Kalen DeBoer and Alabama won a pivotal recruiting battle on Saturday, landing 5-star Elijah Haven, the No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 class. Haven chose the Crimson Tide over Georgia, giving Alabama some much-needed momentum on the recruiting trail after a patented slow start for this coaching staff.
Haven's commitment should be the catalyst for a third consecutive big summer on the trail for DeBoer. Alabama got off to slow starts the last two cycles, too, before major runs through the summer landed back-to-back Top 5 classes in Tuscaloosa.
It appears that lightning might strike for a third consecutive year.
Following Haven's commitment, let's take a look at three players who might be the next to join the Tide's class.
Who might commit to Alabama next in the 2027 recruiting class?
3. Antwan Jackson, 4-star, EDGE - Collierville, Tennessee
4-star EDGE Antwan Jackson is a bit raw, but he has the impressive physical tools that DeBoer and DC Kane Wommack have shown to covet in defensive line recruits. Jackson is already 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, likely projecting as a Bandit in Wommack's scheme based on his frame.
Jackson has four official visits set up this summer, making the trek to Tuscaloosa first over the Memorial Day weekend. He's scheduled to see Ole Miss, Missouri, and Tennessee after that, though DeBoer and company will undoubtedly try to lock him down before that.
The On3 prediction machine favors the Crimson Tide at this point, giving Alabama an 83.3% chance of landing the 4-star edge rusher.
2. Mitchell Turner, 4-star, DL - Louisville, Mississippi
A couple of weeks ago, Alabama picked up an expert prediction to land 4-star DL Mitchell Turner out of Mississippi. Turner is a consensus 4-star recruit and the No. 57 overall recruit in the 247 composite. He ranks as the No. 1 player in the state of Mississippi.
Turner's recruitment has followed a similar path to Nolan Wilson's a year ago. Wilson was also a 4-star recruit from the state of Mississippi, and Alabama won the day thanks to jumping on him early as his first official offer. That early relationship and belief in him helped Alabama hold off a slew of others down the stretch to land Wilson in Tuscaloosa.
Turner could follow a similar path.
Alabama wasn't the first school to offer Turner, but they were the first Power Four program to do so. His recruitment has exploded since then, thanks to a 15.5 sack junior season. Turner is scheduled to be in Tuscaloosa for his official visit the same weekend as Jackson, and he's also set to see Ole Miss, Texas, and Mississippi State.
1. Nigel Newkirk, 4-star, RB - Gainesville, Georgia
Shortly after Alabama picked up a prediction to land Turner, it also picked up one to land 4-star RB Nigel Newkirk.
Newkirk has been a frequent visitor in Tuscaloosa, and Alabama has a distinct advantage in his recruitment thanks to how close he is with former Gainesville teammates Xavier Griffin and Jamarion Matthews, both of whom signed with the Crimson Tide in the last recruiting cycle.
Newkirk is coming off a monster junior season that has seen his stock take a meteoric rise. He rushed for 1496 yards and 19 touchdowns for Gainesville last season. He's currently ranked as the No. 16 RB in the 2027 class, but he should continue to climb.
Newkirk is also scheduled to be in Tuscaloosa for his official over Memorial Day weekend. He also has visits currently scheduled for LSU, Ohio State, and Michigan, with a commitment date slated for July 1st.
Don't be surprised if he pops sooner than that.
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