The new format of A-Day for Alabama football prevented several positions from standing out as easily.

There was no game. There were no official touchdowns. There was no tackling. The Crimson Tide just ran drills. Some were in fact 11 vs. 11, but many were not during the practice that spanned a little over an hour.

So, linemen, linebackers, running backs, etc. had trouble making their mark like they could have if Alabama had played an actual game on A-Day. But the Crimson Tide didn’t. So, without tackling, it was much easier for players throwing, catching and defending passes to stand out.

That’s why those types of players dominated this list.

Here are five players who stood out to us from watching the practice on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Lotzeir Brooks, receiver

He could turn into the perfect weapon for Alabama out of the slot. The way he makes cuts and can move is easy to notice. The true freshman can create separation, even when defensive backs cover him well. It was easy to see why onlookers raved about him after watching recent scrimmages.

There were times Brooks created separation but the quarterbacks couldn’t connect with him, such as when he broke away from nickelback DaShawn Jones during one drill. Brooks had to try to dive to make the catch, but the quarterback overthrew him too much.

But later in a 7-on-7 type drill, Brooks broke across the middle of the end zone, and quarterback Keelon Russell found him for a touchdown.

Brooks might not start for Alabama. He’s in a crowded room. But he will likely have the opportunity to make an impact his freshman season.

Dijon Lee, cornerback

The freshman cornerback ran with the first group on defense, opposite Zabien Brown. Lee seems to be taking advantage of the opportunity with Domani Jackson out for the spring with an injury.

Lee, during a one-on-one drill, made plays from the jump. Facing veteran receiver Germie Bernard, Lee tracked him all the way to the end zone on a deep pass. Then Lee broke up Ty Simpson’s pass attempt that would have been a touchdown to Bernard.

He wasn’t perfect, but Lee’s length (6-4), ability to make plays and be physical all stood out. He’s going to help this secondary this season, even if he’s not starting.

Isaiah Horton, receiver

Horton, the transfer from Miami, took advantage of one of Lee’s few mistakes.

Lee tried to jump and time a deep pass off a trick play, but Lee undercut it. Meanwhile, Horton displayed the concentration not to let Lee and Bray Hubbard defending the pass make him lose his focus. The pass’ floating nature made it look primed to become an interception. But Horton tracked the ball in and ran for a touchdown.

That was one of the more impressive plays from the entire practice.

Ivan Taylor, defensive back

The son of Ike Taylor, the two-time Super Bowl champion cornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, stood out almost right away.

Taylor, the one who’s a freshman with the Crimson Tide, grabbed an interception on a deep pass during the first drill of the day.

During 11 vs. 11, Taylor snagged a pass from Russell at the end of the drill. That play alone earned Taylor a spot on the standout list.

Ty Simpson, quarterback

He didn’t make any “wow” throws, but he also didn’t seem to make any colossal mistakes. At least not to the naked eye. For that reason, he was a standout.

The other two quarterbacks competing with him, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell, each made mistakes in the form of interceptions. At least one a piece.

Simpson didn’t do anything that showed he needs to be the undisputed starter, but he also wasn’t near as inconsistent as Mack or Russell. For that reason, Simpson stood out.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for Follow him on X and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.