I have to give credit where credit is due.

When a buddy asked what I thought about the great Phil Savage’s Tweet about Alabama true freshman defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick reminding him of one of the SEC’s all-time greats, former LSU dynamo Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu, I quickly dismissed it as a tad premature. Mathieu piled up a list of exciting plays like Wendy’s piles up the Bacon on its “Baconator” sandwich.

In the interest of transparency: Mathieu is one of my all-time favorite players. I have a huge poster of him in my office, along with another great LSU DB Patrick Peterson, and generally pray to the Badger Football Gods at least six times per day (just kidding … sort of).

There’s just something I love, being a former DB, about a player with minimal weaknesses who makes an impact in a myriad ways.

The 5-foot-9, 186-pound Mathieu was thought to be too small to be a major factor, but excelled with man- and zone-coverage principles, nickel fires and punt returns. And that’s glossing over the fact that he was/is one of the hardest pound-for-pound hitters around.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Fitzpatrick had ideal measureables and hype heading into this season. While Texas product, and noted 5-star prospect according to the reputable 247 Sports, Kendall Sheffield, was thought to be the crown jewel of Bama’s recruiting class (as far as the secondary goes), Fitzpatrick has looked like a budding star while Sheffield has been relegated to milk carton status.

Playing the nickel position, commonly referred to as the “Star,” Fitzpatrick is in keen position to affect plays in the backfield as well as inside receivers.

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Check out Fitzpatrick breaking up a pass intended for the S-receiver against Arkansas on a third down. Playing on the inside is harder than most think because you don’t have the sideline acting as an extra defender.

So this means an inside corner has to have premium change-of-direction ability and quickness. While long speed isn’t a priority, it certainly doesn’t hurt to possess that as well.

Minkah has all that.

But moreover, he’s one of those players who always finds himself around the ball.

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Like he did on this play where he not only blocked a punt, but he also returned it for a touchdown. Where Mathieu used to make his hay on phenomenal punt returns, Fitzpatrick has the ability to get his hands on the ball via blocked field goals and punts.

But it will be his continued ascent up a stacked Bama defense that puts him on the map.

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And it will be his nose for the end zone that keeps him there — like in the above sequence Saturday against Texas A&M, one of his two interception returns for touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick has a versatile skill set, which allows him to make an impact on a plethora of levels. He’s physical, smooth and extremely polished in his technique. Moreover, he’s an impact player that always finds a way to make a splash play … or two.

After seven games, his stat line reads: 22 tackles, two sacks, six pass-deflections, two interceptions with three touchdowns.

The future is bright in Tuscaloosa, folks.