Alabama football cornerbacks Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown go way back. All the way back to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, to be exact.

Jackson, a junior at Alabama, and Brown, a freshman, both attended Mater Dei. Two of their years playing for the Monarchs program overlapped, with Brown, then a sophomore, replacing Jackson in a game during his senior year when he came down with a knee injury.

Now, the duo find themselves competing for a starting spot in the Crimson Tide cornerback room.

Jackson transferred to Alabama this season from USC while Brown came in as one of the highest rated recruits in Alabama's 2024 cycle, enrolling at Alabama in January.

"Going to high school, trying to get him at the other school (USC) and now him obviously committing here and me coming here, it's been great for us," Jackson told reporters following Alabama's fifth practice of fall camp. "Our bond is like no other. He's like my little brother, so I can show him the steps, show him the ways."

Jackson echoed the sentiment that coaches had been saying about Brown through the first week of practice, that the freshman does not act his age.

"He doesn't act like a freshman," Jackson said. "He spends extra hours in the film room, just getting the knowledge of the game so he can go out and perform every day."

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Brown, alongside Jackson, has been a standout for Alabama at the corner position through spring and fall practices, with the duo garnering first-team reps in Alabama's spring game. Brown has been seen over the last few days of Alabama's fall camp wearing a black cast on his left hand. Nonetheless, he is still getting reps and is expected to return to normal sometime this week.

Brown has gained much praise from his coaches, with Kalen DeBoer telling reporters last week that "he does not act like a freshman." Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, too, has praised Brown.

"Zabien was so impressive to me coming right off the jump," Wommack said Tuesday. "To walk out of high school early, a mid-year enrollee, and then to be able to play the way he has been playing from the springtime: What I have been most impressed with him is when he makes a mistake, he gets it corrected. I can't think of a time where I saw him make the same mistake.

"He's limited. He's on a bit of a pitch count right now, but we expect him to be fully back and going in the next couple of days."

The Crimson Tide open its 2024 season at home on Aug. 31, hosting Western Kentucky.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football California connection competing for cornerback spot