We're taking a look at each position group as Alabama prepares to open spring practice this week. The eighth of a nine-part series looks at the defensive backs.

Projected depth chart

CB: Anthony Averett/Shyheim Carter

CB: Tony Brown/Aaron Robinson

S: Ronnie Harrison/Deionte Thompson

S: Minkah Fitzpatrick/ Hootie Jones

Star: Shyheim Carter/Jared Mayden

Departed

CB Marlon Humphrey could be a first-round pick next month.

S Eddie Jackson was an All-American caliber safety before breaking his leg in October.

Due to arrive in the spring/fall

Kyriq McDonald

Xavier McKinney

Daniel Wright

Outlook

This is another positional group where the pieces could be moved in any number of directions to make the right combination. Players like Minkah Fitzpatrick have played corner, star and safety. Tony Brown has been a star and cornerback while hitting like a safety.

That said, Alabama has options here.

Averett had a quietly big season at cornerback and figures to keep that gig this year. He's not one of those who would float to star or safety. Ronnie Harrison is another lock at a starting safety job after his first season as a starter. For Minkah Fitzpatrick, it's just a matter of where they need him because he does it all. Eddie Jackson's injury last October moved him to safety where the transition didn't appear to have many seams.

For the most part, the starting unit from the end of last season is intact. Only Marlon Humphrey is gone to the NFL from that group. Brown could step into that starting job or the Star role. Shyheim Carter was a true freshman who saw emergency duty at Star against Ole Miss. Hootie Jones is also back after playing significant time at safety last season.

There is young talent at cornerback with backups Aaron Robinson and Jared Mayden (also a contender at Star). Levi Wallace worked his way from walk-on to starter when Humphrey was injured late in the season. He could be a factor along with Nigel Knott, a redshirt freshman who was injured at the beginning of last season.

It's also worth noting the one regret of Nick Saban's recruiting job for the 2016 class comes in the secondary. He noted the lack of an elite cornerback in the top-ranked class when assessing the haul on National Signing Day. Kyriq McDonald, a three-star prospect from Madison, is the only true corner in the class. That's more of an issue for the future than the present with plenty of top-end talent back to fill the 2017 depth chart.