A trio of Alabama football players has made ESPN’s ranking of the top 100 players in the nation.
The Worldwide Leader produced a fresh top 100 ranking on Wednesday, just days before the 2026 campaign is set to kick off with 2026 action. The Crimson Tide were one of a handful of programs with 3+ players to make the cut.
Included were safety Bray Hubbard, linebacker Yhonzae Pierre and receiver Ryan Coleman Williams.
Hubbard was the highest-ranked player at No. 36 on the list. Hubbard is one of the most experienced defenders in the country as he’s set to enter 2026 with 21 career starts already on his résumé.
Pierre landed at No. 96 as he looks to build upon a 2025 season that included 8 sacks and 3 forced fumbles. He’s expected to be Alabama’s top pass rusher this fall.
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Coleman-Williams barely made the cut at No. 99, slipping to the end of the list after a 2025 campaign that saw him struggle mightily with drops and inconsistency issues. Here’s some analysis from ESPN’s Bill Connelly:
One of the most tantalizing freshmen of the 2024 season, Coleman-Williams struggled with drops in 2025. But even in what seemed like a terrible season for the sophomore, he still caught passes of 75, 54, 41, 38 and 31 yards, all against power-conference opponents. Just imagine what he might do in a good year.
Notably not included in the top 100 is Alabama safety Keon Sabb, cornerback Dijon Lee or cornerback Zabien Brown, among other talented candidates in Tuscaloosa.
One player expected to emerge for the Tide this fall is quarterback Keelon Russell, who was officially named Alabama’s starting quarterback earlier this week. Perhaps Russell will lead Alabama on the 2027 version of ESPN’s top 100 ranking.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
