Crimson Power Rankings: Week 7

There are some changes this week, some even on the borderline of being drastic changes. As always, I wish this list were longer... There is a group of about 5 more players that deserve to be in right in the midst of the rest of those listed, but decisions have to be made.

The Crimson Power Rankings

1. WLB- Reuben Foster (4)
2. DE- Jonathan Allen (1)
3. JACK- Tim Williams (2)
4. WR- Calvin Ridley (3)
5. S- Eddie Jackson (7)
6. P- J.K. Scott (5)
7. CB/STAR- Minkah Fitzpatrick (6)
8. ILB- Shaun Hamilton (11)
9. DT- Da’Ron Payne (9)
10. CB- Marlon Humphrey (13)
11. WR- ArDarius Stewart (NR)
12. SLB- Ryan Anderson (12)
13. LG- Ross Pierschbacher (15)
14. LT- Cam Robinson (8)
15. CB- Anthony Averett (NR)
16. QB- Jalen Hurts (12)

A change at the top

After holding onto the top spot the entire season, Jonathan Allen has finally been supplanted as top dog on the team. Linebacker Reuben Foster has been otherworldy all season. It’s no knock on Jonathan Allen, possibly the best all around defensive lineman in the entire country, but Foster has been that much of a difference maker. You don’t see a linebacker with that kind of explosiveness. You just don't.

Aside from that though, Foster, Allen, Tim Williams, and Calvin Ridley continue to be the top four every week.

Eddie Jackson, who is now proving that his punt return skills are more than just a one time thing, is climbing up the rankings with his new special teams ability added on to his already stellar safety play.

Biggest risers

Shaun Hamilton continues to be amazing. He’s shaken off some of the indecisiveness and lateness that plagued his first two seasons and is only a couple of steps behind Foster in speed and explosiveness from the linebacker spot.

Anthony Averett too has quietly been almost perfect in coverage ever since his first couple of games as a starter. Not only that, but I don’t think I’ve seen him miss a tackle all season. Plus that touchdown-saving trip (even if the play didn’t count due to a hold) was a thing of pure beauty.

ArDarius Stewart shouldn’t really be a riser. He’s easily been the best player on offense not named Calvin Ridley (and he’s arguably been better in limited playing time), but missing a few games to his knee injury put him out of the race for a while. Now, he’s back.

Falling down

Cam Robinson had probably his worst moment of the season where he got a false start and then was toasted around the end to allow a blindside hit on Jalen Hurts. He also blew a couple of other blocks throughout the game, amounting to what I believe was his worst of the season. Granted, he was matched up against Derek Barnett, one of the best pass rushers in the nation... But he will have to face Myles Garrett next week, who is even better.

Jalen Hurts is a bit of a tough player to rank. On one hand, he leads the team in rushing and just scored three touchdowns on the ground. On the other, those were some of the absolute worst passes I’ve seen from an Alabama QB since Blake Sims’ opening performance against West Virginia. What’s really weird is that he seems to be making the right decisions on his throws and is getting better every week at not staring down his receiver, but he just cant get the ball to fly straight. As such, I’ve dropped him to 16th.

Running backs?

I’ll admit, I took a little bit of a cop out here. Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris, and Bo Scarbrough have all been outstanding at different times this season, and in different ways. Harris has been the most consistent, Jacobs the most explosive, and Bo is bigger and possibly faster than both, with better hands and blocking ability despite less carries. I couldn’t even decide which order to rank the three ( and didn’t want to flood the entire list with running backs), so I’m leaving them in a three way tie for 17th.

Others on the precipice

Many of you keep saying that Jonah Williams should be on the list every week, but I just haven’t seen it. He’s had some great blocks to be sure, but I’ve seen him blow assignments more often than any other lineman. That said, he’s rarely beat when he’s engaged, and is very near the line.

The same could be said of O.J. Howard. His blocking ranges anywhere from an amazing open field block to an egregious whiff. He consistently has about one good catch and run each game, and then disappears for the rest. For the fourth season in a row, the hyper-athletic tight end is an enigma.

As always, tell me how wrong I am in the comments below

I just might even respond.