Alabama can swing 5-star on Florida State visit with blowout win of Seminoles in Week 1

Kalen DeBoer’s 2026 recruiting class appears to be securely in place heading into the 2025 season, so his and general manager Courtney Morgan’s attention is mostly turning to the top players in next year’s crop. One of those elite five-star recruits will be in attendance for the Crimson Tide’s season opener on Saturday, but Alabama will have to steal the spotlight from the Seminoles. 

DJ Jacobs is the No. 11 player in the 2027 class by 247Sports Composite, and the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Georgia native still has 12 programs on his radar, including Alabama. He may eventually take a trip to Tuscaloosa, but his first gameday official visit is to Florida State on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium. 

While he’s not there to see the Crimson Tide necessarily, DeBoer and his team can send a major statement with a huge win on the road in Week 1. 

Kalen DeBoer can gain ground in 5-star DJ Jacobs edge rusher DJ Jacobs’ recruitment

Mike Norvell has been an underwhelming recruiter since taking over at Florida State. His ACC title season two years ago was largely led by an impressive transfer portal crop, and then his 2024 two-win disaster displayed just how volatile that team-building philosophy can be. Now, Norvell enters 2025 on the hot seat, only surviving by the skin of his multi-million dollar buyout. 

If FSU has another down year, the program, though it’s in uncertain financial waters and may not be too keen on the idea of letting its current athletic director make another hire, could work up the gusto to move on. That would likely dislodge five-star players like Jacobs from commitment conversions with the Seminoles, and Alabama can start the process with a blowout win on Saturday. 

Alabama is the type of program FSU fans believe they should have in Tallahassee, so if Norvell's team looks hapless against the Tide, the calls for his job will start immediately, if they ever waned from last fall.

Following his Saturday visit in Tallahassee, he’s heading south for Miami’s home-opener against Notre Dame at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night. Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes will be hoping their an FSU loss helps their cause in Week 1, so Alabama could use some help from Notre Dame, though the Irish are another team in Jacobs’ top 12. 

Jacobs appears to be a long way from a commitment, so the results of this weekend won’t necessarily be predictive in his recruitment. Still, a resounding victory in Tallahassee wouldn’t hurt the Crimson Tide’s cause, both in their quest for the College Football Playoff and their future team-building endeavors.