Where Joel Klatt has Alabama football in early Top 25 rankings after spring practice
Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt says he was a bit confused when thinking of where to rank the Alabama Crimson Tide following the conclusion of the 2025 spring practice schedule.
Klatt on Monday unveiled his post-spring, way-too-early Top 25 rankings for the 2025 college football season. Ultimately, Alabama landed at No. 9 in Klatt's rankings, one spot ahead of Illinois and one spot below the Georgia Bulldogs. Penn State topped Klatt's way-too-early rankings at No. 1, followed by the Texas Longhorns at No. 2.
Klatt said on his video podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast" that he struggled with whether to rank Alabama as a top 10 team.
"I struggled with this team quite a bit. I did not know where to put Alabama. Looks like Ty Simpson is the leader to be the starting quarterback. I like Kalen DeBoer, you know that. I thought it was going to be better last year. Was it just not a fit with Jalen Milroe and Kalen DeBoer? Maybe. Simpson's a former five-star. He's been waiting three years for this chance."
Klatt believes that DeBoer being reunited with longtime offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will pay dividends for the Crimson Tide, if the two's past is an indication.
"Every time these two guys have been together, DeBoer and Grubb, lights out offensively -- in particular the quarterback play," Klatt said. "Think of what Michael Penix was able to do at Washington for those two years that they were up there."
Klatt highlighted some of Alabama's returning starters:
"On defense, (Alabama has) LT Overton and Tim Keenan on the defensive line, Deonte Lawson at linebacker. They still have Ryan Williams on the offensive side, one of the best players in the country. They've got Germie Bernard out there. They get Kadyn Proctor, who's now a three-year starter. They've got their center, Parker Brailsford. He's in there. So now I'm like, 'OK, I think I'm in.'"
Klatt finished by previewing Alabama's 2025 schedule and highlighted the Tide's SEC opener at Georgia on Sept. 27, and road trips to South Carolina and Auburn. Alabama hosts Tennessee, LSU, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma at Bryant-Denny Stadium in conference play.
"That schedule, nothing to scoff at," Klatt said.
Alabama opens the season against Florida State on Aug. 30 at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
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