TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Jedrick Wills had one start to his name entering Alabama’s 2018 season.

It was in the Crimson Tide’s Sept. 30 game against Ole Miss last year where the team opened the contest with six offensive linemen. Unfortunately for Wills and the rest of us, Alabama did not use its jumbo package on all 75 offensive snaps against the Rebels. And although he played quite a bit in 2017 as a true freshman, the Lexington, Ky., native embarked on his sophomore season without much starting experience, making him a little nervous ahead of the opener.

Five games into the current campaign, Wills has bumped his starts total to six and is no longer feeling apprehensive in his new role as the top-ranked Crimson Tide’s first-team right tackle.

“The very first play, when you first step on the field -- after that first play the jitters go away and you get comfortable,” Wills said. “I feel like from game to game I’ve been very comfortable just playing.”

In the 11 games he appeared in last season, though, any nerves Wills might have had did not show on the field. His power, however, was what stood out most to one SEC Network analyst.

“When he would get latched onto somebody, you could see he had the ability to move them, and some of that is not so much built around technique, fundamentals or footwork. You just kind of have it or you don’t,” Cole Cubelic told BamaOnLine. “You could see a little bit of that in him. He’s got some God-given ability to bring a little bit more of a punch than a lot of other guys.”

On an offensive line with two new starters -- Wills and right guard Alex Leatherwood -- the sophomore right tackle leads the team with 21 knockdown blocks. As a unit, the Crimson Tide’s O-line is tied for ninth nationally in fewest sacks allowed ahead of Week 6 at 0.80 per game. Wills has helped open holes for the country’s 29th-ranked rushing offense (217.4 yards per game), No. 1-ranked scoring offense (54.2 ppg) and No. 5-ranked total offense (553.2 ypg).

“He’s a starter now. He’s got a lot of experience,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “He’s a physical, aggressive player. I think he’s much more confident in knowing what to do, how to do it, why it’s important to do it that way. His mental errors have gone way down and he’s played very physical. I think both of our tackles have played really well so far this year.”

Alabama right tackle Jedrick Wills earns his second career start against Louisville.

One area of his game most people you ask have seen Wills excel this season is run-blocking.

“His technique in run-blocking is much better,” Cubelic said. “He’s flat-backed. He keeps a wide base. He understands how to keep his feet moving. His hands have been inside on almost every play that I’ve studied. So, he’s done an excellent job with that.

“I think just run-blocking, in general, is a major strength of his.”

Redshirt senior outside linebacker Christian Miller added, “Going against him, he’s talented. He’s going to be a really, really good player. He already is a good player, but as he grows he’s only going to get better. … He’s doing a great job, especially run-blocking.”

Wills said he has focused on improving what position coach Brent Key points out during film study every week. Taking what he sees on the screen and using it to get better on the practice field and eventually in games is something the sophomore has learned from left tackle Jonah Williams, who has started the last 34 games (15 at right tackle, 14 at left) for Alabama.

“He’s played a real big role,” Wills said. “Even like seeing his film when we’re watching ours, we’re just like listening to his corrections compared to everybody else. He’s so technically sound, but there’s always things for him to work on. When we look at him compared to like what we’re doing, it’s a big step. We just take things that he’s doing and improve it to our game.”

Last year, Williams moved to left tackle and blocked the blind side of then-starting quarterback Jalen Hurts for 14 games. But with Williams remaining at left tackle this season and left-handed signal caller Tua Tagovailoa taking over the reins of the offense, it is Wills that is the blind-side protector of the Alabama quarterback. That, however, isn’t something that gets brought up.

“I never really thought about it like that,” Wills said Monday. “I’ve had people ask me that before. It’s kind of shocking to me that I actually am the blind side, but I’ve never thought about it before. I just try to protect either way. … It’s no difference at all.

Alabama right tackle Jedrick Wills is all smiles at practice.

“I feel like blind side or not you’ve still got to protect. If he’s from behind or he’s on the front side, you still have to do your job and make sure that you keep him safe.”

While it became more well-known after the movie about Michael Oher’s life, which also featured a cameo from Saban, blocking a quarterback’s blind side isn’t necessarily reserved for the best lineman on the team. Williams is considered to be a first-round NFL draft pick when he chooses to leave Alabama, but with a southpaw behind center, he didn’t move back to right tackle.

Cubelic explained a potential reason for no shift in tackles.

“It’s, I think, just more of consistency and a feel,” Cubelic said. “If you get a guy going at left tackle, you don’t really want to move him unless you have to. I mean, you look at what Austin Golson did at Auburn last year, going from guard to tackle, left to right. That’s not the norm, it’s not easy to do. A lot of people think its just switching your stance. It’s not that easy.

“You become dominant with one foot and one hand. Your eyes become dominant a certain way. Your hips become dominant. You have a certain feel for things. So, to ask a guy to move around, it’s not really fair. And I think that’s one of the reasons that you’re seeing Jonah progress more this year than he did last year is probably because of a comfort level and he has an idea of what he’s going to be doing over on the left side.”

Whether he’s blocking the blind side or not, though, Wills has put together five solid games to start the Tide’s season. And the No. 34 overall prospect, No. 7 offensive tackle and No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky in 2017, per the 247Sports Composite, is just getting started.

“He’s a really explosive athlete,” senior tight end Hale Hentges said. “Obviously, a guy that plays with a lot of power, a lot of smarts too and he plays with a lot of poise for being young. Me personally, being side by side with him every day playing tight end and tackle, he’s done a really good job and I can tell you firsthand that he’s very experienced and going to do a good job for us.”



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

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