Alabama freshman DB Zabien Brown built on a solid spring with an impressive start to fall camp. “I already have a lot of trust in him.”
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A few positive updates about true freshman cornerback Zabien Brown:
Brown wore a cast on his left hand during Sunday’s practice, which was the fourth session of Alabama’s 2024 fall camp. This limited his participation in some drills, but head coach Kalen DeBoer isn’t concerned.
“He slowed down a bit for a few days, but he should be back to full strength by the middle of next week,” DeBoer noted after practice on Sunday. “Despite the cast, he was still out there, getting his reps in.”
Second, Brown, a 5-star recruit from California’s Mater Dei, continues to receive high praise from the coaching staff during the first week of fall camp.
“He doesn’t feel like a freshman out there,” DeBoer remarked. “We saw that this spring, and he’s built on it with another significant leap, just as we anticipated.”
DeBoer emphasized that Brown doesn’t come across as young and seamlessly integrates into the defense.
Ranked as the No. 22 overall prospect in the 2024 class by 247Sports, Brown was also the No. 3 cornerback recruit, behind Ellis Robinson IV, who chose Georgia, and Jaylen Mbakwe, his future teammate at Alabama.
Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, praised Brown’s advanced technique, quick feet, agility, and excellent ball awareness in his evaluation. “He plays a physical game, is a willing tackler, and always looks under control,” Biggins noted. “Given his natural talent, mature game, and dedicated preparation off the field, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play a significant role as a true freshman.”
The 6-foot, 180-pound native of Santa Ana joined the program in January, stayed on after Nick Saban’s retirement, and quickly moved up the depth chart during spring practices, starting with the first-team defense on A-Day.
In the first week of fall camp, Brown continues to impress the coaching staff, even with the addition of DaShawn Jones, a 10-game starter from Wake Forest, during the spring transfer window.
Mo Linguist, Alabama’s cornerbacks coach, praised Brown’s natural talent, attitude, effort, and process. “His eyes are in the right place, he knows how to win pre-snap, and he’s aligned correctly. He eliminates the clutter before the snap, has excellent movement, and is consistently in the right position to make plays.”
During media viewing periods of practice, it’s been challenging to pinpoint the positional hierarchy in the secondary after four sessions. Freshmen Brown, Mbakwe, and Zay Mincey are all competing for cornerback spots, alongside Jones and Domani Jackson, who transferred from USC last January.
Despite the competition, Brown’s positive feedback from the coaching staff suggests he is well-positioned to secure a starting role, potentially by Week 1 against Western Kentucky, which is just 27 days away.
“I have a lot of trust in him already,” DeBoer commented. “I’m impressed with his approach. He doesn’t take anything for granted and works incredibly hard. He’s constantly with coach Mo and is a great presence in the program every day.”