Even in those final hours before Bobby Brown’s National Signing Day announcement ceremony in February 2018, Alabama coaches weren’t expecting him to wind up at Texas A&M.

It was a Signing Day surprise for the Crimson Tide.

Not long before faxing his paperwork to the Aggies, Brown — who had flipped his commitment from A&M to Alabama during the last day of the 2017 early signing period — was still giving Tide staffers the impression he was planning on signing with Alabama.

Instead, the Arlington, Texas native joined Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and is now a key figure on the defensive line the Tide will face on Saturday.

“You’re talking about two hours or three hours (away from home) compared to eight hours,” Fisher told reporters this week of Brown’s Signing Day decision. “You’re talking about a scheme and I think location and I think the school, I think itself what A&M has to offer and the big picture things — playing ball, playing and building a championship program and building something as (opposed) to being part of something that’s already there. ... I think those are all factors at play. But I think he saw the future of what we’re trying to build here and what we’re trying to do, and keeping these guys in the state of Texas and making them realize they don’t have to leave here to get what they want was huge.”

After making 14 tackles as a reserve as a freshman, the 6-foot-4, 325-pound Brown has started all five games this season for the Aggies.

The former four-star recruit had a blocked kick during A&M’s win over Lamar Sept. 14, four tackles during the Aggies’ loss to Auburn Sept. 21 and then a tackle and a pass breakup during the team’s win over Arkansas Sept. 28.

Now, 20 months after Brown surprised Alabama with his decision to sign with Texas A&M, Aggies coaches will be hoping Brown can help them slow down Tua Tagovailoa and a Crimson Tide offense that put up 45 points during Alabama’s win over A&M in Tuscaloosa last season.

“Bobby’s a very talented guy — his size, mass and then athleticism for a guy that size that can bend,” Fisher said. “He’s learning how he plays every down rushing the passer, playing the run, using his hands. You just see him get better and better. He’s a very intelligent young man. He works hard. He picks things up and makes very few of the same mistakes ever twice. Ball matters to him. He cares. He’s a really good teammate. Really developing into a leader. And sky’s the limit for his future and if he continues to learn and grow. If he can get to his potential, we’re going to have one heck of a player at A&M and he’s going to have a heck of a career at the next level.”

Matt Zenitz is an Alabama and Auburn reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mzenitz.