Alabama safety Bray Hubbard just proved why the Crimson Tide’s secondary is going to be one of the best in college football
The Alabama Crimson Tide were featured during Wednesday morning’s session of the 2026 SEC Media Days, and starting safety Bray Hubbard was one of three players in attendance; here’s what he had to say.
The Alabama Crimson Tide spoke at the 2026 SEC Media Days on Wednesday, and safety Bray Hubbard made one thing clear: having the entire secondary back together gives this defense a different level of confidence. Dijon Lee, Zabien Brown, Keon Sabb, and Hubbard all return alongside Red Morgan, who is expected to start at the Husky position. That kind of continuity in modern college football is rare, and for Alabama, it could be the factor that separates the Crimson Tide from the rest of the SEC.
Bray Hubbard 2025 stats
- 79 tackles.
- 4 interceptions.
- 3 forced fumbles.
What Bray Hubbard said about having the secondary back together
I was fortunate enough to ask Hubbard at SEC Media Days what it means to have that continuity in the secondary, and he bought right into it. He said that having the same group back helps him specifically because when a call comes in, he’s not thinking about where a teammate needs to line up. He doesn’t have to wonder whether his corner, nickel, or fellow safety is going to execute the right job. They’ve been there, they’ve done that. So Hubbard can go out and play fast, play physical, be there when the ball is in the air, and make plays on the football.
That’s what Hubbard does best. He runs the alley, he finds the ball in the air, and he lays the wood. Having the trust and familiarity with the players around him only amplifies those traits.
Why this matters for Alabama in 2026
The truth is, Alabama has a lot of turnover elsewhere on the roster. There’s significant change in the trenches, a new linebacking corps, and reshuffling in the wide receiver room, on the offensive line, and even in the running back room. Those are real question marks that the Crimson Tide will need to answer before the season kicks off.
But to have a secondary that is not only one of the best in the entire SEC, but arguably one of the best in the nation, and to have all of those players back and together? That’s a genuine advantage. In a sport where the transfer portal has made roster continuity the exception rather than the rule, keeping four or five starters in the same secondary year over year is something you almost never see.
Alabama’s secondary could be the difference-maker
I believe this group is going to be one of the more underrated parts of Alabama’s roster heading into the season. The attention will go to the unknowns, the position battles in the trenches and at linebacker, the new pieces on offense. That’s natural. But the secondary is the foundation this defense can lean on while everything else gets sorted out.
If Kalen DeBoer’s squad is going to compete for an SEC title and make another run in the College Football Playoff, having a battle-tested, cohesive secondary is a massive head start. This group gives Alabama a floor on defense that most programs in the country simply cannot match.