Five Alabama Football Freshmen Poised To Contribute in the 2026 Season

Kalen DeBoer's Alabama football program is no stranger to playing freshmen in critical roles. 20 true freshmen made double-digit appearances in their first seasons in Tuscaloosa in DeBoer's first two seasons, and after signing a top 10 Class of 2026, his third sets up for more of the same.

The Crimson Tide's incoming recruiting class features six of the top 50 players in the cycle and has numerous candidates who will see the field in 2026. Who will become DeBoer's next impactful freshman, falling in line with Zabien Brown, Ryan Coleman-Williams, Dijon Lee, Michael Carroll or Lotzier Brooks?

5 True Freshmen Poised to Contribute in 2026

Running Back, EJ Crowell - The 5-star running back out of Jackson High School won Mr. Football in the state of Alabama as a junior in 2025. He reclassified and enrolled early and is charged with fixing the Crimson Tide's broken rushing attack.

Alabama rushed for 104.1 yards per game in 2025, second to last in the SEC. The Crimson Tide rushed for 173.8 in 2024, but it largely came from quarterback Jalen Milroe, creating questions about DeBoer's ability to coach a traditional running game. Crowell answers those questions after rushing for 4,596 yards and 66 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

The 5-foot-11, 221-pound running back shows great balance in between the tackles and strong burst in the open field to generate explosive runs. A minor injury kept him from participating fully in spring practice, but he is expected to be fully healthy for the fall and stands to have every opportunity to unlock the Alabama rushing attack.

Wide Receiver, Cederian Morgan - The 4-star wide receiver out of Benjamin Russell high school looks to continue DeBoer's success with true freshman receivers. Ryan Coleman-Williams hauled in 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, while Lotzeir Brooks brought in 32 passes for 441 and two touchdowns in 2025.

Morgan stands at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds and invokes shades of Julio Jones as he dons a number eight jersey for his first season at the Capstone. He hauled in 188 receptions for 3,203 yards and 34 touchdowns over three seasons at Benjamin Russell as he became one of the best receivers in the class.

His imposing frame makes him a strong candidate to serve as a big-bodied target in an Alabama offense looking to replace Isaiah Horton. He already impressed this spring, catching all three of his targets for 76 yards and a touchdown at the Crimson Tide's A-Day game.

Running back, Trae'Shawn Brown - The 3-star running back out of Huntsville, Texas, was a late addition to the class but has already impressed after enrolling early this spring. He rushed for 1,362 yards with 17 touchdowns, along with hauling in 13 receptions for 204 yards as a senior

The 5-foot-10, 200-pound running back shows strong agility, strong cutting ability and is a dangerous pass catcher out of the backfield. He took 11 touches for 69 all-purpose yards in Alabama's A-Day

Fixing the Crimson Tide rushing attack is an all hands on deck situation, meaning recruiting ratings won't matter in the fall. If Brown can produce early he can carve out a role for himself in 2026.

Defense Back, Jireh Edwards - The 5-star defensive back out of Saint Frances Academy in Maryland is one of the highest-rated defenders in the class and was named the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year after recording 167 tackles with six interceptions and returning two for touchdowns.

Edwards has a difficult path to playing time given the Crimson Tide's strength in the secondary, but he offers defensive coordinator Kane Wommack a versatile piece that can play all three safety positions. Expect him to walk a similar path to Dijon Lee, serving as a key backup that pushes for a starting role.

Linebacker, Xavier Griffin - The 5-star linebacker from Gainesville, Ga., is considered the No. 1 linebacker in the class by 247Sports. He enrolls into a room that features a veteran transfer and a group of inexperienced underclassman. Griffen recorded 96 tackles with four sacks, two pass breakups, one interception and one fumble recovery as a senior, showing the ability to play off the ball as an inside backer and on the ball as an edge rusher.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound linebacker can offer the same to the Crimson Tide this fall, rotating into action at Stinger and Wolf depending on personnel packages.

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