts is primed to enjoy his best outing yet. According to Feldman, the Crimson Tide’s guard squatted 825 pounds, benched 525, and power cleaned 405 this summer.
That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as at just 16 years old, Roberts pushed 1,400 pounds on the sled.
The day I met @jaedensta he told me he wanted to hold the gym record for most weight ever pushed on the sled.
Today, at 16 years old, he did it; 1400 pounds 😲@StackSports @bestweightroom@SportsCenter @DeFrancosGym@GPCwallace @JPRockMO @AllenTrieu @BleacherReport @rivalsmike pic.twitter.com/HkKzP7Pdon
— Joseph Potts (@TopSpeedLLC) May 31, 2019
The College Football Network Top 100 featured two Alabama interior offensive linemen: center Parker Brailsford (No. 75) and guard Tyler Booker (No. 88). Brailsford was one of several players to follow new Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington and will be integral in the offensive guru’s scheme translating to the SEC.
Meanwhile, Booker proved himself as a 13-game starter for ‘Bama last year, earning second-team All-SEC honors and landing on the 2024 Outland Trophy watch list, given annually to the nation’s best interior lineman.
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With those two alongside him, there’s no reason Roberts won’t take a massive leap forward in Year 4. He’s known for his play in the ground game, but he’s also a reliable pass protector, which isn’t always easy with a mobile QB like Jalen Milroe.
As Roberts steps into his role as a full-time starter, his physical prowess positions him to be a dominant force on Alabama’s offensive line, a unit that could be playing for a national championship in 2024.
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