On the one hand, people who have watched Alabama’s championship success under coach Nick Saban might say after the Jaylen Waddle injury that the Crimson Tide would simply plug another blue chip recruit into his spot.

But SEC Network host Paul Finebaum lays out several scenarios where the Tide would miss the dynamic and versatile Waddle. Finebaum explained during his regular Monday appearance on “The Roundtable” on WJOX 94.5 FM in Birmingham, Alabama.

“It would be few and far between, but there would be possibly that one game this year that is at LSU, I mean they did look a lot better the other night,” Finebaum said. “Maybe it’s Saturday night in three or four weeks when Alabama needs a big play in Baton Rouge, or maybe in the SEC Championship Game, but certainly against an Ohio State or Clemson you need him and I’m not about to suggest the national championship could go down, as a result.”

Finebaum’s point is Waddle is that kind of player to set Alabama apart in multiple phases of the game, and could spring them to victory in a close game in the second half.

“It’s that one intangible that you hate to see go,” he said. “For all the reasons we’ve already said, but when you’re the most impactful player in the country on a given play and you can change a game on any play, that’s the saddest part of this just for the fans. Obviously for Waddle you hate to see it, obviously the guy was a great player and he has to come back from a tough injury.”