TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ University of Alabama coach Nick Saban would like nothing better than to attack opponents in waves, and it looks like the 2014 Crimson Tide will do exactly that.

With the release of the initial depth chart Monday, Alabama will head into the regular season with 85 scholarship players on the roster – including freshman defensive lineman O.J. Smith, who is redshirting after recently undergoing shoulder surgery to fix a preexisting injury.

The Crimson Tide has exactly 14 defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. It also has that same number of offensive linemen.

If you went by the rankings compiled by 247Sports when each player was recruited, the breakdown is as follows:

Five-star players: 14
Four-star players: 50
Three-star players: 21

To put that into perspective, West Virginia, which Alabama will open the season against on Saturday in Atlanta (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN2), has no one who was rated a 5-star recruit, and seven former 4-star prospects.

Eight of Alabama’s 5-star players are considered starters, although three are in “or” situations in which they or someone else starts (two with each other).

Only five of the 5-stars are on offense, the other nine are defensive players with three on the line, three at linebacker and three among the defensive backs.

The strongest position is running back, where the entire group averages 4.3 stars. Tied for second were the linebackers and defensive backs at 4.1

In terms of total stars, Alabama’s defense has 169, which when you divide by the 42 players averages out to 4.02.

The offense has 155 total stars among 40 players for a 3.88 average.

Position (total number), starters average/overall average
Starters are listed first
Quarterbacks (5) 3.5/3.6
Blake Sims, 2010, 4, 275*
Jacob Coker, 2011, 3, 532 (FSU)
David Cornwell, 2014, 4, 79
Cooper Bateman, 2013, 4, 80
Alec Morris, 2012, 3, 569

Running backs (6) 5/4.3
T.J. Yeldon, 2012, 5, 28
Derrick Henry, 2013, 5, 12
Altee Tenpenny, 2013, 4, 53
Tyren Jones, 2013, 4, 66
Kenyan Drake, 2012, 4, 130
Jalston Fowler, 2010, 4, 220

Wide receivers (9) 3.67/3.9
Amari Cooper, 2012, 4, 46
DeAndrew White, 2010, 4, 107
Christion Jones, 2011, 3, 365*
Robert Foster, 2013, 5, 23
Chris Black, 2012, 4, 45
Cameron Sims, 2014, 4, 84
ArDarius Stewart, 2013, 4, 86
Derek Kief, 2014, 4, 221
Raheem Falkins, 2013, 3, 361

Tight ends (6) 4.5/3.7
O.J. Howard, 2013, 5, 19
Brian Vogler, 2010, 4, 228
Malcolm Faciane, 2011, 4, 190
Kurt Freitag, 2012, 3, 480
Ty Flournoy-Smith, 2014, 3, 103 (JC)
Dakota Ball, 2012, 3, 432*

Offensive line (14) 4/3.9
Cam Robinson, 2014, 5, 4
Arie Kouandjio, 2010, 4, 173
Ryan Kelly, 2011, 4, 237
Alphonse Taylor, 2012, 4, 266
Austin Shepherd, 2010, 3, 623
Grant Hill, 2013, 4, 61
Ross Pierschbacher, 2014, 4, 74
Brandon Greene, 2012, 4, 125
Dominick Jackson, 2014, 4, 2 (JC)
JC Hassenauer, 2014, 4, 172
Joshua Casher, 2014, 4, 280
Leon Brown, 2013, 4, 19 (JC)
Isaac Luatua, 2011, 3, 391
Bradley Bozeman, 2013, 3, 471

Defensive line (14) 4.5/3.9
Jonathan Allen, 2013, 5, 16*
A’Shawn Robinson, 2013, 5, 33
D.J. Pettway, 2011, 4, 206 (2014, 4, 14 JC)
Dalvin Tomlinson, 2012, 4, 217
Da’Shawn Hand, 2014, 5, 5
Dee Liner, 2013, 4, 46
Josh Frazier, 2014, 4, 85
Korren Kirven, 2012, 4, 166
Jarran Reed, 2014, 4, 13 (JC)
O.J. Smith, 2014, 3, 398
Johnny Dwight, 2014, 3, 429
Darren Lake, 2012, 3, 584
Brandon Ivory, 2010, 3, NA
Anthony Orr, 2009, 3, 582

Linebackers (14) 4.4/4.1
Reuben Foster, 2013, 5, 6
Trey DePriest, 2011, 5, 29
Reggie Ragland, 2012, 4, 41
Xzavier Dickson, 2011, 4, 34
Denzel Devall, 2012, 4, 139
Rashaan Evans, 2014, 5, 15
Christian Miller, 2014, 4, 39
Ronnie Clark, 2014, 4, 70
Ryan Anderson, 2012, 4, 78
Tim Williams, 2013, 4, 82
Dillon Lee, 2012, 4, 101
Shaun Dion Hamilton, 2014, 4, 203
Keith Holcombe, 2014, 4, 281
Walker Jones, 2013, 3, 658

Secondary (14) 4.3/4.1
Landon Collins, 2012, 5, 7
Cyrus Jones, 2012, 4, 43*
Geno Smith, 2012, 4, 61
Bradley Sylve, 2011, 4, 106*
Jarrick Williams, 2010, 4, 130
Nick Perry, 2010, 4, 250
Tony Brown, 2014, 5, 9
Marlon Humphrey, 2014, 5, 12
Laurence “Hootie” Jones, 2014, 4, 50
Maurice Smith, 2013, 4, 84
Anthony Averett, 2013, 4, 273
Jabriel Washington, 2011, 4, 285
Eddie Jackson, 2013, 3, 349
Jonathan Cook, 2013, 3, 524

Special teams (3)
Adam Griffith, 2012, 3, 656
JK Scott, 2014, 3, MA
Cole Mazza, 2013, 3, NA
*Rankings are for another position during recruiting