Could Alabama Have a Two-Way Player?

Travis Hunter was voted as the best player in college football last season, winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy as a member of the Colorado Buffaloes. Hunter is now off the the NFL, but his impact on college football is still being felt.

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Some athletes now want to play two ways, partially due to adding positional versatility, partially due to the potential for increased NIL for being more valuable to their team. It's a common trend in high school where the most talented athlete plays on both offense and defense.

Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe did it at Clay-Chalkville High School, starting for the Cougars at quarterback during his senior season and playing cornerback when they needed big stops against Thompson and Saraland to clinch the 6A State Championship. Alabama safety Bray Hubbard played offense in high school, winning Mr. Football in Mississippi twice as a quarterback. College athletes have the talent to play multiple positions, but the competition level typically dictates that they only play one side of the ball. Could Alabama have a player play both ways in 2025?

"Yeah, no. When you have someone that can really fit into a goal line package and be the extra tight end and maybe take a defensive end or a defensive lineman and add him to a personnel grouping, we'll certainly be open to that. Or if there's a specific guy that has just a skill that we don't have. I think for the most part each side of the ball has what they need. If they wanted to do something special we have that on that side of the ball. There isn't someone that is so much better going both ways like that situation to where we feel the need to do that at this point."

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.