TUSCALOOSA — When confronted with all the national praise his No. 1-ranked recruiting class received, Alabama’s Nick Saban warned that the Crimson Tide never gets everyone it wants.

But on the surface, that’s kind of like when he complained about how the reserves gave up a late fourth quarter touchdown in a 40-7 win over Florida Atlantic this year. In the end it still was a beatdown.

Alabama didn’t achieve perfection in recruiting this year, and it probably won’t be Saban’s best recruiting class since he began coaching the Tide. The 2008 class had five first-round draft choices and produced players who helped win three national titles.

But Alabama was close enough to perfect, and providing this class isn’t hit by transfers, discipline problems and injuries, it should be good enough to help the Crimson Tide continue to compete for national championships. That’s safe enough to say, even considering Saban’s standard disclaimer he gives each year.

“It’s hard to make predictions about the guys you recruited today, and where they will be two or three years from now,” Saban said Wednesday. “We certainly like the guys that we got. They’ve shown a lot of potential to this point. They’ve been very successful in their production and performance.”

Here is a look at the players Alabama added and how they’ll mesh with what the Tide retains from its national championship roster.

Quarterback

AJ McCarron will return for his senior season, and that’s settles who will start. He has proven durable, not missing a start in his two years with the first team. Including signees Cooper Bateman and Parker McLeod, there are five scholarship quarterbacks behind McCarron, and all are a question mark. Saban has hinted he has so many because the guys who have been there have had their chance and aren’t showing they have what the Tide needs. The highly regarded Bateman and McLeod are about the same size as McCarron and have the about same intelligence as McCarron and same approach to the game as McCarron. Although they might redshirt this year, it’s hard to imagine they won’t get a long look by offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

Position grade: A

Newcomers: Cooper Bateman, Parker McLeod, walk-on Luke Del Rio

Newcomer grade: A

Running backs

Even though Alabama is losing Eddie Lacy to the NFL draft, the Tide still is loaded at this position. Rising sophomore T.J. Yeldon rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, and he should inherit Lacy’s starting job. There is a glut of talented runners competing for the second-team spot. Sophomore-to-be Kenyan Drake showed talent in several fourth-quarter appearances this past season, although it will be interesting to see how 6-foot-3, 242-pound Derrick Henry, one of the 2013 recruits, adjusts to college football. He will go through spring training, and don’t be surprised if he grabs the No. 2 spot.

Position grade: A

Newcomers: Derrick Henry, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara, Altee Tenpenny

Newcomer grade: A

Tight ends/Receivers

Although the NFL didn’t think enough of three-year starter Michael Williams to invite him to this month’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, he proved himself as a durable, dependable blocking tight end who could catch some passes. There isn’t an obvious replacement from among the returning players. Incoming freshman O.J. Howard, the No. 1 prep tight end in the nation, could compete for immediate playing time. At receiver, Alabama gets everybody back, including rising sophomore star Amari Cooper and Chris Black, who sat out last season as a redshirt because of shoulder injury. Newcomers Robert Foster and Raheem Falkins could join the rotation, too.

Position grade: A-

Newcomers: O.J. Howard (tight end), Raheem Falkins (receiver), Robert Foster (receiver)

Newcomer grade: A

Offensive line

Alabama has lost three All-Americans in center Barrett Jones, guard Chance Warmack and tackle D.J. Fluker, and this isn’t a position in which true freshmen can fill gaps immediately. Even the ultra-smart and gifted Jones didn’t start until his redshirt freshman season. However, Leon Brown (6-6, 300 pounds) should give Alabama a replacement for Fluker at right tackle. Right guard Anthony Steen and left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio are back, and rising sophomore Ryan Kelly appears ready to play center. Rising junior Chad Lindsey was Warmack’s backup at guard.

Position grade: B-

Newcomers: Leon Brown (tackle), Brandon Hill (guard), Grant Hill (guard)

Newcomer grade: A

Defensive line

Alabama has lost three of its top four players to graduation in Jesse Williams, Damion Square and Quinton Dial. Ed Stinson, a surprise starter of all 14 games at end in 2012, is back to provide consistency. Jeoffrey Pagan is a star in the making at end, and Brandon Ivory appears ready to inherit Williams’ spot at noseguard. Incoming freshmen Darius Page and A’Shawn Robinson have a chance to compete for some playing time, especially since Alabama needs to rebuild its dept.

Position grade: B

Newcomers: Dee Liner (end), Darius Page (noseguard), A’Shawn Robinson (noseguard)

Newcomer grade: A

Linebackers

Alabama couldn’t be in better shape at this position. All-America inside linebacker C.J. Mosley will return for his senior season. Inside linebacker Trey DePriest and outside linebackers Adrian Hubbard and Xzavier Dickson will be juniors. They could be the best set of linebackers in the SEC — and perhaps the country. Incoming freshman Reuben Foster really is good enough to be worth all the fuss, and he should fit in somewhere. Another incoming freshman, Jonathan Allen, will push Hubbard and Dickson for playing time on the outside. If nothing else, Allen proved to be a talented kick rusher in high school and could add to Alabama’s special teams.

Position grade: A+

Newcomers: Reuben Foster, Jonathan Allen, Walker Jones, Tim Williams

Newcomer grade: A

Secondary

Alabama returns starting cornerback Deon Belue and three safeties who played a lot in Vinnie Sunseri, HaHa Clinton-Dix and Nick Perry. In addition, cornerbacks John Fulton and Geno Smith played a lot at times and are back. Also, rising sophomore safety Landon Collins should land somewhere in the playing rotation after a year as a special teams star. However, these days, defenses routinely need to play five and six defensive backs at a time, and they run so much, it’s hard to play the same five or six guys. No longer can you put four guys out there and play them every snap (as the Crimson Tide’s 1992 national champions often did). Alabama has recruited three promising cornerbacks in Eddie Jackson, Maurice Smith and Jonathan Cook. Certainly, all three will get yelled at a lot by their position coach (Saban), but don’t be surprised if someone rises up and is contributing at some point this season.

Position grade: B+

Newcomers: Anthony Averett (safety), Jonathan Cook (cornerback), Eddie Jackson (cornerback), Maurice Smith (cornerback), ArDarius Stewart (safety)

Newcomer grade: A-

Special teams/Kicker

Alabama had the same five guys handling the biggest roles for the past three seasons: punter Cody Mandell, short field goal kicker Jeremy Shelley, long field goal kicker and kickoff specialist Cody Foster, long snapper

Carson Tinker and holder McCarron.

Mandell, Foster and McCarron are back, but Shelley and Tinker have graduated. Foster and redshirt freshman Adam Griffith will battle over his job, and incoming freshman Cole Mazza is the favorite to win the long-snapping job. Christion Jones struggled at times fielding punts, and he will have competition from Dee Hart (returning from knee surgery), Chris Black (returning from shoulder surgery) and ArDarius Stewart (incoming freshman).

Position grade: B-

Newcomers: Cole Mazza (long snapper), ArDarius Stewart (kick returner)

Newcomer grade: A