First, Brown wore a cast on his left hand during Sunday’s practice, the fourth of Alabama’s 2024 fall camp. While it limited his participation in a few drills, head coach Kalen DeBoer isn’t concerned. “He just slowed up here, a couple of days, but he’ll be back fine, probably the middle of next week,” DeBoer said after practice on Sunday. “But he was still out there practicing, getting his reps in.”
Second, Brown, a 5-star recruit from California powerhouse Mater Dei, continues to earn high praise from the staff during the first week of fall camp. “He just doesn’t feel like a freshman out there,” DeBoer continued. “He does not. We felt that way this spring, and he just followed that up with another big jump, like you would expect. He’s just out there, and I don’t think of him as young or anything like that. He’s just a guy that fits right into the defense.”
Brown was considered the No. 22 overall prospect in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports, and the No. 3 overall cornerback recruit, behind Ellis Robinson IV, who went to Georgia, and Jaylen Mbakwe, his Alabama teammate. Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, wrote in his evaluation of Brown: “He plays with advanced technique, shows quick feet, can change direction, and has excellent ball awareness. He plays a physical game, is a willing tackler, and always looks under control. With his natural talent and mature game, as well as how diligently he prepares off the field, it won’t be surprising if Brown sees plenty of time as a true freshman in the fall.”
The 6-foot, 180-pound Santa Ana native joined the program last January, remained after Nick Saban’s retirement, and quickly moved up the depth chart during spring practices, ultimately starting with the first-team defense on A-Day. Fast forward to the first week of fall camp, and Brown continues to impress the coaching staff, even after Alabama added DaShawn Jones, a 10-game starter for Wake Forest last season, during the spring transfer window.
“I do think he has natural talent, but what I love about him is his attitude, his effort, and his process,” Mo Linguist, Alabama’s cornerbacks coach, said of Brown this week. “His eyes are in the right place, he knows how to win the pre-snap, he’s aligned correctly. He eliminates the clutter before the snap. He’s got really good movements, and he’s in the right position to make plays.”
During the various viewing periods where media has watched practice, it’s been challenging to determine positional hierarchy in the secondary through four practices. Brown, Mbakwe, and Zay Mincey are three freshmen all vying for playing time at corner, along with Jones and Domani Jackson, who transferred in from USC last January. However, given the praise Brown has received from the coaching staff, he seems poised to earn one of the starting roles — perhaps even by Week 1 against Western Kentucky, which is just 27 days away.
“I have a lot of trust in him already,” DeBoer said. “I’m proud of the way he approaches it. He doesn’t take anything for granted. He works his tail off. He’s up there with coach Mo nonstop. He’s a fun guy to have around each and every day in the program.”
Leave a Reply