One of the few areas of concern -- if you can even call it that -- for Alabama heading into spring practice is the lack of experienced depth in the secondary. Four players who figured prominently in the Tide’s nickel packages are no longer with the team.
On the other side of the depth ledger is wide receiver. At that position, the Tide is, basically, loaded.
With that in mind, it would seem logical that head coach Nick Saban would pluck from a position of strength to help prop up a deficiency. And that’s just what Saban has done.
According to the Tuscaloosa News, redshirt freshman Kendall Kelly will begin the move from receiver to defensive back when the defending national champions open spring practice on Friday. One of Kelly’s high school coaches told the Tuscaloosa News his former played in the secondary “very sparingly” and that he was surprised by the move, but said that it afford Kelly an opportunity to compete.
“I was surprised, but at the same time, I know he’s the kind of athlete who can do something like that,” Gadsden City defensive coordinator Ali Smith said. “He’s upbeat about it. He knows it’s an opportunity for him to compete for a position, and he also knows he may be back at receiver at some point.”
The News also wrote that “Kelly may not be the only receiver to get a similar opportunity to join the competition in the secondary”, although they did not cite any names other than Kelly.
