Kalen DeBoer highlights freshman running back after second spring scrimmage

As Alabama entered the spring, there was plenty of focus on the new five-star freshman running back, Ezavier Crowell. However, many seemed to be overlooking the late addition of Trae’shawn Brown, the three-star tailback out of Texas.

At 5-foot-10, 201 pounds, Brown is slightly smaller than Crowell, but still produces impressive performances as a result of his physicality and speed, which allowed him to record seven 100-yard rushing performances as a senior in high school.

As spring practice has progressed, Brown has been steadily waiting his turn and executing, and with Crowell being limited due to a soft tissue injury, Brown has had the chance to put himself on the map early through practices and scrimmages.

Although he’s competing in a loaded running back room, one that includes Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley and AK Dear on top of Crowell, head coach Kalen DeBoer still pointed out Brown when talking about performances in scrimmage on Friday.

“The guy I thought had a nice week was Trae’shawn,” DeBoer said. “Showed it a little bit today in the scrimmage, but I thought throughout the week, there were some live sessions, short yards, goalline and things like that, that he showed some pop. He showed some instinctiveness on how to get that first down when it was third-and-2, fourth-and-1, whatever it might be. And it’s never prettiest, never perfect, because there’s a lot of dudes up on the line of scrimmage, but overall, I think he’s had some good progress here in the spring.”

Brown may not have been ranked as one of the top running backs in the class, and that’s not the type of showings that were expected of him as he made his way to campus, but he’s been putting in the work and turning heads.

If Brown can continue to show a strong work ethic through A-Day and up into the fall, then there’s definitely a chance for him to earn some reps early. It’s a loaded running back room, though, so he’ll need to truly set himself apart for that to happen.