The preseason 247Sports True Freshman All-American list doesn't come out for a few more weeks, but Alabama's Zabien Brown feels like a safe bet for inclusion at this point. Brown had a stellar debut spring in Tuscaloosa, ending the 15 practices by solidly establishing himself with the first team. The Tide have since made a few additions in the portal, but Brown still continues to impress. Early in camp, he's tracking for a starting job.
Brown, who was spotted with a cast on his left hand during drills over the weekend, has drawn constant praise from Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.
"He just doesn't feel like a freshman out there," DeBoer said, per Bama247. "He does not. We felt that way this spring, and he just followed that up with another big jump, like you would expect.He's just out there, and I don't think of him as young or anything like that. He's just a guy that fits right into the defense."
Alabama is resetting its entire cornerback room this offseason. Brown is in a very good position, despite the addition of a pair of upperclassmen transfers, to emerge as a starter as Bama247's Cody Goodwin detailed in his latest breakdown of the Tide's cornerbacks room.
Staying with Alabama true freshman cornerbacks, Jaylen Mbakwe, who ranked as the No. 12 overall player in the 2024 class, is also making big strides early this fall.
"I've been so impressed with his level of confidence, not just playing the position day in and day out out of high school, but the strides that he's made from spring ball to where he is right now," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Womack said, per Bama247. "I would argue that he's made as many strides as anybody in our defense."
Brown was considered the No. 22 overall prospect in the 2024 class, per 247Sports. He was also considered the No. 3 overall cornerback recruit, behind Ellis Robinson IV, who went to Georgia, and Jaylen Mbakwe, his Alabama teammate.
"He plays with advanced technique, shows quick feet, can change direction and has excellent ball awareness," wrote Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for 247Sports, in his evaluation of Brown. "He plays a physical game, is a willing tackler and always looks under control.
Bama247's Cody Goodwin contributed to this report.
MORE: Latest national fall camp intel from 247Sports, including Georgia's next WR standout
