TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- With only three returning starters on defense, Alabama will have plenty of new faces and inexperience in its starting 11 when it opens the 2018 season on Sept. 1.

The defensive side of the ball, especially the depth behind the first unit, is a concern for Nick Saban and company with 10 players from last year’s defense now on NFL preseason rosters. But the good news is the players in line to start the upcoming campaign have talent, and they all learned from former All-Americans that came through the Crimson Tide’s football program.

For defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Mack Wilson, they learned from a couple of national award winners during their first years in Tuscaloosa as freshmen back in 2016.

“When Mack first came in -- we came in together -- a lot of us had people to take us under their wings,” Williams said. “I got Jonathan Allen. He got Reuben Foster. So, we really developed our games after those guys, and you can see the characteristics from Reuben passed on to him, which makes him a better player. He’s been a really great player for us.”

Williams also learned from Daron Payne, who was a first-round draft pick this offseason. Now, the defensive tackle is poised to replace Payne in the middle of Alabama’s front seven, and much like Allen and Payne did for him, Williams is helping his young teammates.

“Stephon Wynn, LaBryan Ray. Everybody has someone,” Williams said. “Raekwon (Davis) took me under his wing this year. If you feel like a person needs help, it’s time to take them under your wing and teach them. … Just walking down the hallway together to hear a problem. Most of our young guys want to get better. They don’t care about criticism you give them.

“They know you know the answer. I’ve been here three years so they know I know the answer if they ask me a question. And I tell them how to do it. It’s coming down from Coach Saban to me to the young guys.”

Alabama ILBs Dylan Moses (left) and Mack Wilson

For linebacker Dylan Moses, it was a combination of two team captains from the 2017 team.

“What changed after (the Mississippi State game) was the older guys really surrounded me and was like ‘Dylan, you’ve got to step up. We need you,’” Moses said. “Minkah (Fitzpatrick), Shaun Dion (Hamilton), all of those guys, they really came into the picture and helped me, even with extra film time, they helped me with that so I could be ready mentally.”

Like Moses, it was Minkah Fitzpatrick that helped cornerbacks Shyheim Carter and Trevon Diggs.

“Practicing with Minkah before the games and stuff, it helped me a lot,” Diggs said. “Even before the games or even after practice, me and Minkah would go to the sand pit and work on our feet and stuff like that. Little things, it just helped me keep carrying that over. He was teaching me more stuff, now I can teach the young guys the same thing which will keep going on after that.”

Williams, Wilson, Moses, Carter and Diggs are each expected to be new faces playing starting minutes on Alabama’s defense this fall. And along with increased roles on the field, their leadership is needed off it, too, as the Tide tries to develop depth at all positions.

But just as they experienced early in their careers, they have all taken the current young players under their wings as the defense looks to squash concerns and help Alabama defend its title.

“I tell all the young players, ‘All y’all got to be ready,’ Wilson said. “Nowadays in college football, people are getting hurt and different things are happening. So, I just tell every freshman that comes in here that you’ve got to be ready to play. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

“You’ve got to learn your stuff and you’ve got to play fast because you can’t go out and play on a college football field in today’s world and not know what to do.”

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

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