5 Alabama freshmen creating the most buzz after week of spring practice

Alabama Defensive Back Jorden Edmonds (16) during practice Spring Practice at Hank Crisp Indoor Facility in Tuscaloosa, AL on Thursday, Mar 12, 2026. Photo via Alabama Athletics

Multiple Alabama football freshmen created buzz for themselves during the Crimson Tide’s first week of spring practice.

Freshmen players have stepped up and made plays during each of Kalen DeBoer’s first two seasons as the Tide’s head football coach. Alabama’s coaching staff is hopeful year three will be no different.

Here is a look at five freshmen who created the most buzz during the Tide’s first week of its 2026 spring session:

Cederian Morgan

Morgan went viral while wearing the No. 8 at 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, giving some Alabama fans Julio Jones vibes last week. The Alabama native has been tagged as a potential year-one contributor at wide receiver for the Crimson Tide.

Ryan Coleman-Williams highlighted Morgan during his first media availability of the spring.

“1,000 percent,” Williams said. “We have a lot of young guys that’s working their tail off, and Cederian’s one of them. It’s literally like looking in a time machine, watching a guy. He’s a little bigger than me, but literally, I’ve seen him since he was in high school. So, it’s just crazy to see how he’s came in, had his head down, trying to learn from older guys, and I remember being in that position.”

EJ Crowell

Crowell was limited in practice when the Crimson Tide opened a few periods to the media last week. Ryan Grubb confirmed Crowell being limited was not a serious issue when he talked to reporters, and he said the sky remains the limit for the former five-star running back.

“Soft tissue deal,” Grubb said. “He’s okay. Just being cautious. We got another week coming up to make sure he’s healed the right way. And it’s a big spring for EJ. We wanna make sure he can get off to the right start, you know, when we get back. So. just probably being erring on the side of caution, but he’s looked great. He’s done a great job.”

Xavier Griffin

Xavier Griffin was highlighted by Yhonzae Pierre before spring practice got rolling in Tuscaloosa. Griffin also grabbed some headlines before Pierre highlighted him when he was spotlighted as a young player who had added some much-needed weight before spring practice.

Griffin now weighs 222 pounds while standing at 6-foot-3. An interesting development in Griffin’s early days in Tuscaloosa is that he appears to be spending time at inside linebacker rather than at wolf linebacker. It is not a huge surprise, given that he was recruited as a hybrid linebacker, but it is interesting.

“Xavier Griffin, I like that guy,” Pierre said on “The Millers’ Edge.” “He’s been working his butt off. I had a little interview with him yesterday. I mean, he’s going to be one of the ones, he’s going to step up and be a good player for us.”

Jireh Edwards

Edwards turned heads during the media availability portion of the Crimson Tide’s spring practice. The former five-star looked the part while working behind the Crimson Tide’s veteran safeties, Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb.

Kane Wommack named Edwards and Jorden Edmonds as defensive backs who are on pace to make an impact in year one.

“Zabien Brown, Dijon Lee, Ivan Taylor, (Zavier) Mincey, those guys have all come in, and they’ve been able to contribute for us in year one, and I think both those guys are very much on pace to do that.”

Alabama freshman DB Jireh Edwards is smooth and fluid in his movements.

Edwards is working with the Tide’s safety group. pic.twitter.com/n8DTon8IXd

— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) March 12, 2026

Jorden Edmonds

Edmonds is a 6-foot-3, 188-pound cornerback who Wommack paired with Edwards as potential year-one contributors.

However, Edmonds’ path to the field will be worth watching with the Tide returning two starting cornerbacks in Dijon Lee and Zabien Brown.