Which DBs could commit to Alabama football in 2024?

When Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer did a radio interview Tuesday, he pointed to a position group that had impressed him during the opening days of spring training. According to DeBoer, the defensive backfield was excellent.

Like almost everything else in the program, the defensive backfield has undergone significant changes since Nick Saban's retirement, with Kane Wommack taking over as defensive coordinator under DeBoer. There are also a lot of pieces that need to be replaced, with starting cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold both headed to the NFL, along with safety Jaylen Key, not to mention Caleb Downs, who transferred to Ohio State.

Despite all that turnover, the coaches didn't sound concerned about the talent level of UA's current defensive backs. Wommack had high praise for the group Saturday, especially the safeties, which included returning Malachi Moore and Michigan transfer Keon Sabb.

Those guys are able to communicate and execute, Wommack said. But from an athletic standpoint, I think they can work man-to-man. They have great spatial awareness in their zone coverage and can close the ball. Again, we talk about that vision coverage, you see those guys getting closer and closer to playing the ball.

On Wednesday, DeBoer was asked about two of the Crimson Tides' younger defensive backs. Safety Red Morgan and cornerback Zabien. Brown both joined the team as early enrollees and will play their true freshman season this fall.

DeBoer was optimistic about both players.

Those two in particular, and there are a few others, but since you brought them up, they've definitely been highlighted during these first five practices, DeBoer said. Red made a nice play or two today, and Zabiens was super consistent, really more than you would expect from guys so young. It was very positive with those guys.

Crimson Tide coach Colin Hitschler called Morgan especially fun to coach. Morgan joined the Tide as a four-star prospect out of Central in Phoenix City.

He is the real Alabama through and through, Hitschler said. When you have kids like that who love football, it's fun to coach them. He wants every piece of knowledge you can give him.

On the veteran side, someone who can make an impact is redshirt junior DeVonta Smith. According to Wommack, Smith, who missed much of 2023 with an injury, has been practicing the Husky position.

The spot is similar to Alabama's previously used defense in the Star position. Malachi Moore played there last season and will return in 2024.

That Husky position is so crucial to what we do because we ask a lot of that player, Wommack said. To provide man-to-man coverage, to flash off the edge, to play zone coverage, to sit in the box at times, was quite an ask. And so it needs a very versatile skill set, and I think Smitty has that.

With the aforementioned departures of McKinstry and Arnold, along with the transfers of Trey Amos and Antonio Kites, the cornerbacks group is short on experience. The only players in the room with college experience are returning Jahlil Hurley and Southern Cal transfer Domani Jackson.

Fortunately, there is a strong group of first-year students in the area. Along with Zabien Brown, the new group includes five-star Jaylen Mbakwe and Alabama legacy Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.

Wommack emphasized how important it is for young people to see as many live replays as possible.

These freshmen are going against a high-volume offense, he said. We've got a lot of stuff in now, and so they can see a lot of different shots, formation shifts, all that stuff. So quickly you can see that these guys are getting better every day. Plus, they're a very talented group, so I'm excited about our freshman DBs right now.

Alabama will continue spring training on Thursday. The spring will conclude with the A-Day game on April 13 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.