Alabama stayed hot on the recruiting trail Sunday when it received a commitment from four-star defensive back Zabien Brown. The 6-foot, 180-pounder from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, chose coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide over USC and several other suitors. Brown is ranked No. 45 overall in the Class of 2024 and is the fifth-ranked cornerback in the current recruiting cycle. His decision was based largely on the way the coaches and staff treated him on his official visits.
"I have a great comfort level at Alabama and I'm very excited about the decision," Brown told 247Sports. "I've been there four times now and really have built some strong relationships with the coaches and support staff. It's Bama, it's a great opportunity for me to grow and develop as a player and learn from the greatest coach of all time. They had everything I was looking for a in school so this is a great feeling for me."
Andrew Ivins, national recruiting director for 247Sports, provided this scouting report on the newest member of the Crimson Tide.
"A fluid cover corner that's pretty advanced from a technical standpoint," Ivins wrote. "More than comfortable in 1-on-1 situations and has experience working in both off-man and press-man coverage. Size hasn't been third-party verified, but in-person evaluations suggest that he's hovering around 6-foot. Clean footwork allows him to gain plenty of depth while loose hips allow him to mirror assignments better than most his age.
"Active eyes help him feel out routes and anticipate throws. Not the most physical outside defender, but will put his hands on wide receivers and try to get them off schedule. Has also proven to be rather serviceable as an open-field tackler, but is likely only to make more of a difference in run support if he can eventually add some mass to a wiry frame."
Brown is the second player in the Class of 2024 to commit to the Tide on Sunday following three-star linebacker Justin Okoronkwo, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect from Germany who made his pledge earlier in the day. The commitments from the two defenders vaulted Alabama from No. 26 to No. 14 in the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.
