For more than a few seconds, it was easy to forget Rashaan Evans no longer played for Alabama, that his eligibility had been exhausted.

Perched in the middle of the Crimson Tide's defense was a linebacker who looked a lot like him. He even wore his old number, 32.

But alas Evans was gone -- off to the NFL as another one of Nick Saban's first-round picks.

In his place was a virtual clone, a player who is the same height as the 6-foot-3 Evans and only two pounds lighter than former Tide All-SEC performer.

The similarities between the star and his stand-in are uncanny, and Dylan Moses doesn't shy away from them.

"Just as far as taking on Rashaan's role, I feel like I learned a lot being his backup last season," Moses said in April. "For me, it's just like dang, now he's gone, now it's my role. I am just basically doing the same thing he did, if not better."

Moses is just the latest human bullet to roll off the assembly line at Alabama, where sideline-to-sideline defenders populate the Tide's front year after year.

As a freshman, Moses sparked intrigue during an introductory season that unfolded much in the same way a typical college student's does before the declaration of a major. It had the feeling of being experimental, ephemeral and also exciting.

He switched numbers repeatedly, cycling between No. 7, No. 8 and No. 18. He also floated between outside and inside linebacker while being deployed both as a reserve and a starter during a year when a spike in injuries afflicted the entire linebacker corps.

The adverse circumstances necessitated that Moses develop at an accelerated rate, and he responded.

Moses' trajectory was pointed skyward until he fractured his foot in a practice preceding the College Football Playoff semifinal. Before that setback, he produced 30 tackles, more than five of which resulted in lost yardage. It was an impressive total considering he was on the field for 181 snaps in 2017.

"I've played four different positions and the versatility is a huge thing," Moses said. "For me, I have played Mack, Money, Buck Will. I have played it all. So, I basically know the defense inside out."

Moses' potential seems vast in a system coordinated by Tosh Lupoi, a coach with an aggressive bent. During the A-Day spring game in late April, he collected ten tackles -- more than any of his teammates. And there is plenty more evidence that suggests he is a burgeoning three-down player who can line up on the edges in passing situations and be a featured component in the team's destructive "Nickel Rabbits" package, much in the same way Evans was.

Back in March, left tackle Jonah Williams noted that Moses had one of quickest first steps among all of the team's pass rushers.

"Dylan is going to be a great athlete here, definitely," Evans said last fall.

More than anyone else, Evans should know.

After all, Moses is a direct reflection of Evans right down to the number.

Rainer Sabin is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin