When you recruit like Alabama does, every position is going to be deep with talent. Over the years, the Crimson Tide has had their share of position groups that have stood above all others. Defensive back, linebacker and offensive line have all taken their turn in the sun during the Tide’s recent run.

Heading into 2015, it appears there are two position groups that will bring more star power than any others on the roster: defensive line and running back. But which will be better?

Even after losing T.J. Yeldon to the NFL draft and Altee Tenpenny to transfer, the Crimson Tide have perhaps the deepest stable of running backs in the SEC. Led by Derrick Henry, who many think could be the best back in the conference this fall, the Crimson Tide have no fewer than five players who would earn major playing time on every SEC team.

With Kenyan Drake returning from injury, the Tide have diversity among their top ball carriers. Whereas Henry is a power back (albeit one with elite speed), Drake’s game is built on speed and elusiveness. After a nasty broken leg against Ole Miss ended his 2014 season, reports indicate Drake’s speed has returned in full, giving the Crimson Tide a game-breaking option out of the backfield.

While Henry and Drake will be the alpha dogs, their backups are equally as talented. Bo Scarbrough joins the team after having to sit out last season, a versatile player with ideal size and athleticism. Tyren Jones, who played a limited role last season, returns as a sophomore. Freshmen Damien Harris and Desherrius Flowers, the latter of whom is on campus as an early enrollee, will fight it out for whatever scraps remain, with at least one likely to redshirt.

Is that as good as the defensive line, though?

Last year’s line was a major part of the Crimson Tide’s SEC-best (and No. 4 in the nation) run defense. The bad news for the rest of college football: all of Alabama’s key contributors are returning.

Jonathan Allen blossomed into one of the most dominating defensive linemen in the conference last fall, earning first-team All-SEC honors at defensive tackle despite playing mostly at defensive end in Alabama’s 3-4 scheme. Playing alongside fellow rising junior A’Shawn Robinson, as well as Dalvin Tomlinson, the Tide had a destructive group of players to muck up their opponents interior.

The Tide also got major boosts from two JUCO transfers, D.J. Pettway and Jarran Reed. Both of those players return, giving the Tide one of the most veteran defensive lines in the SEC heading into 2015.

The line should get a big boost in 2015. Jonathan Taylor, another junior college transfer, has the talent to be a force at defensive tackle. He has great size and strength to play nose tackle, provided he can put his off-field troubles behind him. At end, Da’Shawn Hand should be able to find the field in ’15 after limited opportunities as a true freshman. At 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, Hand has the size and athleticism that Alabama looks for in its defensive ends.

So, which group takes the edge?

On talent, it’s hard to argue against the running backs. While Da’Shawn Hand was the No. 1 defensive end in the 2014 class, both Henry and Harris claim that title for the running backs, while Drake was becoming one of the most dangerous all-purpose threats in the nation before his injury.

On performance, the defensive line takes it. One of the most dominant groups in the country returns almost completely intact from a year ago, giving Alabama’s defensive line a leg up not just on the running backs but on the rest of the SEC’s defensive lines. For as talented as the running back group is, Henry hasn’t yet carried the load as a lead ball carrier, and the rest of the group mostly points to potential.