Part of the University of Alabama’s success this season so far has been due to the work of a select number of true freshmen.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer has built a reputation since coming from the University of Washington in getting the most out of his players, and the freshmen have taken advantage of their opportunities.

On3’s Charlie Potter reported that eight true freshmen have played in all five games this season, marking their ineligibility for redshirting this season.

But there have been four freshmen that have stood out the most. So let’s run through who those four are.

Dijon Lee, CB

You may remember the first time Alabama fans got a taste of Lee, was in the Florida State game, where he got torched against wide receiver Squirrel White.

Perhaps putting a true freshman in a loud environment against one of the fastest receivers in the country wasn’t the best idea.

Yet, since then, Lee has been a huge piece to the secondary.

In the five games played, the former five-star recruit from California has totaled 10 tackles with six solo tackles and two tackles for loss – one of those being a critical TFL against Georgia.

Kaleb Edwards, TE

Edwards hasn’t necessarily been the biggest part of this team’s success, but anytime the coaches call his number, he produces.

The former four-star recruit who weighs 264 pounds will inevitably be a bigger part of this offense once Josh Cuevas moves on to the NFL.

He’s only caught three passes for a total of 35 yards, and caught a touchdown in the UL Monroe game. Not only that, has served as a quality option on special teams.

Lotzeir Brooks, WR

We covered Brooks earlier in the season as he started getting more reps earlier this season.

And we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

The true freshman receiver has already carved out a defined role on special teams, but seemingly as the team’s fourth wide receiver. 

He’s made a few explosive plays, including one against Georgia where he broke three tackles for a gain of more than 20 yards.

Wide receiver Isaiah Horton already knows what he can do for a team, and he acknowledged before the Vanderbilt game how much more comfortable he’s been getting.

“He just brings speed, his explosiveness,” Horton said after Tuesday practice. “He’s getting more and more comfortable, and that’s a scary sight.”

London Simmons, DL

Simmons is a fascinating case, similar to Brooks, both didn’t come into Tuscaloosa with a big recruiting profile. 

But because of injuries to Tim Keenan III in the first few weeks, and Jeremiah Beaman, it forced Simmons to get into a bigger role, and he hasn’t disappointed.

So far, he’s registered eight total tackles, including a sack and a near-sack on Vanderbilt’s quarterback, Diego Pavia.

DeBoer has been very impressed with the work of Simmons, and complimented him after the Wisconsin game.

“I felt like he’s gotten more and more comfortable each week with his responsibility, and then now it’s kind of gone through, where he’s expecting to make a play himself, being able to finish. Just the steps that you need a young guy to take, he’s taking those.”

The next test for these freshmen will be on October 12, where the Crimson Tide take on the Missouri Tigers.