Alabama’s annual A-Day gave fans a lot to unpack, from new freshmen and transfers to improved returners. If one thing is certain, though, it’s that the Crimson Tide will have nothing short of playmakers all over the field.

But after all of it was said and done, a few players stood out among the rest as true playmaking contributors.

Keelon Russell, QB

Keelon Russell, who may be the most obvious choice of a player to mention, saw nothing short of success on the field. Throwing one interception has nothing on him, considering it was towards the end of the five straight drives that he saw with no break.

From pinpoint accuracy to clean decision-making and improvisation, Russell took more than just one step ahead of Mack. He did so by constantly hitting his receiver while on the run, completing 21-33 of his passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns.

Overall, Russell looks like he just took control of the quarterback battle, if he hadn’t already. His play was far superior, and the offense generally seemed to move more efficiently when it was in Russell’s hands.

Trae’shawn Brown, RB

Trae’shawn Brown was one of the more overlooked players heading into the spring, and reasonably so; he was a rather late, three-star addition to a top Alabama recruiting class that included five-star running back Ezavier Crowell.

As Brown arrived, set to be a small piece of the huge depth that Alabama has in the running back room, he saw his role get expanded, through the spring, at least, as Crowell has been sidelined with a soft tissue injury.

Coaches and players have only had good things to say about Brown, but his motivated performance on Saturday put everyone on notice. His quick bursts of speed and ability to cut through defenders, while still showing physicality, are what set him apart.

Cedarian Morgan, WR

As soon as 6-foot-4, 223-pound Cedarian Morgan announced his commitment to Alabama, he instantly drew comparisons to former Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, based on his size, commitment to a new coach and his rating as a recruit.

While Morgan will have a long way to go in seeing those comparisons geared more towards production on the field, he made every catch count when he suited up for A-Day, hauling in a nice touchdown reception from Russell.

Throughout the scrimmage, Morgan displayed great hands and physicality, making tough catches in traffic and fighting for extra yards. After making a few noteworthy plays, it’s easy to say that he should see some playing time in the fall.

Marshall Pritchett, TE

Marshall Pritchett spent most of his freshman year contributing to special teams and recording seven receptions for 57 yards. On Saturday, however, he immediately made it clear that he’d have a much bigger role in 2026.

Pritchett stepped on the field and swiftly made his presence known, recording the first touchdown of the day on a pass from Russell. He constantly showed the ability to get open and be there to do whatever was needed of him.

From contributing on the line to finding himself in open space, Pritchett was making plays. He’ll have to keep fighting for reps, though, with Oklahoma State transfer Josh Ford and Kaleb Edwards also in the mix at tight end.

Red Morgan, Safety

The Crimson Tide saw another sophomore set himself apart with Red Morgan’s performance in the secondary. He seemed to play a factor in coverage all over the field, making tackles and contributing to stops constantly.

Morgan arguably performed best with his back against the wall in the end zone, providing tight coverage. He was also the one covering NC State wide receiver transfer Noah Rogers when he got injured on an attempted pass to the corner of the end zone. Regardless of the injury, it was a nice play by Morgan to get altitude and deflect the ball away.

Honorable mention: Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Safety

Dre Kirkpatrick had his 2025 season cut short when he was arrested over the Crimson Tide’s bye week before LSU last season. But since then, Kirkpatrick has been slowly working his way back into the mix to prove what he’s capable of.

Well, he showed it on Saturday, picking off Mack fairly early into the scrimmage and making some key tackles throughout. Overall, he played well, and fans of the Tide should be excited to have him back on the field for 2026.