One of the biggest stories of both spring practice and fall camp for Alabama has been the emergence of freshman RB Trae'shawn Brown. Overshadowed by 5-star EJ Crowell in the same recruiting class, it has been Brown who has positioned himself for an immediate role in his first season in Tuscaloosa.
Brown was a standout during the spring and has gotten better and better throughout fall camp. With AK Dear on the mend and Crowell continuing to miss valuable practice time, Brown could open the season as RB2 on the Tide's depth chart behind junior Daniel Hill.
Regardless of where he is in the pecking order for Week 1, it is becoming increasingly clearer every week that Brown is going to have a role in the offense as a freshman. He had another strong performance in Thursday's scrimmage and earned high praise from Kalen DeBoer in the aftermath.
It's not just about Brown's ability as a runner - something that was obvious from the moment he took the field in the spring - but the freshman is earning the trust of the coaching staff with his ability to hold up in pass protection.
"You just feel more and more comfortable with him out there," DeBoer said. "Honestly, I felt pretty good about him as a ball carrier based on what we saw this spring. You’re just always working on ball security and things; it’s just faster at the college level. He’s really adapted well.
"Then it just leads into pass protections and any checks the quarterback makes. You can just see that he’s a smart guy; it matters to him. He’s definitely not noticeable in a bad way out there. He’s going out there and making plays and continues to progress."
Trae'shawn Brown continues to progress toward a significant role for Alabama as a freshman
Fixing the run game was priority number one this offseason for Alabama. DeBoer and company flipped the offensive line room and brought in new coaches for the O-Line and tight ends. Alongside organic growth from Hill, Kevin Riley, and a healthy Dear, there was confidence that the Crimson Tide would get a significant boost from a freshman running back.
That freshman was always expected to be Crowell, one of the most prolific RBs in the history of high school football in Alabama. And it still might be. But the recruiting industry slept on Brown throughout the process. He was a late addition to the Crimson Tide's class, more of an afterthought in a loaded group of newcomers in Tuscaloosa.
But it's possible that Brown is ultimately going to make as big of an impact as any player in the class in year one. He's got the wiggle and shiftiness that Alabama has been missing at the position. He's shown the contact balance and explosiveness to be a home run hitter out of the backfield. And now, according to DeBoer and Ryan Grubb earlier in the week, he's developed enough as a pass blocker to not be a liability in that department.
Brown has earned the trust of the staff in fall camp, and that's going to earn him a significant role as a freshman.
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