3 impact true freshman for Alabama Football
Under Coach Nick Saban, true freshmen always found their way onto the field and made an impact for Alabama Football. In 2023, the Tide had a handful of first-year contributors.
On the offensive side of the ball, Kadyn Proctor started every game at left tackle for Alabama. Running back Justice Haynes played a reserve role, finishing with 168 yards and two touchdowns on a team-high 6.7 yards per carry. Wide receiver Jalen Hale made some big plays in his limited opportunities, making five receptions for 148 yards and a score.
Defensively, safety Caleb Downs was one of the best freshmen of the Saban era with a team-high 107 tackles and two interceptions. Defensive tackle James Smith pushed his way into a very deep first-team rotation, appearing in nine games.
These class of 2023 products made Alabama better last season, and the latest crop of freshmen could raise the ceiling of the 2024 team in a similar fashion. Consensus 5-star wide receiver Ryan Williams is the obvious choice to potentially play a major role this fall. Alabama returns some talented playmakers with collegiate experience at the receiver position, but it does not have a lot of proven production coming back. If he can play his way into the rotation as expected, Williams is electric with the ball in his hands and has near-limitless potential.
5-star Zabien Brown is a very physically mature and technically sound cornerback out of Mater Dei in California. Bama entered the offseason with a relative weakness at the cornerback position, which could give Brown the opportunity to play his way into a starting role. He will compete primarily with transfer addition DaShawn Jones for the starting job, and could be in the lineup for Alabama’s first defensive snap of the season.
Similarly, fellow defensive back Red Morgan will look to beat out an older teammate and earn a starting job. Redshirt junior Devonta Smith will be a tough out at the Husky position, but Morgan appears to be ready if called upon. An underrated recruit in some ways, the 4-star out of Phenix City doesn’t possess dazzling physical traits but is very much an SEC defensive back in terms of athleticism and IQ.
Several other freshmen will also have the opportunity to earn snaps. 5-star defensive back Zay Mincey, 4-star Wolf Noah Carter, and 4-star receiver Caleb Odom stand out even amongst the other members of Bama's second-ranked class. Like most freshmen, they will have to overcome situational disadvantages to get on the field early.