Tag: Alabama football recruiting

Alabama loses commitment from 2026 four-star defensive lineman

Alabama loses the lone member of their 2026 recruiting class.

After previously committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide back in October, defensive line prospect Vodney Cleveland officially decommitted from the program Monday night.

Cleveland had previously been committed to Alabama since Oct. 31, 2024.

An in-state prospect for the Crimson Tide, Cleveland is considered as the nation’s No. 91 overall prospect in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as the No. 6 player in the state of Alabama out of one of the state’s premier programs, Parker High School. Cleveland, a four-star defensive lineman, also ranks as the nation’s No. 9 overall player at the position.

As of Monday night, Cleveland was the lone member of Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class, meaning that the Crimson Tide currently hold no current commitments for this upcoming cycle.

The Crimson Tide are now only one-of-two SEC programs who did not have at-least one commitment in their 2026 recruiting class at the time of writing, joined by the Kentucky Wildcats.

Alabama makes finalists for top 2026 cornerback prospect

One of the nation’s top 2026 cornerbacks is down to five.

The Alabama Crimson Tide recently received some significant news in the 2026 recruiting cycle Tuesday, as the program was one-of-five finalists for one of the nation’s premier cornerback prospects, RJ Sermons.

Alongside the Crimson Tide, the four other programs in on Sermons are the Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, and Washington Huskies.

At the moment, Sermons currently ranks as the nation’s No. 33 overall player in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and sits as a highly-rated four-star prospect. Sermons also ranks as the nation’s No. 2 overall cornerback, as well as the No. 6 player in the state of California where he attends Rancho Cucamonga High School.

Alabama’s 2026 class currently holds one commitment, which comes from an in-state prospect in four-star defensive lineman Vodney Cleveland. Attending Parker High School in Alabama, the Crimson Tide’s 2026 recruiting class at the moment ranks No. 39 nationally in the 247Sports Team Rankings with the commitment of Cleveland.

Alabama signee Keelon Russell named Gatorade National Player of the Year

The Alabama signee receives yet another honor.

The accolades continued to roll in for Alabama Crimson Tide signee Keelon Russell on Wednesday morning, as the five-star quarterback was named the 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year for high school football.

An official announcement was made on social media Wednesday morning, which included a video of former Alabama and current Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs presenting the award to Russell after a practice at Duncanville High School in Texas.

At Duncanville, Russell has led the Panthers to an undefeated record as one of the nation’s top high school teams, while also posting a truly phenomenal stat line.

Across 13 games, Russell is currently completing 69.6% of passes for a total of 3,874 passing yards with a 53:4 TD:INT ratio. Russell has also rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns on 27 attempts over that span.

The five-star is the headline name in Alabama’s 2025 signing class, ranked as the nation’s No. 2 player according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Alabama signee Keelon Russell named finalist for Gatorade Player of the Year

The Alabama signee has had a phenomenal senior season.

Shortly after officially signing with the Alabama Crimson Tide, quarterback signee Keelon Russell has been named a finalist for one of the nation’s top individual high school football honors, the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Russell was one-of-three players to be named a finalist, which included an Auburn Tigers signee in running back Alvin Henderson out of Elba High School in Alabama, as well as the nation’s No. 1 overall 2026 prospect in offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell out of Nixa High School in Missouri.

The Alabama signee is currently in the midst of a truly stellar season at one of the nation’s top high school programs, Duncanville High School in Texas.

Leading the Panthers to an undefeated 12-0 record at the time of writing, Russell has completed a combined 71.5% of his passes for a total of 3,652 yards with a 52:2 TD:INT ratio across 12 games. Russell is also averaging over 300+ passing yards per game with a 150.5 QB rating, and has also rushed for 254 yards and two touchdowns on 25 attempts.

A five-star prospect, Russell is the headline name in Alabama’s 2025 signing class that ranks as the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect, as well as quarterback, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Russell was also named the Gatorade State Player of the Year in Texas as well.

Where does Alabama football’s recruiting class rank? Best players, biggest steals, more

Alabama signed one of the nation’s top classes during the Early Signing Period.

With the Early Signing Period having now officially come to a close, it now provides an opportunity to take an overall look at the 2025 class that was for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

The first for Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, this class rivaled some of the best that former head coach Nick Saban had with the Crimson Tide, with this group featuring multiple instant-impact players, as well as some of the some nation’s top players at their respective positions.

RELATED: Alabama football 2025 Early Signing Period tracker

Just where does Alabama’s 2025 class rank nationally however? Let’s answer that question, as well as take a look at just who is in the class:

Alabama football recruiting class 2025 rankings

According to the 247Sports Team Rankings, Alabama’s 2025 class currently sits at No. 2 nationally as of Friday, Dec. 6. The Crimson Tide, who have 21 total signees, as well as 22 commitments, trail only the Texas Longhorns for the top spot.

