Plenty of players deserve credit for Alabama’s success so far this season. Derrick Henry is a stud and a Heisman Trophy contender. Jake Coker has come into his own at quarterback. Defensive back Eddie Jackson already has 5 interceptions while freshmen such as Minkah Fitzpatrick and Calvin Ridley are developing into stars.

But the group of players perhaps most responsible for the Crimson Tide’s return to the mix for the College Football Playoff, the defensive line, has been somewhat overshadowed. Alabama plays a 3-4 defense, which means officially there are only three starters on the line, but five Crimson Tide players — Jarran Reed, A’Shawn Robinson, Darren Lake, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen — have essentially functioned as interchangeable first-stringers.

As a unit, they’ve helped Alabama turn in some dominating defensive performances this season. The Crimson Tide has allowed just 70.9 rushing yards per game and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 22 times. As opposing offensive coordinators have tried to figure out how to block the big guys up front, it’s opened up things for linebacker Reggie Ragland, who has had his two best games of the season in the past two weeks.

But which defensive lineman has been the best? Let’s take a look:

Jarran Reed — Reed has been a stud at defensive end all season. He’s 2nd on the team behind Ragland with 34 tackles and has 3 tackles for a loss and a sack. He’s also a disruptive force in the passing game, batting down 2 passes and getting 4 quarterback hurries.

A’Shawn Robinson — Across the way from Reed on the other end, Robinson has also had a big season. He’s got 23 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. He’s also broken up a pass and has 7 quarterback hurries.

Darren Lake — Lake got the start in the opener against Wisconsin and has played in six of the Tide’s seven games this season. But statistically, the nose tackle hasn’t contributed as much as some of his teammates. He’s got 3 tackles and has broken up a pass, but at 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, the senior has an ability to plug up the middle even if he’s not recording tackles.

Daron Payne — Payne got the start at nose tackle in the Tide’s dominating defensive performance against Arkansas. In seven games, he’s got 6 tackles and has broken up a pass to go along with a quarterback hurry. Like Lake, Payne is a 315-pounder who can take up a lot of space in the middle.

Jonathan Allen — Allen has been filling up the stat sheet and is perhaps the most versatile lineman in the group. So far, Allen has just 15 tackles, but 7 have been for a loss and 5 were sacks. He’s also broken up 4 passes with 2 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

If forced to decide who has had the best season to date, it probably comes down to Allen and Reed, who have both contributed in different ways. Reed is as steady as any player on the Alabama roster, but Allen has been a big-play guy and has come up huge at times when the Tide really needed it.

Of course, Alabama is only just past the halfway point of the season and all five will have more opportunities to earn accolades. Regardless of which ones produce the best stats or earn All-SEC honors at season’s end, the Tide need the entire unit to continue to dominate.