SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2010 |
THE TUSCALOOSA NEWS
5F
IA-DAYI
IN THE SPOTLIGHT NICO JOHNSON Position: Linebacker Year: Sophomore Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 238 Hometown: Andalusia High school: Andalusia
JERRELL HARRIS Position: Linebacker Year: Junior Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 231 Hometown: Gadsden High school: Gadsden City
2009: Played in 12 games as a true freshman and made three starts at will linebacker against South Carolina, Tennessee and Chattanooga. Was a freshman all-SEC selection by the league coaches and Sporting News. Finished the 2009 season with 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and one sack. Made a career-best eight tackles in a start against Tennessee and forced a fumble. High school: Was a Parade All-American ... U.S. Army All-American ... finalist for the first high school Butkus Award ... Registered 78 tackles as a senior in 2008 with two sacks and 11 interceptions ... had 70 tackles as a junior with 15 tackles for loss ... notched his career high in tackles as a sophomore in 2006 with 128 stops, including 113 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss and two interceptions ... coached by Heath Harmon at Andalusia High School ... chose Alabama over LSU, Southern California, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Texas A&M and Tennessee.
2009: Played in six games on special teams and as a backup at sam linebacker. Had three total tackles, including one solo and two assisted tackles. 2008: Harris played in 10 games, including the last seven of the season ... one of 16 true freshmen to see the field in 2008 ... totaled three tackles with two solo stops... made his first career appearance in a Crimson Tide uniform against Tulane. HIGH SCHOOL: Was regarded as one of the top linebacker prospects in the country ... a Parade All-American ... the No. 22 player nationally on SuperPrep Magazine’s Elite 50... Member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super 12 ... first-team ASWA 6A AllState selection ... recorded 145 tackles, 15 sacks and three interceptions as a senior ... had 130 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks as an All-State selection as a junior.
MARCELL DAREUS
MICHAEL WILLIAMS
Position: Defensive lineman Year: Junior Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 306 Hometown: Huffman High school: Huffman
Position: Tight end Year: Sophomore Height: 6-foot-6 Weight: 270 Hometown: Reform High school: Pickens County
2009: Produced the two big plays of his career in the BCS National Championship Game against Texas to earn Defensive MVP honors and help lead the Crimson Tide to its 13th national championship. He intercepted a pass with less than 10 seconds left in the first half and raced 29 yards for a touchdown to put the Tide ahead 24-6 at halftime. Earlier in the game against Texas, Dareus knocked starting QB Colt McCoy out of the game on the Longhorns’ fifth play of the game. Played in all 14 games and made four starts. Finished eighth in the SEC in sacks with 6.5. Had 33 total tackles, 9 tackles for a loss and 7 quarterback hurries.
2009: Played in all 14 games at tight end. Made his first career start against Mississippi State. He caught three passes for 29 yards. First career catch came against Tennessee for 4 yards.Had two catches for 25 yards against LSU. 2008: Redshirted. HIGH SCHOOl: Ranked as the No. 26 defensive end nationally by ESPN.com ... listed as the No. 4 defensive end nationally and the No. 10 overall prospect on the Alabama Top 35 list by Rivals.com ... the No. 17 defensive end nationally by Scout. com ... earned Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State honors and was the ASWA Class 2A lineman of the year ... member of The Mobile Press-Register Elite 18 and Super Southeast 120 lists ... named West Alabama All-Star by The Tuscaloosa News had over 400 yards receiving for five touchdowns as a tight end in his senior season ... also had 243 yards and two scores rushing to go with 63 tackles and 14 sacks on defense as a senior ... team won three straight Regional titles and made a Class 2A state second round appearance in 2007... recorded 68 tackles and 11 sacks as a junior.
2008: Dareus was one of 16 true freshmen to see the field in 2008 for Alabama, making his debut in the Crimson Tide’s season opener against Clemson. Had just four total tackles, including one solo. He also had three QB hurries and played in eight games. HIGH SCHOOL: He was SuperPrep Magazine’s No. 27 defensive lineman in the country and the publication’s No. 7 player in the state ... earned a four-star rating from Scout.com and listed as the nation’s No. 5 defensive tackle prospect ... Scout.com All-American selection ... a threestar defensive lineman according to Rivals. com ... the No. 28 defensive tackle in the country according to Rivals and the No. 17 overall player on the Alabama Top 35 list ... named to The Mobile Press-Register Elite 18... totaled 117 tackles and 20 sacks as a senior at Huffman and also returned a fumble for a touchdown.
DRE KIRKPATRICK Position: Defensive back Year: Sophomore Height: 6-3 Weight: 185 Hometown: Gadsden High school: Gadsden City
2009: Played in 12 games as a freshman, mostly on special teams and as a resever defensive back. Had eight tackles, including six on special teams. HIGH SCHOOL: Rated as one of the top overall players in the 2009 recruiting class ... the No. 4 overall recruit in the nation in the ESPNU150 and the No. 11 player in the Rivals100 ... a Parade All-American ... USA Today All-American ... U.S. Army All-American ... EA Sports First-Team All-American ... a SuperPrep All-American, Elite 50 player and No. 7 defensive back ... listed as the country’s No. 1 cornerback by ESPNU and Rivals. com ... rated as the No. 5 cornerback by Scout.com ... Notched 58 tackles as six interceptions as a junior ... recorded 80 tackles with six interceptions and 15 pass breakups as a senior ... had 55 tackles and five interceptions as a sophomore in 2006 ... coached by Joe Billingsley ... chose Alabama over Texas, Florida, LSU, Southern California, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee and Michigan.
KENNY BELL Position: Wide receiver Year: Redshirt freshman Height: 6-1 Weight: 160 Hometown: Rayville, La. High school: Rayville
2009: Redshirted. HIGH SCHOOL: Four-star wide receiver prospect out of Rayville, La. ... SuperPrep All-American ... ranked as the No. 36 wide receiver nationally by Scout.com ... Rivals.com lists Bell as the No. 40 wide out in the country and No. 12 on Rivals.com Louisiana Postseason Top 75 ... ESPNU lists him as the No. 47 wide receiver ... on The Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 ... member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 ... caught 46 passes as a senior for 816 yards and nine touchdowns ... hauled in 49 passes for 914 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in 2007.