Chris Braswell is Ready to Make an Impact for the Alabama Defense

Alabama has the luxury of having two 5-star all-world edge rushers on the roster in Will Anderson and Dallas Turner. The duo combined for 26 sacks and 44.5 tackles for loss in 2021. Insert Chris Braswell, another former 5-star recruit and opposing offensive coordinators will have plenty of sleepless nights trying to slow down this Alabama pass rush.

“Bras is a good player,” said Nick Saban. “He's a good rusher. He's got great first-step quickness, he can turn speed to power. He's got a much better understanding of what he's supposed to do on defense playing outside 'backer.

“It takes guys a little bit of time who have their hands in the dirt all the time when they're in high school and then we try to teach them how to play standing up, which is a good fit for a lot of guys. Because they're not really big enough to be defensive ends, especially at the next level. So if they can play outside 'backer and then they can rush on third down that creates tremendous value when they learn how to play standing up.

“And he has learned that and he's improved the past coverage part of it. But he's a really good rusher, got great first step quickness. And look you can be quick and fast, but if you can't turn speed to power, you're never going to be an effective rusher, and he can do that really well. So I think we have three guys there right now that are really good players and outside 'backer.”

Braswell is a freak in the weight room. According to The Athletic, Braswell squats up to 705 pounds and power cleaned 405. After playing sparingly his first couple of years on campus, the junior linebacker is ready to make an impact on the Alabama defense in 2022.

Defensive coordinator spoke recently about what Braswell brings to the table and ways to get him on the field at the same time as Anderson and Turner.

“You talk about Will and you talk about Dallas, which Will had a great year and Dallas, toward the end of the year, really started coming on,” said Golding. “But Chris Braswell has been very strong. Heavy-handed, good pass rusher. We have a lot of depth at that position to where we have to do a lot as coaches to get our best players on the field and what package allows those players to stay on the field regardless of the down and distance and regardless of the personnel you’re going against.

“I think it’s going to be critical for those guys to be on the field for us to be at our best.”

The Crimson Tide open the season on Saturday, Sep. 3 against Utah State, but there’s a good chance they don’t unveil the package will all three pass rushers, until the very next week when they travel to Austin to take on Texas.