Alabama heads into signing day in unfamiliar territory

Alabama has the sixth-best recruiting class in the country, a respectable position that nearly every program in the country would scratch and claw for.

It would also be Alabama’s lowest finish since the 2018 recruiting class as the Crimson Tide are regularly winning the recruiting championship or pretty darn close.

The Crimson Tide have one of the best recruiting classes in the country led by five-star quarterback Keelon Russell, who could be as good as any quarterback that has come through Tuscaloosa. The Duncanville, Texas, standout has thrown 40 touchdowns and no interceptions this season and could wind up as the top-ranked player in the entire recruiting class.

But Alabama also has suffered an uncanny amount of decommitments this recruiting cycle.

Whether that’s the post-Nick Saban reality, or the reality of today’s recruiting landscape or just a one-off that will be rectified as coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff have more time to develop relationships throughout the South, it’s certainly surprising.

A string of recent decommitments from high four-star receiver Caleb Cunningham, who flipped to Ole Miss, and four-star linebacker Dawson Merritt, who flipped to Nebraska, are the latest moves.

So far this recruiting cycle, Alabama has sustained 13 decommitments from some of the top prospects in the country.

To compare, the Crimson Tide only had three in 2024 and one was five-star Ryan Williams, who rejoined the class. There were only two in 2023. In at least more than a decade since decommitment records were kept, this is the most for Alabama.

What could have been if all of them stayed with the Crimson Tide? Probably another No. 1 recruiting class, which has become almost the expectation in Tuscaloosa.

Cunningham and Merritt are just the latest two, joining five-stars Jaime Ffrench and Javion Hilson along with Zion Grady, Derrick Smith, Antonio Coleman (twice), Jaedon Harmon, Mason Short, Myles Johnson, Zymear Smith, Dontrell Glover and punter Luke Ryerse.

With less than three weeks to go until signing day, Alabama could certainly add to its already-impressive recruiting haul.

This weekend, Michigan State running back commit Jace Clarizio visits and so does Florida four-star receiver pledge Naeshaun Montgomery, who could be the replacement after Cunningham’s departure.

The recruiting visitor list for the Iron Bowl to close out the regular season could be loaded.

But the Crimson Tide have work to keep this recruiting class together as well.

High four-star offensive lineman Michael Carroll visits Colorado this weekend. It’s unlikely high four-star cornerback Dijon Lee flips but he’s visiting Texas A&M when it hosts Texas. Four-star running back Anthony Rogers has visited Georgia and Ohio State and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him flip.

There are some under-the-radar potential stars in this class to watch including four-star offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd, who the Alabama coaching staff thinks is one of the best o-linemen in the class, and JUCO defensive end Kevonte Henry among others.

Like every program in the country, the final weeks before signing day are crucial.

Alabama has put together another phenomenal recruiting class but the Crimson Tide could have been ranked even higher – maybe No. 1 – if so many top prospects didn’t back off their pledges, something those in Tuscaloosa are not exactly used to experiencing.