For the most part, Alabama's coaching staff has done a great job keeping committed recruits warm. There hasn't been a ton of flip speculation with less than two months until the early signing period, and a number of Crimson Tide commits have made announcements that they were shutting down their recruitments.
That list includes 5-stars Xavier Griffin, Jireh Edwards, Cederian Morgan, and EJ Crowell. The prospect that Alabama fans most want to hear that about is 4-star TE Mack Sutter. Sutter committed to Alabama back in June, but Ohio State has been making a furious charge at trying to flip the Dunlap, Illinois native, particularly after the Buckeyes saw their lone TE commitment in the 2026 class flip to Florida State.
Alabama fans got even more uneasy with Colorado TE commit Gavin Mueller announcing a recent Alabama offer. It made fans worry that the Alabama coaching staff may be moving on and accepting an inevitable flip, but the plan all along has been to try and take two tight ends in this class.
But Sutter did something on Saturday that should ease the minds of worried Tide fans. Sutter took a road trip to Columbia to watch Alabama play.
Mack Sutter attends Alabama's road win over Missouri
4-star Bama TE commit Mack Sutter went to Mizzou today on his own to check out the Tide. He told me why for @Rivals
— Greg Smith (@GregSmithRivals) October 11, 2025
🔗 https://t.co/GQufpWA4bn pic.twitter.com/clwAteEB6C
Sutter's decision to travel to Columbia to see Alabama play against Missouri is further proof that the 4-star TE is locked in with the Crimson Tide. Especially considering two of his other finalists - Ohio State and Illinois - were facing off in his own backyard in Champagne. It could have been an easy trip to check out the Buckeyes in person if he were seriously wavering on his commitment to Alabama.
Instead, he took the trip to CoMo. He hasn't announced yet that his recruitment was shut down, but that could be coming. Or not. It doesn't mean much, either way. Plenty of prospects don't make that announcement, and it doesn't mean they are wavering. That's a pretty new phenomenon.
Sutter is scheduled to return to Tuscaloosa next week to watch Alabama again for the Third Saturday in October against Tennessee.
It certainly looks like Sutter's commitment to the Crimson Tide is solid, and Kalen DeBoer and the coaching staff are going to be able to hold off Ohio State's furious charge.