MOBILE, Ala. -- Alabama center Ross Pierschbacher is interviewing with NFL teams this week at the 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl. He will leave one of three offensive line positions vacant for 2019 along with departing left tackle Jonah Williams and left guard Lester Cotton.

Deonte Brown will also likely miss game time because of NCAA violations during the playoff.

So, the Crimson Tide will have some big holes to replace up front during the offseason. But as a four-year starter at left guard and center, Pierschbacher is confident in the players returning. His predictions for next year’s starters, however, he says take them with “a grain of salt.”

“Oh gosh, all those guys are going to see this and text me saying, ‘What the heck?’” Pierschbacher said Tuesday in Mobile. “OK, Leatherwood at left tackle. Are we talking like Cornbread is suspended? Man -- Emil at left guard, CO at center, Womack at right guard and Jedrick at right tackle.”

Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills started all 15 games at right guard and right tackle for the Crimson Tide this past season as sophomores and are poised to lead UA’s offensive line into a new season as juniors. Although Leatherwood spent all of 2018 at guard, the former 5-star recruit filled in nicely for Williams in the 2018 College Football Playoff title game against Georgia.

As for Matt Womack, he started the majority of 2017-18 at right tackle, so he gives the Crimson Tide another experienced player should he return to the starting lineup. Brown cracked the starting five midseason this past fall, but he isn’t expected to be available for the season opener.

Alabama offensive lineman Emil Ekiyor

As for the other two players, Chris Owens and Emil Ekiyor were Alabama’s other two centers behind Pierschbacher, a redshirt senior. So, he has witnessed their development within the program firsthand. And as he shared Tuesday, Pierschbacher liked what he witnessed.

Ekiyor was a true freshman in 2018, and the 6-foot-3, 343-pounder played in four games as a reserve. The Indianapolis, Ind., native impressed the now-departed veteran in his first season.

“He’s a really promising young interior offensive lineman,” Pierschbacher said. “His power is just raw. I mean, he’s really a beast. So, all three interior positions I think he can play. It’s really just trying to find a spot for him on the field, I think.”

When asked about options to replace Pierschbacher at center, Owens was the first player the Senior Bowler mentioned. But he didn’t rule out competition with Ekiyor as the O-line’s anchor.

“I think he’ll be going into his fourth year, so yeah, he’s got experience there,” Pierschbacher said of Owens. “He’s got game experience, as well, as center, just playing it all last year, having knowledge of the playbook. So yeah, I think it’ll be a fight between those guys.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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