Jahlil Hurley, Domani Jackson Leading Alabama Cornerbacks Amidst Spring Practice
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As the Alabama football spring football season gains momentum, the spotlight is firmly on the secondary, where redshirt freshman Jahlil Hurley and USC transfer Domani Jackson are emerging as the dynamic duo leading Alabama's cornerback unit.
With the departure of key players from last season, including Terrion Arnold (NFL Draft), Kool Aid McKinstry (NFL Draft), Antonio Kite (Auburn), Earl Little II (Florida State), and Dezz Ricks (Texas A&M), the cornerback position has been a focal point for Kalen DeBoer and his staff during spring practices.
Hurley, a former 2023 four-star recruit hailing from Florenca, Ala., and Jackson, a former Top 20 player from the class of 2022, are making waves with their impressive skills and leadership on the field.
Defensive Coordinator Kane Wommack, visibly invested in the development of the pair, spoke highly of their progress following Wednesday's practice session. Addressing Jackson's arrival, Wommack praised the transfer's experience.
"Domani [Jackson] obviously, coming in, he's got experience playing the game," Wommack said. "Those things carry over from one university to the other. One scheme to another. But also learning some of the cultural things that we're doing. We're all learning those things under Coach [Kalen] DeBoer, but certainly there's those staples and standards that have been here for the last 17 years that carry as well. So he's learning those things, but the experience level is certainly going to be able to help from that perspective."
Regarding Hurley, Wommack expressed admiration for the redshirt freshman's work ethic and dedication.
"Jahlil Hurley has been here for a number of years," Wommack said. "He's got a tremendous work ethic, I've been really impressed with him in the fourth quarter program. The things that he's done just to elevate himself in position to go compete for a job. And then you've got a number of freshmen that are extremely impressive right now."
Crimson Tide defensive back and fifth-year senior Malachi Moore echoed Wommack's sentiments, highlighting the competitive nature and hard work displayed by both players.
"They've been great," Moore said. "Great technique guys. Coach Mo [Linguist] has done a great job coming in and bringing in the little nuances of what he was doing at the [Dallas] Cowboys and things of that nature, but they're competitors and they work really hard, and I'm glad with their progress right now."
As Alabama's spring practices unfold, the emergence of Hurley and Jackson signals a promising future for the Crimson Tide's secondary. With their combination of experience and skill, these two cornerbacks look poised to make a significant impact in 2024, providing a solid foundation for Alabama's updated defensive strategies under DeBoer's new reign.
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