Ranking Alabama football’s best signing day recruits

In all, the Crimson Tide signed a total of 21 players during the Early Signing Period, three of which were five-star prospects. According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Alabama signed three five-star’s, 14 four-star’s, three three-star’s, and one two-star.

Here are Alabama’s 21 total signings ranked from highest-to-lowest rated, as according to the 247Sports Composite rankings:

Five-Star’s

  • No. 2 overall Keelon Russell, Quarterback, Duncanville (Texas)
  • No. 17 overall Michael Carroll, Interior Offensive Line, IMG Academy (Florida)
  • No. 19 overall Dijon Lee, Cornerback, Mission Viejo (California)

Four-Star’s

  • No. 44 overall Jackson Lloyd, Offensive Tackle, Carmel (California)
  • No. 45 overall Akylin Dear, Running Back, Quitman (Mississippi)
  • No. 51 overall Justin Hill, Edge Rusher, Winton Woods (Ohio)
  • No. 62 overall Ivan Taylor, Safety, West Orange (Florida)
  • No. 64 overall Chuck McDonald, Cornerback, Mater Dei (California)
  • No. 111 overall Darrell Johnson, Linebacker, Dodge County (Georgia)
  • No. 119 overall Derek Meadows, Wide Receiver, Bishop Gorman (Nevada)
  • No. 158 overall Kaleb Edwards, Tight End, Oak Ridge (California)
  • No. 182 overall Micah DeBose, Offensive Tackle, Theodore (Alabama)
  • No. 240 overall Lotzeir Brooks, Wide Receiver, Millville (New Jersey)
  • No. 288 overall Luke Metz, Linebacker, Mill Creek (Georgia)
  • No. 304 overall Abduall Sanders Jr., Linebacker, Mater Dei (California)
  • No. 2 JUCO overall Kevonte Henry, Defensive Line, Cerritos College (California)
  • No. 429 overall Marshall Pritchett, Tight End, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia)

Three-Star’s

  • No. 3 JUCO overall Steve Mboumoua, Defensive Line, Southwest Mississippi Community College (Mississippi)
  • No. 483 overall Mal Waldrep, Offensive Tackle, Central-Phenix City (Alabama)
  • No. 521 overall London Simmons, Defensive Line, Hartfield Academy (Mississippi)

Two-Star’s

  • No. 2,286 overall Alex Asparuhov, Punter, San Joaquin Memorial (California)

Alabama football’s signing day steals

There was only one big shocker for the Crimson Tide on Early Signing Day, which is when four-star wide receiver Derek Meadows flipped to Alabama after having been committed to the LSU Tigers since July of 2024. Meadows is an antiquing wide receiver prospect at 6-foot-5, one who ranks as the No. 119 overall prospect in the 2025 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Alabama also had some targets opt-to sign elsewhere, a group that included defensive lineman Justus Terry to Texas, as well as safety Anquon Fegans and cornerback Donovan Starr to the Auburn Tigers.

The Crimson Tide also had a player flip and sign elsewhere, as three-star running back Jace Clarizio flipped back to the Michigan State Spartans.

5-star Alabama defensive line target announces surprise commitment decision

A five-star Alabama target has made his decision.

One of the Alabama Crimson Tide’s top remaining targets in the 2025 class, five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry made his commitment decision Friday morning in what was likely one of the biggest shocks of the Early Signing Period overall.

That is because Terry, whom many thought to be a near lock for the Georgia Bulldogs, announced his commitment to the Texas Longhorns. In addition to those two programs, Alabama was also involved in the recruitment of Terry, as were the Auburn Tigers.

One of the nation’s premier prospects, Terry is considered the nation’s No. 10 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as the No. 2 defensive lineman. Terry is also an in-state prospect for the Bulldogs, ranked as the No. 3 overall player in the state of Georgia out of Manchester High School.

Following the commitment of Terry of Texas, Alabama’s 2025 class still sits No. 2 nationally with 22 commitments, sitting behind only the Longhorns.

Alabama flips 4-star LSU wide receiver commit on Early Signing Day

Alabama flips one of their top remaining targets from the LSU Tigers.

The Alabama Crimson Tide have flipped their first prospect on Early Signing Day. Wide receiver Derek Meadows announced that he will be signing with the Crimson Tide Wednesday night.

A long-time LSU Tigers commitment, Meadows is a player Alabama had been continuing to pursue in recent weeks, and was even predicted to flip to the Crimson Tide earlier this week.

Here are a few things you need to know about Meadows:

Derek Meadows recruiting ranking

According to the 247Sports Composite recruiting rankings, Meadows ranks as the nation’s No. 119 overall prospect, as well as the No. 17 wide receiver nationally. A four-star prospect, Meadows plays for one of the nation’s top programs in Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada. He is the state’s No. 3 ranked player.

Where Derek Meadows fits on Alabama football depth chart

Alabama’s wide receiver room could look a bit different next season than it does now, but it’s very likely Meadows is high on the depth chart. As to where, a role similar to what Caleb Odom is playing right now could be an option.

