Alabama beat LSU, but its latest Pro Football Focus grades suggest the Crimson Tide still has work to do in a critical area.
The Alabama PFF grades from the victory highlighted several strong defensive performances, led by London Simmons, Red Morgan, and Devan Thompkins. Tight end Kaleb Edwards also stood out on an offense that received uneven evaluations.
However, the blocking grades offered a reminder that a win does not erase every concern. Several offensive linemen struggled in pass protection, while the defense had its own issues with missed tackles.
Here are three takeaways from Alabama’s individual PFF grades against LSU.
Alabama’s Defensive Front Produced Several Standouts
Simmons finished with Alabama’s highest defensive grade at 84.1 across 41 snaps. His 80.9 run-defense grade and 73.6 pass-rush mark reflected contributions in both areas.
Thompkins supplied the most productive pass-rushing performance on the stat sheet. PFF credited him with six pressures, including two sacks, one quarterback hit, and three hurries. He earned a 78.9 overall defensive grade and a 77.6 pass-rush grade over 52 snaps.
Yhonzae Pierre added four pressures, including a sack, and earned a 72.3 pass-rush grade. His overall defensive grade was lower at 60.6, showing the difference between his work rushing the passer and his complete evaluation.
Across the defense, PFF credited Alabama with 25 pressures, including four sacks. Terrance Green accounted for the other sack and finished with a 65.4 defensive grade.
Morgan provided another bright spot behind that front. He earned an 80.4 defensive grade over 63 snaps, pairing an 83.1 coverage grade with an 83.7 tackling grade. PFF credited him with eight solo tackles, five stops, and no missed tackles.
Those performances gave Alabama strong individual contributions at multiple levels of its defense.
Alabama’s PFF Grades Keep Pass Protection in Focus
The offensive line’s evaluations were considerably less encouraging.
All five of Alabama’s offensive linemen shown with 55 snaps finished below 65.0 in overall offensive grading. Jayvin James led that group at 63.2, followed by Michael Carroll at 59.2, Racin Delgatty at 53.0, Jackson Lloyd at 51.6, and Mal Waldrep Jr. at 47.1.
The pass-blocking grades were especially concerning. Waldrep received a 27.5, Carroll posted a 40.6, and Delgatty finished at 45.0. Lloyd earned a 64.8, while James received a 60.8.
Protection concerns also extended to the running backs. Trae’shawn Brown and Daniel Hill each received a 0.0 pass-blocking grade, although those evaluations came on just two and four pass-blocking snaps, respectively.
Those small samples require context. Still, paired with the offensive line’s marks, they identify protection as an area that needs attention after the victory.
Keelon Russell finished with a 67.6 offensive grade and a 65.7 passing grade. The blocking evaluations offer useful context for assessing the offense, although they do not explain every part of Russell’s performance.
Kaleb Edwards Stands Out as Tackling Leaves Room for Improvement
Edwards delivered one of Alabama’s strongest offensive evaluations. He earned an 82.2 overall grade across 38 snaps, including an 87.5 receiving grade and a 70.9 pass-blocking grade.
Cederian Morgan technically led the offense with an 87.6 overall grade. However, he played only four snaps. Edwards’ performance came with a substantially larger workload, making his evaluation particularly notable.
Elsewhere, Rico Scott posted a 67.4 offensive grade over 42 snaps. Ryan Coleman-Williams received a 55.4 overall grade and a 51.3 receiving grade across 45 snaps.
Defensively, Alabama’s tackling offered another clear opportunity for improvement. PFF recorded 17 missed tackles, with several defenders missing two apiece.
There were strong exceptions. Bray Hubbard earned an 86.2 tackling grade with no misses, while Morgan also avoided a missed tackle in a busy performance.
Alabama’s win over LSU produced plenty of encouraging individual grades. But the same evaluations give the Crimson Tide a clear assignment moving forward: build on its defensive playmakers while improving protection and finishing tackles.
Alabama’s PFF Grades Reveal a Lingering Concern After LSU Win