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Alabama Set to Return Key Offensive Player For 2025 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nicholas Simon | Last updated Dec 12, 2024 1:16 PM ET

The Alabama Crimson Tide are currently prepping for their ReliaQuest Bowl matchup against Michigan and received some really good news for next season.

Starting center Parker Brailsford told reporters following practice on Thursday that he will return to the Crimson Tide next year. He will be foregoing the 2025 NFL Draft, where he was being projected as a potential fourth-round pick. Instead, he will stick around in Tuscaloosa to help Kalen DeBoer and the Tide try to reach the playoff.

“I’ll be coming back,” Brailsford said. "I talked to some people around the building to see what they had to say and I think the overall consensus is I should come back.”

Brailsford began his collegiate career at Washington, where he helped anchor an offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award in 2023 as the Huskies bulldozed their way to the CFP National Championship Game.

The Scottsdale, AZ, native would proceed to follow Coach DeBoer to Tuscaloosa and make an immediate impact for the Crimson Tide. Brailsford started all 12 regular season games for Alabama and graded out at least 85% in nearly every game. He played a major role for a Crimson Tide offense that finished the season ranked third in offensive SP+.

Having the literal centerpiece of the offense returning will be huge for a Tide attack that could stand to benefit from continuity in Year 2 of the DeBoer era. There are still questions over the status of starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, and he indicated on Thursday that he still has not made a decision on his future.

In the meantime, the offense will have rising star receiver Ryan Williams returning for his sophomore season in 2025 and the staff is currently courting NC State transfer receiver Kevin Concepcion. Brailsford could once again be snapping the ball for one of the deadliest attacks in the nation, should all of those pieces be assembled in place.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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