Alabama Hornets: Who to Watch

The 2024 college football season was a solid one for the Alabama Hornets. The team emerged from the regular campaign with a 7-5 record under Head Coach Eddie Robinson, and that return left them in third place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division.

Like most teams in the NCAA set up, the Hornets will look to improve on that return in 2025. Winning trophies may not be a genuine target, but Alabama can certainly produce better results, and there are some talented players to watch this term.

Alabama Prospects

Independent verdicts suggest this will be another brutal campaign for the Alabama Hornets. Sportsbooks regularly provide updates on odds together with the likelihood of colleges claiming the top prizes, and their opinion may be disheartening for Hornets fans.

According to the latest college football odds, the Ohio State Buckeyes will likely win the CFP Football Championship. The teams in pole position to make a challenge are the Texas Longhorns, the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Georgia Bulldogs, and the Oregon Ducks.

The Alabama Hornets, meanwhile, are down among the underdogs. That’s probably a fair reflection of the team’s chances in 2025, but some exceptional players within the roster will aim to defy those odds.

The Man in Charge

There are no changes in the dugout for the 2025 season. Head Coach Eddie Robinson has been in charge of the Hornets since 2022, and while results have scope for improvement, the team needs consistency and a familiar face in the dugout.

Robinson enjoyed a ten-year playing career in the NFL, but he is relatively inexperienced in coaching. This is his first role as a coach, and if Alabama is going to move forward, he will need the help of some leaders on the field.

Offense Standouts

Any successful team needs a solid set of players protecting the quarterback, and one man to watch in 2025 is Desmond Daniels. Daniels, an offensive lineman, was one of four players promoted within the setup, and he will join the main roster in 2025.

Daniels enjoyed a productive 2024 campaign among the second-tier unit, starting in eleven of the team’s 12 games. He ranked strongly for snaps and pressures, and an overall grade of 85 percent suggests he can cope with the step up.

Desmond Daniels joins the first team alongside safety Keane Lewis, and both will be looking to make a difference in 2025.

Pulling the Strings

In any football team, there will always be a focus on the quarterback. These are the most influential players, capable of turning a game with one pass or a well-timed touchdown run. In the Alabama Hornets roster, Coach Robinson has a choice of QBs to select from, and any could come through to deliver an exceptional season.

Andrew Brody is number one on the list, so he is destined to become the Hornets’ starting quarterback in 2025. Brody began 2024 as Alabama’s first choice, but unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury in the first game. He’ll be eager to put that disappointment behind him and prove he has what it takes to become a future NFL star.

Brody will receive competition for the QB role from Te’Sean Smoot and Kareem Kaye.

Claiming Those Extra Points

Kickers can sometimes go under the radar when it comes to assessing the strength of a football roster. They are expected to land those extra points, and only seem to hit the headlines when they fail their task.

Those points will often be the difference between winning and losing, and it’s a role that carries great importance at the Alabama Hornets. The man in possession here is Brandon Gilliam, the starter kicker in 2024. During last season’s campaign, Gilliam made 19 of 27 field goal attempts and was named specialist of the week twice.

Hornets Finding Their Sting

There will be a focus on key areas of the pitch, and these are among the top Hornets players to watch in 2025. Others are looking to make a breakthrough in offense, defense, and special teams.

Wide receivers Bravis Cave, Ajai Harrell, and Jalen Jones should all be key for this college next term. Running backs Jamarie Hostzclaw, Karl Ligon, and DJ Brown will also be under the spotlight.

2025 Prospects

The first target for this talented Alabama Hornets group is to build on their results from last season. A return of 7-5 is steady, and it’s always good to see more wins than losses, but it wasn’t enough for the team to go deeper into the campaign.

All of these players must step up and confirm their potential, but anyone on the roster could emerge and become the difference-maker for the Hornets next term.