The 2024 recruiting class for Alabama Football still sits at six commitments, but Coach Nick Saban and his staff are undoubtedly making major moves behind the scenes.
Having 5-star Julian Sayin (the no. 2 quarterback in the nation) firmly committed gives the class a solid foundation to build around.
Fellow 5-stars Jaylen Mbakwe and Perry Thompson appear to be in different places in their respective recruitments. Mbakwe, one of the top defensive backs in the class, is so strong in his commitment to the Crimson Tide that he publicly shut down his recruitment.
Thompson is one of the best wide receivers in the country, and would be one of the most important components of this class regardless of who else joins. Though he continues to entertain other suitors (namely, Auburn), Perry Thompson insists that his commitment is firm.
Alabama Football: Building the rest of the class
With some quality building blocks in place, where does Alabama Football turn next? The Bama staff has made it a point to target some of the nation’s most elite defensive players in the 2024 cycle.
5-star safety KJ Bolden is a major playmaker out of the state of Georgia. He would be a huge fish for Coach Saban to land, and could eventually pair with Caleb Downs to form a dominant safety tandem.
5-star edge rusher Dylan Stewart is an impressive athlete and one of the best pass rushers in the country. Stewart could join a long lineage of elite edge rushers to come through Tuscaloosa. This incredible run has seen Alabama land the nation’s top edge rusher in four straight cycles. It has also seen Bama add an additional top-5 edge rusher in each of those recruiting classes.
5-star defensive lineman Eddrick Houston could become one of the most important pieces in this class. Another Georgia product, he is the high-upside interior defensive lineman Alabama has missed on lately.
4-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick is a Georgia commit who has shown growing interest in the Crimson Tide recently. Riddick is one of the best inside linebackers in this class, and Bama is going all-out in an attempt to flip him from the Bulldogs.
4-star defensive lineman Jeremiah Beaman is another target Coach Saban seems to really want. The Birmingham product is rising quickly as a prospect on the interior defensive line.
4-star safety Peyton Woodyard is another Georgia commit that Coach Saban and company have continued to pursue. Woodyard has an official visit scheduled for next month, and his recruitment will likely last until signing day.
On the offensive side of the ball, 5-star receivers Mike Matthews and Cameron Coleman remain viable options. Both of these wideouts have to like the prospect of playing alongside quarterback Julian Sayin.
4-star running back Kevin Riley hails from the Tuscaloosa area and would be a quality addition as well. Generally speaking, this isn’t a great year for running back recruiting, but Riley is a very good in-state product that would do very well in the Alabama offense.
As always, Coach Saban is slow-playing the 2024 class to ensure that he gets the best players possible. Saban values quality over quantity, so it will be fascinating to watch how this class plays out.