A larger-than-life folk hero from Tuscaloosa Central High, Lester Cotton arrived at Alabama having already been featured in a longform on ESPN. Growing to a whopping 328 lb. as a teen, Lester always knew where he wanted to play his college ball. When Nick Saban offered a scholarship after watching Lester dominate a local football camp, the deal was sealed.
Lester saw action in his freshman 2015 season, appearing in four contests, before earning a starting role at left guard in 2016. He ended up sharing the role with Korren Kirven that year but appeared in 14 games, including five starts.