Alabama DB models his game after this former Crimson Tide All-American

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It wants to live up to the potential billing of best defensive secondary in college football, but Alabama’s unit has to show it on the field.

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An intriguing question that many fans have when it comes to the Crimson Tide is what former player does a current Alabama player remind one of? Comparisons happen across the landscape of sports – especially football – because people want to continue seeing elite athletes. 

For Alabama, an interesting piece of its secondary is a former four-star in-state product.

If someone were to look at Red Morgan, it would be hard for them to picture him at defensive back. He lacks elite size, media members tower over him in interviews, and he would not be the ideal pick for this coaching staff if they were recruiting him as a true freshman.

However, there is something different about the Central High School product. 

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The Phenix City (Ala.) native has never allowed his size to define him.

His demeanor is calm off the field, but a hurricane happens when he’s on it as his 189-pound body becomes a torpedo ready for violent impact. Morgan’s defensive coordinator, Kane Wommack, loves violence and the third-year player chooses it every day in practice. The aggression and physicality he plays with resembles a former Alabama All-American from Georgia, Brian Branch. Branch is bigger, thicker, and more athletic than Morgan, nevertheless, the physical mindset is similar with both.

Branch wanted to take an opponent’s head off and he did it at Alabama.

He collected seven pass breakups and two interceptions as a freshman in the Tide’s 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship season, but Branch became arguably Alabama’s best defensive player as a junior. He was a heat-seeking missile that year – finishing with 90 total tackles (third on the team), 14 tackles for loss, three sacks, seven breakups, two quarterback hurries, and two interceptions. Branch earned first-team All-American honors and went on to be selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

How do Morgan and Branch favor each other?

Morgan, like Branch, can play in the box versus the run, cover wide receivers in the slot, and provide a pressure option to the quarterback.

“Brian Branch, for sure,” Morgan said Monday on the NFL player he models his game after.

“His versatility, his physicality, his ability to come off the edge, and his ability to cover.”

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Coach Wommack views Morgan as the ‘best striker’ on the team and raves about him taking his game at ‘Husky’ to a new level.

He has Branch’s versatility and physicality, but can Morgan hit home with pressure on the edge and create takeaways in coverage? Those are aspects Alabama fans can’t wait to see in the fall.

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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine.  You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.