One of the best battles in college football might never be made available to the public.
It’s often been said that Alabama’s strongest competition comes in its preparation for its opponents as the Crimson Tide’s collection of blue-chip talent squares off in practice. More often than not, those must-see matchups are only privy to those fortunate enough to attend Alabama’s closed workouts. The rest of us are left to rely on second-hand descriptions from players or pick the bones of the brief highlight videos provided by the team.
This fall, the dark green fences of Alabama’s practice field will conceal a clash of heavyweight proportions as five-star talents Evan Neal and Will Anderson Jr. duke it out in a duel that figures to someday take part on Sundays.
The pandemic prevented a glimpse of the matchup last offseason during Anderson’s first year with the team. The linebacker was then unavailable on A-Day this spring, perhaps closing the book on any chance the public has of catching the battle with their own eyes.
That’s too bad.
Neal enters his junior season viewed by many as the nation’s top offensive lineman and has been widely projected as a possible top-10 pick in early mock drafts. The left tackle is officially listed at 6-foot-7, 350 pounds on Alabama’s roster. However, he says he’s down to 345 pounds, a weight he feels keeps him lighter on his feet. After watching him clear a 48-inch box jump over the summer, that claim is hard to argue.
“When you coach in the NFL, you see guys like that on occasion and we had a few through the years,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “But Evan is very unique in terms of he has great size, he’s got great athleticism.”
That might be true, but the contender on the other side of Alabama’s practice showdown is every bit as intimidating.
Anderson was nicknamed “The Terminator” by former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian due to his tendency to destroy teammates during practice. Unlike Neal, the 6-foot-4, 243-pound outside linebacker isn’t draft-eligible after this season. However, it’s a safe bet Anderson will be suiting up for an NFL defense in two years’ time.
So who comes on top during this daily tussle of titans? We might never know.
When asked about the faceoffs, both teammates humbly praised each other, stating how the competition only brings out the best in their respective games.
“Will’s definitely a talented guy and I’m just excited that I get to go up against him and get better every day,” Neal said. “Iron sharpens iron, you know? That’s why I chose to come here and it’s just exciting.”
Added Anderson of Neal: “That man right there is very talented. Somebody his size, who can move like that, I mean that’s what you come to Alabama for, to go against players like that. He makes me better every day, I make him better every day. I wouldn’t want to go against anybody else but Evan. He’s great, he knows what he’s doing, and he’s not only helping us, but the D-Line and the outside linebackers as well.”
Anderson and Neal will square off again Wednesday afternoon as Alabama takes part in its fifth practice of fall camp. The media will be granted availability for the first 15 minutes of the workout. Unfortunately, if the two teammates do happen to lock horns on the field, it’s likely to happen well after the cameras have come and gone.
