The Alabama Crimson Tide kick off the 2026 season in just under three weeks.
Kalen DeBoer heads into his third season as head coach with a hefty contract extension but a sour taste in fans' mouths after the way last season ended.
The Crimson Tide won 11 games but were exposed in lopsided losses late in the season to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and eventual national champion Indiana at the Rose Bowl. The Bulldogs and Hoosiers combined to outscore the Tide, 66-10, and thoroughly dominated Alabama at the line of scrimmages.
Alabama also lost a lot of talent from that 11-win team, including 10 players who were selected in the NFL draft and six others that signed as undrafted free agents.
In addition to first-round talent like quarterback Ty
Simpson, such players as Isaiah Horton, third in receiving yards last season, defensive linemen James Smith and Keon Keeley and linebacker Qua Russaw left via the transfer portal.
Of the players returning from Alabama's 2025 roster, four of them were named to CBS Sports' recent ranking of the top 150 players in college football.
Zabien Brown, who enters his third season with the Crimson Tide, tops CBS Sports' list of Crimson Tide players at No. 33 overall. The former five-star recruit out of California was the nation's No. 3 cornerback according to 247Sports in 2024. He ranks as the third-best player at his position by CBS entering 2026.
College football analyst Tommy Brockermeyer said of Brown:
"Brown is one of the premier cornerback prospects in college football and a true ballhawk in Alabama's secondary. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns last season, added six pass breakups and consistently matched up with opponents' top receivers. Brown has the size, instincts and change-of-direction ability to thrive in press coverage. If I'm calling plays, I'm looking the other direction."
Brown enters the season with 40 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions, 13 pass breakups and two forced fumbles while starting all 28 games the past two seasons.
Linebacker Yhonzae Pierre ranked just outside the top 50 at No. 57 overall. Pierre blossomed into a true threat last season and led Alabama with eight sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss and nine QB hits. He also recorded three forced fumbles while making 12 starts and playing in all 15 games.
"Pierre was Alabama's most consistent pass-rushing threat last season, winning with an explosive first step, twitch and relentless effort. He has a knack for navigating stunts and games before finding the quarterback or ball carrier. With Alabama's defensive front expected to improve around him, Pierre should see even more opportunities to capitalize on favorable matchups." --Tommy Brockermeyer, CBS Sports.
Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams was two spots below Pierre at No. 59 on CBS Sports' list. That placed him only ninth among receivers, one year after his electric freshman season put him on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26.
While Williams' production dipped last season -- 649 yards and four touchdowns to 865 yards and eight scores as a freshman -- Brockermeyer called him one of Alabama's "most intriguing offensive weapons."
"He has the speed to stretch defenses vertically and the suddenness to make defenders miss in space. Improving his consistency as a blocker and pass catcher will be key to maximizing his NFL Draft stock, but the talent is undeniable."
Two players who ranked outside the top 100 were safety Bray Hubbard and sophomore cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. Lee landed at No. 141 on the list with Hubbard No. 144.
"Lee enjoyed a strong start to his college career and teams with Zabien Brown to give Alabama one of the country's top cornerback duos," Brockermeyer said. "He recorded two interceptions and seven passes defended while displaying ideal size, length and physicality. Lee plays the ball well in the air and should take another step forward with a full season of experience."
Lee made the game-winning interception in the closing seconds of Alabama's 27-24 win at Missouri on Oct. 11 last season.
Brockermeyer called Hubbard a "dependable, high-IQ defender" at safety. Hubbard has been named to various preseason watch lists, including for the Narguski Trophy, the Jim Thorpe Award, the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, and Walter Camp's preseason All-America team.
"Hubbard is a throwback safety who impacts every phase of the game," Brockermeyer said. "He finished last season with 79 tackles, four interceptions and 10 passes defended while consistently finding the football. Hubbard is also an effective blitzer who sets the edge well and delivers big hits in run support."
Hubbard has played in all 28 games over the past two seasons and has 136 career tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 15 pass breakups and four forced fumbles entering 2026.
Alabama opens the 2026 season Sept. 5 against East Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Kickoff is 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC.
New staff hire is Alabama football's most intriguing newcomer in 2026
— Roll Tide Wire (@RollTideWire) August 17, 2026
📸 Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News, USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co https://t.co/JbIQAh1tfJ pic.twitter.com/veg220ZdUL
Alabama football schedule 2026
- Sept. 5: vs. East Carolina, 11 a.m., ABC
- Sept. 12: at Kentucky, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 19: vs. Florida State, 2:30 p.m., ABC
- Sept. 26: vs. South Carolina, prime time
- Oct. 3: at Mississippi State, early window
- Oct. 10: vs. Georgia, prime time
- Oct. 17: at Tennessee, TBA
- Oct. 24: vs. Texas A&M, TBA
- Nov. 7: at LSU, TBA
- Nov. 14: at Vanderbilt, TBA
- Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga, 1 p.m., SEC Network+
- Nov. 28: vs. Auburn, TBA
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Four Alabama players make college football top 150 list for 2026
