Ranking the 2025 Alabama Roster: 45 Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr.

In advance of Spring Practice, we are ranking the 2025 Alabama Football Spring Roster trying to answer the question — who is the best player on this 2025 team? This ranking is based on what we have seen on the playing fields and the practice fields. Recruiting rankings and hype are not a factor. It’s about what we have seen of them as college football players, not high school prospects. Therefore, the bottom of the rankings will largely be populated by redshirts, we simply haven’t seen much of them. Yet. No doubt, practices, scrimmages and A-Day will shuffle these rankings and there will be Post-Spring/Pre-Fall Camp rankings at that time. No true freshman/early entries will appear in these Spring Rankings, we haven’t seen them as college football players just yet. That will happen this Spring.

The 45th ranked player on the Alabama Spring Football roster is sophomore safety, Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr.

The number of snaps Dre, Jr. played in 2024 may have surprised some. He was not one of the highest ranked/regarded members of Alabama’s 2024 signing class. Yet, he did not redshirt. He played quite a bit, mostly on special teams.

But don’t that lightly. It’s not like, with 85 players on scholarship and 120 on the squad there are scant options. The decision to play a true freshman you could choose to redshirt on special teams is a big one. The only reason you do it is if you feel like it’s making the team better.

I was much higher on Dre than most. I think last season showed why. With multiple options to fill out those special teams lineups, Alabama went with Dre. He also saw time at safety. He will move in to 2025 serving as one of Alabama’s very best special teams players and a critical reserve in the defensive backfield. Also, with likely starters Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard both NFL-draft-eligible following next season, Dre will be in a position to win a spot as a full-time starter as soon as 2026.

He’s listed at 5’11, 210. This is a thick, strong kid. He’s a good tackler. He played in every game all season long on special teams units and saw time on defense, even recording a tackle at safety in the game against Missouri. Now with a year under his belt, while he will no doubt continue to be a heavy presence on Alabama special teams, we will likely see him more on defense.

Safety is both a crowded and spare position at Alabama. Why? Well, there are eight players currently scheduled to make up the safety group, however, the “husky” position is usually manned by a safety. (Many of the safeties cross-train at both spots) While Sabb and Hubbard are likely starters at the safety spots, Dre will compete with Red Morgan, Zay Mincey, Kam Howard and freshman Ivan Taylor for a role on defense. Again, some will also see time at husky along with anticipated starter, DaShawn Jones.

Dre will have a new position coach in 2025. Mo Linguist will now coach the entirety of the Alabama defensive backfield, not just the cornerback position.

The On3 Consensus ranked Dre the 33rd best prospect in Alabama out of Gadsden City High School. We felt he would prove to be better in the long-term. All signs are pointing to Yes.

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