It’s safe to say Fox Sports, or at least Bruce Feldman, is high on the Alabama front seven. One day after naming the Crimson Tide defensive line the second best in college football, Feldman gives UA’s linebackers the top spot, with two other SEC schools making the Top 10:

  • Vanderbilt (No. 7)
  • Tennessee (No. 6)
  • Alabama (No. 1)

What makes the Crimson Tide linebackers so special? Feldman highlights Tim Williams, subject of a recent Saturday Down South film breakdown feature:

The Tide lost SEC Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Ragland, but still have an eye-catching collection of linebackers. Let’s start with pass-rushing terror Tim Williams, who produced 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for losses (TFLs) in limited snaps. Coaches at Bama rave about how instinctive the 6-3, 245-pound Williams is. He’s both explosive and strong but also has a great feel for time and space, the way Charles Haley did. The question for Williams in 2016 is how well can he play the run? With Reuben Foster, a 6-1, 240-pound senior, that’s no issue. He was second on the team last year with 73 tackles and also had eight TFLs. Foster lights people up in the run game. He’s also a leader of the defense and brings plenty of juice to this defense. Ryan Anderson is the other outside linebacker and he’s bigger than a lot of D-linemen at 6-2, 258. He had 11.5 TFLs and six sacks last season. Shaun Dion Hamilton started five games last season and he’s also back. Rashaan Evans, Christian Miller, Anfernee Jennings, a 270-pound guy who gave the O-line fits last year, would probably start at a bunch of other SEC programs and are pushing for more snaps in Tuscaloosa.

The full list, with commentary on the men in the middle for the Commodores and Volunteers, along with teams such as Florida who just missed the cut, can be found here.

Did any SEC teams get snubbed? Would you change the order of Feldman’s list?