In just one year's time, the new Alabama coaching staff has flipped the Tide's secondary from a perceived weakness to one of the team's greatest strengths for now and the immediate future.
Following the 2023 season and Nick Saban's retirement, Alabama lost its top three corners - Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold to the draft, and then Trey Amos to the Transfer Portal. Alabama also lost star safety Caleb Downs to the portal and entered the 2024 season with veteran Malachi Moore at safety, flanked by nothing but new faces.
DB coach Maurice Linguist worked wonders in his first season on the job. Freshman CB Zabien Brown and junior Domani Jackson became one of the best corner tandems in the country. Moore was steady as always, and both Keon Sabb and Bray Hubbard emerged as quality options at safety.
All of those guys will return in 2025 aside from Moore. In the 2025 recruiting class, Alabama signed an impressive trio: 5-star CB Dijon Lee, 4-star CB Chuck McDonald, and 4-star S Ivan Taylor. Alabama also added Utah transfer Cam Calhoun in the portal.
Alabama's 2026 class is shaping up to be even more impressive. 5-star S Jireh Edwards committed to the Tide on Saturday, joining 5-star CB Jorden Edmonds, 4-star CB Zyan Gibson, and 3-star S Rihyael Kelley.
The talent level in just one year has skyrocketed, and Linguist, in conjunction with DC Kane Wommack, has a proven ability to develop players in this system. Alabama could arguably have the best secondary in the country next season. That might not change for 2026 and 2027, either.
Projecting Alabama's depth chart in the secondary for 2025 and 2026
LCB: Domani Jackson, Cameron Calhoun, Chuck McDonald
SS: Bray Hubbard, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Ivan Taylor
FS: Keon Sabb, Zay Mincey, Kameron Howard
RCB: Zabien Brown, Dijon Lee
HUSKY: DaShawn Jones, Red Morgan
The ONLY player in that group who will be out of eligibility following this season is senior Domani Jackson, who should be one of the top corners in the 2026 NFL Draft. Everyone else can return. Undoubtedly, not all of them will. One or two might seek another opportunity elsewhere. Keon Sabb, Bray Hubbard, and DaShawn Jones could choose to enter the draft.
I don't like predicting someone to Transfer, but I will project that Sabb will enter the NFL Draft following this season. So 2026 could look like this:
LCB: Cameron Calhoun, Chuck McDonald, Jorden Edmonds
SS: Bray Hubbard, Ivan Taylor, Jireh Edwards
FS: Zay Mincey, Kameron Howard, Rihyael Kelley
RCB: Zabien Brown, Dijon Lee, Zyan Gibson
HUSKY: DaShawn Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Red Morgan
That's not what it will look like, but it speaks to the ridiculous amount of talent on the back end that it could.
One thing I will tell you: Dijon Lee is going to be a starter sooner rather than later. I don't know whose spot he is going to take, but he's going to take somebody's. It wouldn't stun me if that happens this year. He's that good, and he was one of the players who opened the most eyes during spring practice.
One thing we saw last season under Wommack defensively is that he is more willing to rotate defensive backs than Nick Saban ever was. A lot of guys saw playing time last season even though they weren't starters, and that helped with the development of the younger guys.
I wouldn't expect anything different this year, especially at corner. Alabama has four capable starters. Jackson and Brown are the unquestioned starters, but Lee and Calhoun will see plenty of playing time.
At safety, Mincey looked good in the ReliaQuest Bowl when he started in place of an injured Malachi Moore. He won't start, but he'll play, too. Both Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and Ivan Taylor had impressive springs, and they'll be hard to keep off the field, too.
Wommack and Linguist have a good problem on their hands. It'll be hard to divvy out playing time and keep everyone happy, but whoever is on the field will be an extremely talented player.