Alabama Cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. Named Finalist for National Award

The Crimson Tide standout is one of five finalists for an honor given to college football's top freshman.

Alabama defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. (5) intercepts a Tennessee pass on a 2-point conversion during a college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Oct. 18, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. was named a finalist for the Shaun Alexander Award on Wednesday.

This honor is given to college football's top freshman and Lee is one of five finalists for the coveted national award. It's named after Shaun Alexander, a former Alabama running back who was the SEC Player of the Year in 1999, a three-time NFL Pro Bowler and the 2005 NFL MVP.

Lee has started in each of the last five games for the Crimson Tide while having seen time in all 12 contests this season. He's totaled 30 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups. Lee has also allowed just 10 receptions on 24 targets for a team-low 41.7 percent catch rate.

Lee earned his way into the starting lineup following a dominant performance against Missouri. Lee picked off Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula on the final drive of regulation to close Alabama's 27-24win in Columbia, Mo.

"We talk about it all the time, right, a body of work and you have to answer for the things that we put on tape and we just felt like what Dijon was doing in the game and as the game was going on, he was operating at a very efficient level and doing his job at an efficient level," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said the Monday after the Missouri game.

"What you do in practice and what you do in games ultimately determines the amount of playing time moving forward, and so Dijon's certainly on a very good trajectory right now."

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was also very impressed with Lee's performance.

"I mean, Dijon's in the rotation," DeBoer said during the Missouri postgame press conference. "He's a playmaker. He's hard to throw around. He tackles well and so we trust him. He came in last spring and you could see he was going to be in the rotation, more than likely. And just has continued to get better and better and this isn't the first game we have obviously felt good with him out there all season long."

The other finalists include Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.

Alabama has produced two Shaun Alexander Award winners in the honor's six-year existence, with Will Anderson Jr. garnering the distinction in 2020 and Caleb Downs in 2023. Like Sayin, Downs transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban's retirement.

Alabama Crimson Tide On SI is keeping track of every UA player and coach included on national award watch lists.

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