Da'Shawn Hand knows he's not the first five-star defender who had to wait his turn at Alabama.
He's simply the latest.
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound senior defensive lineman from Woodbridge, Va., has played in 39 games during his Crimson Tide career, including all 30 the past two seasons. His next career start, however, will be his first.
"It's been a humbling experience, but I'm glad I went through it," Hand said Thursday in a news conference. "God has no mistakes in a man's life. I kept chopping at the wood, and now it's my time.
"This is a very important season for me. I have to showcase my ability. I've been waiting. I've been working, so I'm just ready to showcase."
Alabama held its fifth spring practice Thursday, working out for two hours in full pads.
Hand signed in 2014 as the nation's No. 1 overall prospect according to Rivals.com and the No. 5 player according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings. He had sacks as a freshman against Texas A&M and Tennessee and collected 16 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks as a sophomore.
Last season, he tallied 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Hand credits Jonathan Allen and Dalvin Tomlinson - both are prepping for next month's NFL draft - for helping guide him in recent seasons. Now it's his turn as the veteran of a front that includes fellow senior Josh Frazier, standout junior Da'Ron Payne, junior college transfer Isaiah Buggs and a handful of promising youngsters, such as sophomore Raekwon Davis and redshirt freshman Quinnen Williams.
"I think Isaiah Buggs can be a good player," Alabama coach Nick Saban said earlier this spring. "Da'Shawn Hand has been a good player for us. Da'Ron Payne has played a lot of football around here for two years and has been a good player for us. Raekwon played some last year. Quinnen Williams is going to have to play some. Josh Frazier played quite a bit last year.
"We've got some freshmen coming in, and they all need to get better. We've played with worse."
Hand isn't comparing himself to any of his predecessors - "I'm my own player," he said - but he does believe this year's front can develop into a productive group as well.
"It starts with an attitude at first and how you attack things and the intensity," Hand said. "Then you get the mindset that you're not going to be stopped, no matter who is in front of you."
And after waiting so long to earn a starting opportunity, just how hungry is Hand entering his final go-around?
"It's immeasurable," he said.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.