SEC Spring Breakout Players: Alabama DL James Smith

By Chris Marler

We continue our SEC pre-Spring practice series highlighting the breakout players from across the league who will be household names this Fall. Up next: Alabama defensive lineman James Smith.

A Rare Talent in Today’s College Football

Smith is a former five-star prospect from the 2023 class. He stands out not only for his 6-foot-3, 300-pound frame with elite athleticism but also for his commitment—he’s entering his third year at the same school he originally enrolled at, a rarity in today’s transfer-heavy era.

Smith was part of Alabama’s No. 1-ranked 2023 recruiting class, the final class of Nick Saban’s career. He had over 20 offers nationwide before choosing Alabama over Auburn, Florida, and Georgia.

Early Contributions & 2024 Performance

A local product who played in 12 of the Crimson Tide’s 13 games last year, Smith saw 287 total snaps in 2024 as a sophomore. He finished 2024 with:

• 20 total tackles
• 3.5 tackles for loss
• 1 sack

What Experts Are Saying

The excitement surrounding James Smith is clear from both the coaching staff and those covering the team. We spoke with Cover Crimson’s Clint Lamb to get his insights on Smith’s potential.

“James Smith is trending towards a significant breakout season in Year 3. While getting consistent rotational snaps throughout 2024, the former five-star recruit flashed often but still lacked some consistency, but that all came to a head against Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl when he had one of the best performances I’ve seen from an interior defensive lineman in quite some time for Alabama. 

And with Tim Smith and Damon Payne both gone, no one is standing in his way of a full-time starting role in 2025. He’s already trending towards being an elite run defender, but it’s the disruptive traits as a pass rusher that has me believing in a major step forward. He has a chance to be one of the Tide’s top 2-3 defensive players this upcoming season.”

The Big Question for 2025

Considering that Alabama will be returning a ton of talent on a defense that ranked top 15 nationally, those are really strong words for Smith. The big question for him is whether year three is the year he finally lives up to the five star hype and puts it all together.