LOOK: Crimson Tide Graduation Day
The spring semester has come to a close and with it comes a new crop of Crimson Tide graduates. Alabama is set to graduate a total of 91 student athletes this semester, ten of which hail from the football team.
From some of the most well known faces on the team for the past few seasons, to a legend that most fans should remember extremely well, here is a list of each of the football players that are set to receive their degrees this week.
Will Reichard
A fan-favorite, Will Reichard has provided a level off stability to a position that Tide fans likely never thought could exist. In his three seasons as Alabama's go-to option for all things place kicking, Reichard is 40-of-49 on field goals and 176-of-178 on extra points and was named an All-American in 2020 as well as a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Cameron Latu
Cameron Latu joined the Tide in the class of 2018 as a four-star linebacker prospect from Salt Lake City, UT. In his freshman season, Latu was redshirted and made the move to tight end during the offseason. In 2021, his first season as a starter, Latu hauled in 26 receptions for 410 yards and eight touchdowns.
Kendall Randolph
Kendall Randolph is one of the most veteran members of Alabama's football team. The hybrid tackle/ blocking tight end came to Tuscaloosa in 2017 as a four-star out of Madison, AL. After being used as a reserve in his first two seasons, Randolph found his niche in 2020 as a blocking tight end. Since then, he has mainly been used in specialty goal line packages.
Amari Kight
Amari Kight joined the team in 2019 as a four-star but redshirted his freshman season. In 2020, Kight was mainly used as a reserve, but in 2021, the Alabaster native saw his most playing time, appearing in seven games and showing some flashes of brilliance. Now heading into 2022, Kight is expected to take on a starting role and could be one of the Tide anchors up front.
Justin Eboigbe
Justin Eboigbe, like Kight, joined the team in 2019, but unlike Kight was a difference maker in his first year. Eboigbe saw time in ten games as a freshman and has since become a key piece of the Crimson Tide defensive line. In three seasons, the Forest Park, GA native has 48 tackles, 4.0 TFL's and 2.0 sacks.
Jackson Roby
Jackson Roby came to Tuscaloosa in 2018 as a preferred walk-on from Huntsville, AL. In his four years with the team, Roby has yet to appear in any games, but has been a reserve for a unit that has been very solid in his tenure.
Ty Perine
Ty Perine, another special teams fan favorite, is no longer a member of the Alabama team, but was a backup punter from 2019-2021. 2019 was the only season Perine saw any time as a starter, taking over halfway through the year, but was unable to keep the job heading into his sophomore season. After his junior year where he again was unable to secure the job, Perine retired from football and focused on his degree.
Hunter Brannon (Master's)
Another former member of the team, Hunter Brannon played from 2017-2019 as a reserve offensive lineman. Brannon came to Tuscaloosa as a three-star recruit, but failed to ever find his way onto the field. Brannon graduated with his bachelor's in 2020, but is receiving his master's in sports hospitality this weekend.
Melvin Billingsley
A player that most fans likely are not overly familiar with, Melvin Billingsley played for Alabama from 2019-2020 as a reserve tight end. Billingsley was a walk-on from Opelika, AL and never saw any time on the field.
Landon Collins
Certainly the most unique story of all the players that will walk across the stage this weekend, Landon Collins will finally receive his degree after leaving Alabama seven years ago to join the NFL.
Collins played at Alabama from 2012-2014 and was the 33rd overall selection in the 2015 Draft. Since Collins was a junior at the time of his drafting, he never finished his degree at Alabama. In a video posted by the Alabama Football Twitter account, Collins revealed a promise he made to coach Saban to finish his degree after he declared for the draft.