Two New DBs Making Early Impression in Spring for Alabama Football

A transfer and freshman started at corner for the Crimson Tide last season, and freshman Dijon Lee and Utah transfer Cam Calhoun are impressing coaches and teammates at the start of spring camp.

Alabama football freshman DB Dijon Lee makes a catch at spring practice | BamaCentral

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Around this time a season ago, one of the biggest question marks for Alabama entering the spring was who would play at cornerback for the Crimson Tide. There was very little experience at the position in Kalen DeBoer's first season.

It was new faces to the program, both transfers and freshmen, that stepped up at corner for Alabama in 2024. USC transfer Domani Jackson and true freshman Zabien Brown settled in to the starting spots at the position and both made key plays for the Tide, including game-sealing interceptions against South Carolina and Georgia respectively.

Jackson and Brown are both back for Alabama this season and will presumably step back into their starting roles at corner, but the Crimson Tide added another transfer and freshman at the position that are already making noise this spring.

Dijon Lee was the highest-rated defensive player in Alabama's 2025 signing class as a five-star out of California. During the first media viewing period of the spring, Lee immediately stood out because of his size at corner as a true freshman.

Alabama DBs coach Maurice Linguist watches freshman Dijon Lee (5) at practice | BamaCentral

Lee is listed at 6-4 on the official Alabama roster, which is very tall for a corner. Back on signing day, length and "physicality on another level" were two of the ways that DeBoer described Lee.

After Alabama's first week of spring practice, Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was asked whether or not Lee will stay at corner or potentially move to safety.

"Obviously, time will tell, right?" Wommack said. 'Bodies develop and all those things, but he looks like a corner right now. He looks like a really long-ass corner. He’s got really good feet. He’s got a maturity — he reminds me a little bit of Zabien. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him too early, but he has a demeanor that indicates that a freshman can come in and contribute."

Junior defensive back Bray Hubbard has been impressed by what he's seen out of his young teammate so far.

"Great player, man," Hubbard said. "That’s what you want to have out there, a guy like him. Super long. He’s fast for as long as he is, and I’ve never seen a corner that big. I’m honestly speechless on what to say. He’s tall. He’s long."

With a still relatively young secondary, especially with the loss of veteran Malachi Moore, Alabama went and got some help and experience from the portal in Utah transfer Cam Calhoun, who originally started his career at Michigan.

Cam Calhoun (9) at Alabama football spring practice | BamaCentral

"Really like Cam," Wommack said. "He has a maturity about him. You can tell this dude’s been a seasoned player at a place that’s established itself as one of the great defenses year in and year out at Utah. It’s not an easy task to get on the field at that program, and he was, a starter, so it’s awesome to be able to gain that experience."

Last season with the Utes, Calhoun had 21 total tackles and interception and nine pass breakups in 11 games. Calhoun also plays with an attacking mindset and "brings some juice" to the position group according to Wommack.

"Cam, he's something else," Hubbard said. "Great guy though. Brings a lot of energy in the locker room, on the field. That dude's all over the place–– not in a bad way. He's just always smiling always talking. He's a great player. Had a really good first week, and he's only going to keep building from there."