The Alabama Crimson Tide are one of the most decorated programs in college football history. The Tide have a plethora of national championships to their name and a seemingly countless list of NFL talent across the years.
Since the days of Bear Bryant, Alabama has been a hotbed for athletic “freaks.” Derrick Thomas’ elite explosiveness, Derrick Henry’s inability to go down and Devonta Smith’s ridiculous hands are just a few examples of the freak-of-nature activity that goes down in Tuscaloosa.
With the release of The Athletic’s 2026 Freaks List, the Crimson Tide saw a continuing trend with four of the 101 athletes belonging to them. Bruce Feldman’s list contains players with elite speed, strength and agility. Essentially, athletes who do the unthinkable.
Here are the Tide that made the list:
No. 13: Jackson Lloyd, Offensive Tackle
The first Crimson Tide named on the list is Jackson Lloyd, an offensive tackle who participated in only five games last season. Now a sophomore, the former four-star recruit looks to take over the starting job at the left tackle position after first-round pick Kadyn Proctor left for the NFL. Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb named Lloyd the starting left tackle six months before the Tide’s opening game
He makes the list due to his strength. He has benched 505 pounds and squatted 750, according to Feldman. Alabama struggled vastly in the running department last season. They’ll need Lloyd’s strength to open up some gaps and get them back on track.
No. 23: Daniel Hill, Running Back
Speaking of the running game, seeing a back listed so high on this list should be a good sign for the Tide. Last year, Jam Miller came in with high expectations, but rushed for just 504 yards on 3.9 yards per carry. Hill was a part of that running back room last season, rushing for 284 yards and six touchdowns.
Entering fall camp as a junior and the leading rep taker, his spot on the depth chart is far from final. Alabama brings in five-star freshman EJ Crowell, the highest-rated running back in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports.
Hill carries exceptional speed for a 230-pound frame. He won multiple Mississippi state running titles.
No. 38: Ryan Coleman-Williams, Wide Receiver
The 17-year-old kid is no more; receiver Ryan Williams, now 19 and in his junior season, has both wildly surpassed expectations and underachieved.
Williams’ freshman year, which saw him catch for 865 yards and eight touchdowns, put a major spotlight on him for his second year. Still catching for a solid 689 yards and four touchdowns, it was a letdown for a guy who was receiving Heisman Trophy buzz before the season started.
None of what happened last year, however, takes away from his sheer talent. The kid has it, and whether he re-unlocks it and shows the potential he possessed as a freshman, we’ll just have to wait and see.
He’s a big-play player (see the famous Georgia catch from 2024), and it’s no surprise to see him on this list.
No. 54: Bray Hubbard, Safety
The lone Tide player on the defensive side of the ball, Bray Hubbard, is no stranger to high honors. He was First-Team All-SEC and was named to the American Football Coaches Association’s Second-Team All America. Ahead of 2026, Hubbard returns to a proven Alabama secondary with more experience.
He’s a freak on the field, proven by his four interceptions and three forced fumbles last season, and off the field, benching 430 pounds and squatting 620.
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