Another day down, so we're even closer to Alabama getting back onto the practice field for fall camp. We continue on with our summer roster rankings where we break down each player individually.

The only ones who won't be included are the three summer enrollees (Chuck McDonald, Kaleb Edwards and London Simmons) and freshman punter Alex Asparuhov, who was out this spring due to injury. That brings the total number to 78.

Previous roster rankings: Nos. 74-78, Nos. 70-73, Nos. 66-69

No. 65 – WR Derek Meadows

Previous ranking: N/A

Meadows was a critical get for Alabama during this past cycle. After losing five-star Caleb Cunningham to Ole Miss, the Tide were in need of a big-bodied X for the long term. Size was an area Alabama's WR room struggled with in 2024, and while Miami transfer Isaiah Horton eventually filled that need for the short term, Meadows projects more as a long-term building block that provides elite size and length (6-5, 208).

I originally thought he'd come in raw and in need of significant development, as there are nuances to playing the position at a high level that I didn't see from him consistently in high school. And while I still believe that to an extent, the spring revealed that he's much further along in that development as far as the route-running, getting in and out of his breaks, etc.

Meadows has a chance to be a matchup nightmare in the future, but for now, he'll learn from a similar body type with more experience in Horton (6-4, 209). For now, he just needs to put his head down and keep going to work.

Projected role in 2025: Backup X-WR/ST

No. 64 – RB Kevin Riley

Previous ranking: No. 55 (+1)

Riley is a former top-100 recruit (No. 85 overall, No. 3 RB) from the 2024 cycle. He was one of two running backs to sign with Alabama in that class, but the guy rated lower than him, Daniel Hill (No. 152, No. 13 RB), got significantly more run in 2024 and seems to be trending towards an even larger role in 2025.

It's possible that Riley slots in as the sixth running back on the depth chart, depending on what happens with AK Dear in the fall. I'm not ready to give up on him yet though. He's got serious juice as a runner that could eventually bring another explosive element to Alabama's run game after losing an explosive playmaker in Jalen Milroe. Plus, the guy runs hard.

I thought his conditioning early last season needed some work, but he seems to be in much better shape now. So if he finds his way into the rotation, I wouldn't be surprised based on his own talent. I just have a hard time imagining a scenario where Jam Miller, Richard Young, Daniel Hill and Dre'lyn Washington aren't the top four backs, barring injury. For now, Riley is valuable depth and could be a factor on special teams, maybe even as a return man.

Projected role in 2025: Backup RB/ST

No. 63 – OL Casey Poe

Previous ranking: No. 50 (-4)

I was high on Poe coming out of high school. The On3 Industry Rankings had him as the No. 77 overall player and No. 2 interior offensive lineman, but On3's own evaluations had him even higher as a top-50 recruit. I agreed with that assessment, as he brought a great combination of functional strength and athleticism that'd make him a perfect in DeBoer's offense.

Due to a limited number of tackles last spring, Poe was asked to spend part of his first offseason playing out of position, switching back and forth between RT and both guard spots. That continued once again this spring. The problem? His lack of length (under 33-inch arms) means that he projects as a better interior option, so him spending time at tackle probably isn't aiding his long-term development.

Still, Poe loves the University of Alabama and doesn't mind putting the team first, which makes him one of my personal favorites. This second-year offensive lineman still has an uphill battle for playing time this season, but I remain hopeful for his future beyond 2025.

Projected role for 2025: Depth OL/ST

No. 62 – EDGE Justin Hill

Previous ranking: N/A

Hill was easily one of my favorite additions this offseason. This was a top-70 recruit out of Ohio State's backyard, but the coaching staff still found a way to get him down to Tuscaloosa. He's a perfect Wolf for Kane Wommack's defense, too. Primarily a stand up edge in high school, but also has ample experience playing off the ball. Twitchy, explosive edge rusher with elite closing speed, and was able to convert speed to power consistently in high school despite only being around 220 pounds.

One question I asked on Signing Day was how quickly could Hill get up in that 240-pound range? He answered that call almost immediately, as he's already listed at 6-foot-3, 242 pounds on Alabama's roster. So why do I have him this far down here? Well, we still haven't seen it yet on the college level, so this is still projecting. Plus, he's got several players ahead of him on the depth chart, including Qua Russaw, Jah-Marien Latham, Yhonzae Pierre and Noah Carter.

I can see him eventually working his way into some situational work though, as his versatility could be extremely valuable after losing Jihaad Campbell to the NFL. In fact, I've mentioned multiple times this offseason that Hill could be a similar-styled chess piece but in the opposite direction. Campbell was an off-ball linebacker who played situationally on the edge. Well, Hill can primarily be an edge rusher who gets true situational work as an off-ball player, and not just in the traditional sense where the Wolf aligns off the ball. You can give Hill true off-ball responsibilities.

Projected role in 2025: Situational Wolf/ST