Alabama’s front seven, as it is most years, was one of the best in the nation last year. That group comes back almost entirely intact for 2015, with one big opening: inside linebacker.

Trey DePriest held down one starting spot for three seasons. Last year, Reggie Ragland won a position battle to start alongside him, and the rising senior will retain that spot this year as one of the best returners in the conference at the position.

The spot next to Ragland remains undecided after an intriguing spring battle between two touted players.

Shaun Dion Hamilton and Reuben Foster have been dueling for the position since the start of spring, and they head into summer without a true resolution. In fact, there might be more confusion now than there was a few weeks ago.

Related: Who will replace Trey DePriest? 

By the end of spring, Hamilton was taking plenty of the snaps with the first-team defense. Foster, meanwhile, was on the field with the nickel defense, per reports out of practice and the spring game. That would imply that Hamilton has the edge to be the starter, while Foster will be playing mostly as a backup, right?

Nick Saban told AL.com that much of what Alabama did this spring came out of nickel and dime formations, putting Foster on the field ahead of Hamilton. That would explain why Foster was a part of the Crimson team on A-Day, playing with the first-team defense, while Hamilton was on the White team.

Part of the reason Foster has been able to stick with the first team has been his health. Throughout his first two years on campus, the big hitter had a penchant for dinging himself with his own massive tackles, as his form was often poor. Saban was pleased with his development this spring, both in improving his technique enough to be able to stay healthy and mastering the playbook.

“He’s made tremendous progress,” Saban told 247sports. “He hasn’t had the problems with injuries, his consistency has been really, really good.”

Hamilton has made strides as well after enrolling early as a freshman last year. He’s known on the team as a hard worker and a passionate student of the game, with Ragland calling him “a work horse,” per AL.com. Saban has mentioned Hamilton and Foster in the same breath, saying he’s pleased with how both linebackers have played so far this spring.

As it stands now, this battle won’t be decided until the fall arrives and the Crimson Tide strap the pads back on. With Saban hinting at a continued use of extra defensive backs, that could make Foster a de facto starter, even if Hamilton takes the snaps with the first-team base defense.

As opposed to quarterback, where there’s no clear leader, the competition to start next to Ragland could prove to be a good thing for the Tide. Alabama never lacks for talent at linebacker, but heading into the summer, the defense has two players it can look to come fall.