Alabama football was able to land the nation’s top recruiting class in 2023, bringing in a haul of players that, at least on paper, is historically elite. What will Coach Nick Saban and a revamped coaching staff do for an encore performance? That remains to be seen, but Alabama football is already off to a strong start in 2024.
As it stands, Alabama has landed five players in the next recruiting cycle, each of which is highly sought after.
5-star quarterback Julian Sayin highlights the class. The Carlsbad, California product is ranked as the no. 15 overall player and the second-best quarterback in the nation. He appears to be locked in with the Crimson Tide, and his presence as a highly-touted QB that committed early in the cycle will help this class continue to grow.
Cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe is a borderline 5-star who is the no. 1 player in the state of Alabama. If his commitment holds, the Crimson Tide will have landed the top player in the state for the fifth straight cycle. Former top recruits in the state of Alabama include active players James Smith, Jeremiah Alexander, and Kool-Aid McKinstry.
4-star wide receiver Perry Thompson is considered the third-best player in the state. The product of Foley High School has some similarities to the Lions’ most famous wide receiver alumnus, Julio Jones. Thompson has a big frame at 6’3” and over 200 pounds as a junior in high school, and has already broken some of Jones’ records.
4-star Martavious Collins is a big-bodied athlete from the state of Georgia. Collins has a college-ready body at over 240 pounds, and projects as a tight end at the next level.
4-star linebacker Sterling Dixon is a physical competitor that plays with great closing speed and arrives angry. He put up impressive numbers as a junior, and has the ability to play inside or on the edge.
Alabama Football: 2024 class going forward
Obviously, Alabama’s 2024 class is a long way from being finished. There are several marquee players that the coaching staff will continue to pursue throughout this year.
5-star safety KJ Bolden is one of the gems of the 2024 cycle, and is ranked as the fourth-best overall player and the top safety in the nation. Alabama football fans should be salivating over the prospect of possibly having Caleb Downs and KJ Bolden on the back end of its defense in a couple years.
5-star cornerback Ellis Robinson IV is the best cornerback in the class, and will announce his commitment on February 1st. Perhaps unironically, this is also National Signing Day for the 2023 class.
Robinson IV is a truly elite corner that will choose between Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Colorado. This is widely viewed as a classic Alabama-Georgia battle, and most of the national media is leaning towards Georgia at this point. As we saw in the 2023 class, you can never count out Nick Saban and Travaris Robinson in a defensive back recruitment.
Although it is early in the cycle, Alabama football appears to be ahead of the curve relative to where they normally are at this time of year.
Bama Hammer will continue to provide updates as the 2024 recruiting class progresses.