Alabama football will see plenty of young, new faces see the field in 2023. One of them is true freshman running back Richard Young, who joins the team as a four-star prospect from Florida. Young is already drawing comparisons to former Crimson Tide star, Josh Jacobs.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert and Tom Luginbill decided to compile a list of the top 2023 recruits that could see the field in the upcoming season and find their respective player comparisons.
Jacobs was a standout for the Crimson Tide and broke out in the 2018 season. His strength and speed led to him being the first running back selected in the 2019 NFL draft.
Haubert and Luginbill see similarities in the two running backs. Despite Young having not yet played a down of college football, he’s expected to be a key contributor for the Crimson Tide’s offense over the next few seasons.
“Jacobs looked like a scat back early in his career but developed into more of a physical runner than people expected. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards, posting 21 touchdowns. He was never the feature back, but maybe the most important component of the offense during his tenure because of all the traits he possesses.
“Young is a feature back who is also effective in third-down situations. A slashing runner who can push the pile and has contact balance, he is a rare blend of power (5-11, 195) and suddenness. He may not possess elite top-end speed (he still ran a 10.8 100-meter in high school and consistently pulled away on long runs), however neither did Jacobs, who ran a 4.6 40 at the NFL combine.”
Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover Young and other Alabama players as the 2023 season approaches.
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