LaBryan Ray, Alabama Football News: Draft Scout Player News

09/12/20 - DT LaBryan Ray, rSr/2022, Alabama

If all goes according to plan, 2020 will be a needed fresh start for Alabama defensive lineman LaBryan Ray. The redshirt junior, who changed his number from No. 89 to No. 18 this past offseason, is finally feeling 100 percent after a lingering foot injury derailed his 2019 season. Following the latest wave of graduations and early departures to the NFL, Ray is one of just three Alabama defenders who has starting experience prior to last season. The others are linebacker Dylan Moses and cornerback Patrick Surtain. That puts the onus on a healthy Ray, who has started four games in three seasons, to anchor a Tide defensive line that is among the younger positional groups on the team.

"He's one of the leaders in the room," fellow fourth-year junior defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis said Thursday. "We need that in the room right now. Him coming back, he's gonna be a good help for us." Mathis noted that he and Ray are the "older cats" of a room that also includes some seasoned younger players in redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore as well as sophomores DJ Dale, Justin Eboigbe and Byron Young. "LaBryan played great last year for the three games he was able to play in," coach Nick Saban said Sept. 2. "He adds something to us that we don't have. He's athletic. He's got initial quickness. He's very positive in terms of pass rush and being able to play space plays because he can run and he is athletic. "And need more guys to be like that on our team on the defensive line. There's too much spread, too many loose plays in football right now that athletic guys that can run are really, really important to being a good defensive team. And I think that's the biggest thing that he adds, and we need more players to play like him." - Birmingham News

rSr/2022