Bray Hubbard's preseason All-American honor exposes a puzzling Alabama omission

The release of preseason All-American teams can only mean one thing: we're getting closer and closer to the start of the college football season.

We're just over two months away from kickoff, and just over a month away from the beginning of fall practice. Our long national nightmare is drawing to a close.

With a young and unproven roster, Alabama won't have many preseason All-Americans littered throughout the roster like Crimson Tide fans have grown accustomed to over the years. Instead, it'll be a "prove it" kind of year for the bulk of the team.

If there are preseason All-Americans to be found, they're likely to be found in Alabama's deep, talented, and experienced secondary. Walter Camp released its preseason All-American squads on Tuesday, and it included an expected Alabama name:

Senior Bray Hubbard projects to be one of the best safeties in college football next season, pairing with fellow senior Keon Sabb to form arguably the best safety duo in America. There's little doubt that Alabama's safety room is the deepest in the country, with guys like Zay Mincey, Ivan Taylor, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., and stud freshman Jireh Edwards all competing for playing time.

Hubbard figures to be the head of the snake for the Tide's defense. He's a lock to be a team captain and don the "C" on his jersey all year before putting his hand and footprints into Denny Chimes at next year's A-Day scrimmage.

Hubbard is not the only deserving player in Alabama's secondary, though. Sabb would have an argument, too, but the most glaring omission is at corner.

Zabien Brown is snubbed by the Walter Camp preseason All-American voters

I had to double-check the list to make sure I wasn't just overlooking his name. In what world is Zabien Brown not one of the eight best defensive backs in the country for next season? Brown is already a two-year starter heading into his true junior season and is a lockdown player in Kane Wommack's defensive backfield.

Brown has had a penchant for big plays, the kind that get you noticed for All-American and Thorpe Award consideration. As a freshman, Brown made the game-saving interception to seal Alabama's win over Georgia in Tuscaloosa.

Last season, Brown came up with a pair of clutch pick-sixes. He intercepted Tennessee's Joey Aguilar in the endzone right before the half and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown that nearly brought the house down in Bryant-Denny.

If that wasn't a big enough moment, he intercepted a John Mateer pass in the College Football Playoff to tie the game against Oklahoma right before halftime. That interception capped off a 17-point comeback for the Crimson Tide, with Alabama ultimately prevailing 34-24 to advance to the Rose Bowl.

Brown looks the part of a future first-round draft pick. He's one of the best players in the nation, not just one of the best defensive backs. He's deserving of first-team All-American consideration. Not having him on the first or second teams is indefensible.

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