Injuries to AK Dear and EJ Crowell have opened the door for another young Alabama RB

The first scrimmage of fall camp brought some bad news for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. 5-star freshman RB EJ Crowell, who missed most of the spring with an injury, was held out of Thursday's scrimmage with another injury that is expected to cause him to miss a little more practice time. DeBoer said it shouldn't cost him any game action, but the freshman needs the reps after missing so much time already.

More concerning was the injury to AK Dear. The sophomore had been having a tremendous offseason, positioning himself for a legitimate role in the offense. He was having a strong scrimmage before he was helped to the locker room with an ankle injury. There was nothing immediately known about the severity of the injury, with DeBoer noting that he'll be evaluated further.

Two rotational options in the backfield dealing with injuries early on is a tough blow for a room that was already short on experience.

But these situations are also opportunities for others. And one player taking full advantage of the early opportunity he's gotten in the spring and into fall camp is freshman RB Trae'shawn Brown. Overlooked and underrated on the recruiting trail, Brown has been a revelation for the coaching staff and is positioning himself for an immediate role in the Crimson Tide's offense.

Just watch #17 in this video:

You can see several tools on full display in the short clips: he runs through contact in one, and then has a nasty jump cut in another. He has the juice, and it's going to be difficult to keep him off the field, even when Alabama is full strength at the position.

Freshman RB Trae'shawn Brown is putting himself in position for a legitimate role in year one

Heading into the early signing period last December, Brown wasn't even on the radar for most Alabama fans. He was likely headed to Boise State with no Power Four offers to his name. The Crimson Tide came in with a last-minute offer, and he decided to sign and immediately head to Tuscaloosa sight unseen to start competing.

Alabama may have uncovered a serious gem. Those around the program have thrown out Josh Jacobs comparisons, noting that Jacobs was also an innocuous 3-star recruit who flew under the radar before signing with Alabama. It might be unrealistic to expect Brown to turn into an NFL first-round pick, but he's definitely got the talent, and that has been obvious since he stepped foot on campus.

Brown earned rave reviews during spring practice, quickly turning the heads of his teammates and the coaching staff from the instant he strapped on the pads. That has continued into fall camp, and he looked impressive during the scrimmage, according to people who were in attendance.

Daniel Hill is the RB1 at this point, but there's some serious young talent in the Alabama RB room. They need Crowell and Dear to get healthy, but Brown has been a guy who hasn't been drawing the same kind of attention as those two. He should be.

Brown is going to have a role in the Alabama offense as a freshman. It might be earlier than anyone expected, too.

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