Alabama has settled on its three captains for the 2026 season, and the group carries a mix of production, presence and long-running trust inside the program.
Ryan Coleman-Williams, Bray Hubbard and Zabien Brown will serve as the Crimson Tide’s captains this fall, and each will have their cleat print and hand print placed in Denny Chimes. They follow Parker Brailsford, Ty Simpson, Deontae Lawson and Tim Keenan III, who were Alabama’s captains in 2025.
It’s a notable shift in numbers for Kalen DeBoer, who had four captains in each of his first two seasons at Alabama.
Hubbard feels like the easiest name to see coming. Over three seasons, he has grown into the heartbeat of Alabama’s secondary and a natural leader on a defense that has leaned on him heavily.
He stepped in for Keon Sabb midway through the 2024 season and carved out a role as a special teams standout before settling in as a mainstay at safety. Across 2024 and 2025, Hubbard piled up 136 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, 2 sacks, 8 pass deflections and 7 interceptions.
He also led the SEC with 4 interceptions in 2025.
His father, Mark Hubbard, summed up the path in July when he told The Tuscaloosa News, “He’s been loyal to coach (Nick) Saban and now he’s loyal to coach DeBoer,” Mark Hubbard, Bray's father, told The Tuscaloosa News in July. “He’s like, ‘I committed to play here, and this is where I want to play and this is where I’m going to graduate.’
“He just has been Alabama this whole time.”
Coleman-Williams has taken a different road, but his name carries just as much weight in this group. Since reclassifying and arriving at Alabama in 2024, he flashed immediately and quickly looked like one of the top receivers in the country before his production dipped in 2025. Even with that drop-off, his two-year line is still strong: 97 catches, 1,554 yards and 14 total touchdowns.
The staff and his teammates have continued to point to him as a player who is ready to bounce back in a big way as a junior. DeBoer made that clear at SEC Media Days, saying, "There are a lot of eyeballs on him," DeBoer said of Coleman-Williams at SEC Media Days.
"He signed up for it. He's great with it.
He embraces it. He gives everything he has to his teammates.
He gives everything he has to the people he comes in contact with. I love the guy.
So glad he's on our side."
Brown rounds out the trio after building a steady resume since arriving on campus. Mostly a starting defensive back, he has contributed from the jump and now steps into a captain’s role in his junior season. Through two years, Brown has 57 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 8 pass deflections and 5 interceptions.
Defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. said Brown’s leadership has become more visible around the team, even if his personality hasn’t really changed.
“He's not really quiet," defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. said. "I mean, like probably quiet to a lot of other people, but you know that's my guy right there, so we talk a lot.
But you know, seeing him step up as a leader is just it's inspirational because I mean I seen him be the quiet guy in the locker room. Just talk to a couple people a little bit, but now he's interacting with the whole team, and you know it's paying off for us.”
In Other News...
Alabama's Opener Exposed Two Concerns Fans Can't Ignore
Alabama opened the 2026 season with a win over East Carolina, giving Kalen DeBoer a clean start to his third year on the sideline, but the game still offered an early read on where this team stands. Sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell made his first career start and looked composed enough to settle things down, using his athleticism to help keep the offense moving, while Ryan Coleman-Williams provided a real vertical threat with more than 100 receiving yards.
Even so, the Tide left with a few reminders that September can be revealing in ways a final score does not fully show. The defense looked more ready for SEC-level football than the offense did, and the issues up front on the offensive line were hard to miss as Alabama tried to sort out protection and consistency. Coleman-Williams big day also came with some costly drops, leaving the passing game with both promise and proof that there is still cleanup work to do before the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Young Offense Has One More Thing To Prove In Second Half
At halftime, Alabama has more than enough cushion against East Carolina, but the game has still offered a useful snapshot of where this young offense is growing and where it still needs work. The ground game has carried the day, the offensive line has given freshman quarterback Keelon Russell a clean pocket, and the defense has mostly done its job against the run while helping the Tide build a 38-7 lead.
The next step is a familiar one for Alabamas offense: making life easier on Russell by creating more separation on the outside and turning good protection into cleaner, quicker answers downfield. The defense has been sturdy in the trenches, but it has also shown a willingness to give up explosive plays when communication slips, which is the sort of detail that can matter more against better competition than it has in a lopsided first half here. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Faces A Familiar Worry With Its Most Explosive Receiver
The opening game of the season brought an old concern back into view for Alabama, as Ryan Coleman-Williams had another rough day at the catch point. The explosive receiver has been central to what the Crimson Tide want to do offensively, and his ability to turn chances into chunk plays remains a key part of Alabamas hopes heading into the rest of the year.
Coleman-Williams did spend the offseason trying to clean up the issue, making changes aimed at improving his hands and sharpening his reliability. Even so, the early signs were a reminder that Alabamas passing attack may have to keep living with a little volatility from one of its most dangerous weapons, which is not exactly the kind of tradeoff a contender wants to carry for long. [Read more 🡒]