Alabama Football Practice Dec 18, 2014

Alabama wide receiver Cam Sims (7) makes a one-handed grab as he works through drills during Alabama football practice, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014, at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com ORG XMIT: ALBIN401

(VASHA HUNT)

Alabama coach Nick Saban confirmed Monday that sophomore wide receiver Cam Sims suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during practice Saturday, an injury that will require surgery and could sideline Sims for the entire upcoming season.

"It'll be a lot of hard work for him to get back at all for next season," Saban said. "We're hopeful, and we know what kind of person he is, and he'll work hard to do it."

Sims entered the spring as one of the favorites to land a starting job at wide receiver, where the Tide are replacing their top three players from last season.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Sims caught seven passes for 62 yards and a touchdown last year.

With Sims out, Alabama's top three wide receivers at this point are likely sophomore Robert Foster, junior Chris Black and sophomore ArDarius Stewart.

"I was definitely bummed out for him," said senior running back Kenyan Drake, who suffered a gruesome season-ending leg injury last October. "But football's a game of collisions and everything, so those kinds of things happen. But he was definitely in high spirits and looking forward to the season coming up."