Kalen DeBoer may have just revealed how 5-star freshman running back EJ Crowell becomes Alabama’s starter
The running back position is wide open at the University of Alabama, and all eyes are set on 5-star freshman EJ Crowell, who was limited in spring due to injury. If he’s going to become the starter, Kalen DeBoer just revealed how.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is back on the practice field, and all eyes are on the freshman talent. Among the players generating the most buzz in Tuscaloosa is 5-star running back EJ Crowell, the versatile in-state product who arrived with sky-high expectations. After watching Crowell’s early work on day one of camp, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer offered a telling evaluation that may have revealed exactly how the true freshman earns the starting job.
DeBoer said of the freshman running back:
“He did some nice things. It’s good to see him out there flying around a couple of times. You see what you saw from his high school highlight film. Excited to see him. We’re not in pads right now, so a lot of that is yet to be seen. But just the execution, he’s got to catch the ball well. I think he’s really got a good— I think he’s got a really good head on his shoulders from what we’ve seen so far and being able to be consistent that way, learn the offense. When he gets in there in rotation with the running backs like he was today, he did his job.”
Catching the ball is Crowell’s path to RB1
The most important part of DeBoer’s comments is one phrase: “He’s got to catch the ball well.” That is DeBoer telling you, in plain terms, what Crowell needs to do to separate himself from the pack and become Alabama’s starting running back.
The truth is, the Crimson Tide does not have a true three-down back on the roster right now. Last season, whether it was Daniel Hill, Jam Miller, or anyone else in that room, Alabama lacked a versatile option who could split out wide, run halfback angles, get out of the backfield, and work in the screen game. Kevin Riley and AK Dear could emerge as candidates, but neither has established himself as that reliable receiving threat out of the backfield.
That is where Crowell’s opportunity lives. At 5-foot-11 and over 200 pounds, the true freshman is physically built for SEC football. He’s a north-south, one-cut runner with the kind of physicality you saw on his high school film. He has likely added even more weight since arriving on campus. None of that is in question.
EJ Crowell 2025 stats
(At Jackson High School)
- 2,632 rushing yards.
- 35 rushing TDs.
- 12.6 yards per carry.
What separates Crowell from the rest of the room
The running back who wins the starting job in Tuscaloosa will be the one who proves he can be a weapon in the passing game for whoever wins the quarterback competition. That is the separator. Alabama needs a back who can be trusted on third downs, in two-minute situations, and in pass protection. If Crowell demonstrates that reliability as a pass catcher during fall camp, the job could be his before Week 1.
DeBoer’s praise was measured but genuine. He noted Crowell’s maturity and football IQ — the freshman has “a really good head on his shoulders” and has been consistent in learning the offense. For a true freshman still working through his first college camp, that kind of assessment carries real weight. DeBoer is not handing the job to anyone, but he’s laying out the blueprint for how it can be won.
The bottom line is this: EJ Crowell has the physical tools to start as a true freshman. If he can prove he’s a complete back by catching the ball well and earning trust in the passing game, he has a clear path to the top of Alabama’s depth chart.