Will Derek Meadows play right away with Alabama football?

Meadows is in a position where freshmen could make an impact, and the four-star is certainly capable of doing just that. Meadows is a wide receiver with notable size at 6-foot-5 and could easily find the field in 2025 early on as a potential red zone target.

Derek Meadows high school stats

A player with 1,000+ receiving yards for his high school career, Meadows is coming off a senior season in which he had 24 receptions for 598 yards and seven touchdowns across 12 games.

Alabama football recruiting class 2025

Meadows is the 21st player so far for Alabama during Early Signing Day. The complete breakdown of Alabama’s 2025 signing class can be found here.

When is Early Signing Day? When it Late Signing Day?

The Early Signing Period will last from Wednesday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 6. If a prospect does not sign during this span, then the Late Signing Day comes in February.

Former long-time Alabama commit officially signs with Big Ten program

The former Alabama commit has made his decision.

A prospect who was committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide for over a year has now found a new home, as Anthony Rogers officially signed Wednesday morning with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Rogers, who was committed to the Crimson Tide from June of 2023 through November of 2024, made the decision from two different finalists, Ohio State and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Previously a member of Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class, Rogers currently ranks as the nation’s No. 148 overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. A four-star prospect, Rogers also ranks as the nation’s No. 9 overall running back, as well as the No. 10 player in the state of Alabama where he attends Carver-Montgomery High School.

With the four-star now part of Ohio State’s class, Alabama has so far signed only one running back during the Early Signing Period in four-star Akylin Dear.

RELATED: Alabama football 2025 Early Signing Period tracker

The Crimson Tide did however enter the Early Signing Period with one other running back committed in Jace Clarizio, but the three-star ended up flipping back to Michigan State to sign with the Spartans on Wednesday.

5-star quarterback Keelon Russell officially signs with Alabama

Alabama has officially signed one of the nation’s top quarterbacks.

When it comes to names in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 2025 class, there are likely none bigger than that of Keelon Russell, who has now officially signed with the program.

A five-star prospect, Russell is the highest-ranked recruit in Alabama’s 2025 class, and has been committed since June of 2024, which is when the highly-touted quarterback flipped to Alabama from SMU.

Alabama’s highest-ranked quarterback recruit since Bryce Young, as well as the third-highest ever, here are some things you need to know about Alabama’s newest signal caller:

Keelon Russell recruiting ranking

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Russell is the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect regardless of position, as well as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2025 class. Russell, a five-star prospect, is also considered the top player in the state of Texas where he attends Duncanville High School.

Where Keelon Russell fits on Alabama football depth chart

Assuming that Alabama starting quarterback Jalen Milroe is going to enter the NFL draft at seasons end, this is how Alabama’s 2025 quarterback depth chart will look at the moment:

  • Starter: Ty Simpson
  • Backup: Dylan Lonergan, Austin Mack, Keelon Russell

Will Keelon Russell play right away with Alabama football?

As mentioned above, Russell is likely low down on the depth chart when he steps foot on campus, but undoubtedly has the talent to win what could be an open quarterback competition for the Crimson Tide this offseason.

Keelon Russell high school stats

Russell is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in all of high school football this season, playing for one of the nation’s top teams in Duncanville High School out of Texas. The Alabama signee has a phenomenal stat line as a senior that includes a 71.5 CMP% with 3,652 passing yards and a 52:2 TD:INT ratio across 12 games, while also having rushed for 254 yards and two scores on 25 attempts.

Alabama football recruiting class 2025

After the signing of Russell, Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class ranks No. 4 in the nation with 21 total commitments. A full breakdown of Alabama’s 2025 signing class can be found here.

When is Early Signing Day? When is Late Signing Day?

Early Signing Day takes place Wednesday, Dec. 4, with the overall Early Signing Period lasting through Friday, Dec. 6. The Late Signing Period begins Feb. 5, 2025.

3-star running back flips from Alabama back to Michigan State

The three-star prospect has flipped from Alabama back to Michigan State.

The first surprise of Early Signing Day for the Alabama Crimson Tide has now officially happened, as Alabama Crimson Tide running back commit Jace Clarizio has flipped his commitment back to the Michigan State Spartans, as well as signed with the program.

Clarizio had previously flipped to Alabama from Michigan State back on November 26, but decided to flip back to the Spartans on Wednesday morning, as well as sign with the Big Ten program.

Rankings-wise, Clarizio is the nation’s No. 469 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as the No. 35 running back nationally. A three-star prospect, Clarizio is also the No. 5 player in the state of Michigan who attends East Lansing High School.

Where does Jace Clarizio’s flip leave Alabama football’s recruiting class?

After the flip of Clarizio, Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class currently ranks No. 4 nationally with 21 total commitments, but that ranking could certainly change throughout the day. The Crimson Tide also have one running back left committed in four-star Akylin Dear.

RELATED: Alabama football 2025 Early Signing Period tracker