Alabama Crimson Tide star defensive backs Bray Hubbard and Zabien Brown have officially been named to the Jim Thorpe Award watchlist, per an announcement from Alabama Football.
Both Hubbard and Brown will play a critical role in the Tide’s secondary once again this season. Each player is widely regarded as one of the top defensive backs in the nation entering the 2026 campaign, and the duo now finds themselves on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list as a direct result. The award will be given to the top defensive back in the country at the end of the season, and both Brown and Hubbard appear to be well in the mix for the honor prior to kickoff.
Hubbard is credited with 137 total tackles, 5.5 TFL and 2 sacks across his first three years at Alabama. The safety emerged as a star throughout his freshman campaign in 2023, and Hubbard has solidified himself as a critical leader on the Tide’s defense over the past two seasons. Hubbard is a prime candidate to receive the Jim Thorpe Award in December, and the safety will now look to dominate across his fourth and final season in Tuscaloosa.
Brown will enter 2026 as the Tide’s top cornerback following a stellar sophomore campaign last season. The junior recorded 39 total tackles, 2.5 TFL and two interceptions last year, as Brown infamously turned each interception into a pick-six against Tennessee and Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff. Brown should quickly find himself picking up right where he left off last season in 2026, and the cornerback will have an excellent opportunity at winning the Jim Thorpe Award at the end of the season nonetheless.
The duo will certainly be tested on a regular basis throughout the year, but Hubbard and Brown are extremely talented defensive backs who should remain in the mix for the Jim Thorpe Award across the entire 2026 season.
