Alabama coach Nick Saban gave a rundown of the Crimson Tide on Saturday during a preseason radio show.

“We do have some good, young linebackers, and I think some of them will play,” Saban said. “Will Anderson, Drew Sanders, both of those guys have taken a lot of snaps — some due to injury, but they’ve progressed very nicely.”

It’s not the first time the coach has highlighted those freshmen during preseason training camp. Saban has previously said veterans Ben Davis and Chris Allen have played well during summer workouts.

The freshmen have been expected to have big contributions since they were recruited. Anderson was rated as a top-10 player in the state of Georgia by 247Sports, and on the 247Composite, and notably, the No. 1 weakside defensive end and No. 5 player nationally by 247 and the second-rated weakside defender. He signed with Alabama over Auburn, LSU and Tennessee among his nearly 40 offers.

A tight end or linebacker coming out of high school, Sanders was rated as the No. 1 player in Texas by 247, the top-ranked athlete nationally and the No. 13 player nationally in the final Top247. He was the No. 22 nationally in the 247Composite and the composite’s No. 1 athlete and No. 3 player in Texas. He chose Alabama over Oklahoma and the likes of LSU, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon and Penn State.

H/T Charlie Potter.