Patrick Surtain II produced a true freshman season that lived up to his 5-star ranking.

Making his first career start at Alabama in Week 4 against Texas A&M, Surtain went on to earn Freshman All-American honors for his play at cornerback for the Crimson Tide. And the way he progressed throughout the 2018 season impressed his father, Pro Bowl corner Patrick Surtain.

“I thought he had a phenomenal year,” Patrick Surtain told BamaOnLine.

“Just to come in as a true freshman -- not come in in January but actually come in in June -- and to pick that complicated defense up and start off playing the Star then going to corner, learning multiple positions and then starting 11-12 games for an undefeated team until the last game, I thought he did phenomenal. Credit to him and his coaching staff in how he got prepared.

“There were a couple of games where teams didn’t even throw his way, and for a true freshman, that was a tremendous feat.”

Surtain started his freshman campaign as a top reserve in Alabama’s secondary but stepped into a starting role on the second series of the Ole Miss game after Saivion Smith gave up a touchdown on the contest’s first offensive snap. From there, Surtain started the next 12 games and totaled 37 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, seven pass breakups, one interception and one forced fumble. At season’s end, he garnered SEC All-Freshman Team honors from the league coaches.

But 2018 was only the beginning for the American Heritage (Fla.) High School product.

The now-sophomore returned as an experienced starter this spring and is expected to take a big step between Years 1 and 2 within the Crimson Tide program, according to a veteran teammate.

Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II

“I think when Pat came in, he was already confident. He already had that confidence in himself,” safety Xavier McKinney told JOX FM’s 3 Man Front. “So, I think his jump from last year to this year is going to be ridiculous, in my opinion, just because when he first came in, he already had it.

“From last year to this year, it’s just a matter of fixing up all the little things that he needs to do. But I think confidence-wise, I think he’s had it, I think he’ll always have it. So, no matter what year he’s going into, I think he’s just going to get better coming off the last year.”

His father agreed.

“It all comes with work. There’s no substitute for the work,” Patrick Surtain said. “Of course, he has the measurables, he has the athletic ability and all the intangibles, but he has to really hone in on the little things and that’s going to take him to another level because even though he had a tremendous year, made Freshman All-American, he still has a lot of room to improve.

“I think with just seeing his freshman year and bringing them to this spring and his sophomore year, the game is going to really slow down for him, and he’ll continue to make plays and be that lockdown guy.”

Surtain and Trevon Diggs will likely be Alabama’s starting cornerbacks with Shyheim Carter at Star when the Tide kicks off the 2019 season against Duke in Atlanta on Aug. 31. However, with Carter recovering from sports hernia surgery this spring, Surtain spent a lot of time in the slot -- even starting the A-Day Game at the position. That development and now-option for Alabama was an example of the strides the Plantation, Fla., native has made since enrolling last summer.

Plus, versatility never hurts.

“It’s definitely a big help because of Nick Saban’s defense,” Patrick Surtain said. “That (Star) guy is a key cog in what they love to do. He got some reps with it last year, and he wasn’t comfortable with it because he was thinking too much. Just to see his maturity from there until now and he’s out there and he knows all the checks, he’s in the right position and he’s a physical football player, so he’s able to blitz and support the run from that area, and of course, he can cover.

Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II

“The more you can do, the more value you can bring to yourself and your team, the better it is for you.”

Head coach Nick Saban said both Surtain and Diggs -- two players the Crimson Tide defense will rely heavily on this fall -- played well in 2018 but paying attention to the little details this offseason will help two of the more talented defensive backs on Alabama’s current roster.

The nation’s No. 1 corner and No. 6 overall prospect in the 2018 recruiting cycle, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, Surtain is approaching his offseason by focusing on improving “everything” in his repertoire before preseason camp begins in three months.

“You never can get comfortable, especially at a place like Alabama because they bring guys in there every year. So, I always tell him your mentality is to work on everything,” Patrick Surtain said. “There’s nothing that you’re a pro at, so keep on working and by the time he’s ready to go to that next level, he’ll be ready. There’s a lot of things he needs to work on and master, and just knowing him, he’s going to put the work in to try to get better each and every day.

“It’s a credit to him and his want to be great. He’s definitely on the right track, so when he gets home we’ll get in the lab, we’ll do our thing and hopefully, he goes back in the summer and the fall and be the kind of player that everyone expects him to be, even after having a sensational year.”

And just what are those lab sessions like between a Pro Bowl father and an All-American son?

“They get intense sometimes,” Patrick Surtain said with a chuckle. “The physical aspect, what can you tell him? He’s 6-2 and a half, 195 pounds and runs a 4.4. So, he has all of those tools. I try to give him the cerebral part of the game -- route recognition, what to expect in certain formations, how teams try to attack a defense. And I think once he learns the ins and outs of that, that’s going to take his game to another level because once you know what’s coming and how a team tries to attack you, you can combat that and do certain techniques or what have you.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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