Alabama’s Young Defensive Backs Earn Praise

One of the biggest question marks coming into the 2024 season for the Alabama Crimson Tide is the secondary. With the loss of Jaylen Key, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Terrion Arnold to the NFL draft and Caleb Downs to Ohio State, the Crimson Tide are thinner in the secondary than they would like to be heading into 2024.

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Alabama did pick up some experience in the secondary, but it's limited snaps. Domani Jackson has not started a full season yet, but does have some games under his belt; Keon Sabb played his best games down the stretch for Michigan in 2023, with arguably his best game coming in the 2024 CFP National Championship. DaShawn Jones also has starting experience, but he wasn't with Alabama during spring practice.

Alabama's defensive coordinator Kane Wommack spoke about the defensive backs on Thursday following the team's second practice of Fall Camp.

He highlighted a handful of players in the secondary, including the freshmen cornerbacks who may be thrown into the fire early in their college careers.

On Jaylen Mbakwe:

"Anybody who has watched Bak (Jaylen Mbakwe) the last two years of high school, in the way he plays the game and he really carried his team to a state championship. I've been so impressed with his level of confidence, not really playing the position day in and day out in high school, but the strides he's made from spring ball to where he is now, I would argue he's made the most strides of anyone in our defense."

Wommack also complimented the potential two starting cornerbacks for Alabama, stating, "Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown have been really impressive."

In spring ball, Jackson and Brown were the two starting cornerbacks for Alabama. DaShawn Jones, Zay Mincey, and Jaylen Mbakwe all could compete for playing time.

Wyatt Fulton is the TIde 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.