Recapping your weekend of Alabama Crimson Tide News from June 21st and 22nd, featuring a massive group of official visitors for football, commitments, and Nate Oats bringing a surprise.
Kalen DeBoer brought out the big guns with Nick Saban in town
As far as recruiting weekends go, they didn't get much bigger than this one for Kalen DeBoer and company. It has been a slow start to the 2026 cycle, but the dam looks ready to break any day now. With a lot on the line, particularly with a big in-state push, DeBoer called in the big guns.
For the first time since he retired, Nick Saban was in Tuscaloosa on an official visitor weekend to offer his help and support to the Crimson Tide. As far as recruiting closers go, there aren't any now, or ever, that can stack up with Saban.
Just how much Saban was involved isn't known. He was featured in photo ops with Cederian Morgan, Ezavier Crowell, and Anthony "Tank" Jones, the top three players in the state of Alabama in this cycle.
Saban was also there to assist as DeBoer and several staff members snuck off to Mississippi on Saturday to attend the funeral service of Keelon Russell's sister.
3-star DL JJ Finch commits to Alabama
On Sunday, 3-star Indianapolis DL JJ Finch announced his pledge to the Crimson Tide. Finch isn't highly rated, but he's a really nice pick-up for Alabama. One look at his offer list should tell you all you need to know.
Despite his ranking as a 3-star, Finch was coveted by programs like Miami (FL), Michigan, and Tennessee, among others.
Finch should be just the first domino in what is likely to be a massive two weeks or so on the trail for DeBoer and company.
Four more targets projected to land with the Crimson Tide
Along with the commitment of Finch, Alabama picked up On3 RPMs for four other prospects.
Early Sunday afternoon, three of them came in all together: WR Owen Cabell, RB Javari Barnett, and S Rihyael Kelley.
Cabell earned an offer earlier this month after camping in Tuscaloosa. Barnett and Kelley would be flips, currently committed to Illinois and Rutgers, respectively.
The big prediction came in on Sunday night, however, with an RPM being placed on Alabama to land 5-star WR Cederian Morgan.
Not to be outdone, Nate Oats landed a surprise commitment
With the focus squarely on football recruiting, Nate Oats landed a commitment completely out of left field.
4-star center Collins Onyejiaka from Boston announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide on Friday night, with the intention of reclassifying into the 2025 class and joining Alabama basketball for next season.
Onyejiaka fills the 13th scholarship for Alabama next season, and gives Oats a much-needed extra big body. He'll become the third big, at least initially, behind sophomore Aiden Sherrell and Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson.
Onyejiaka is more of a traditional, rim-running athletic center, giving Alabama something they didn't really have on the roster wth Sherrell and Williamson being more stretch-fives than back-to-the-basket bigs.
You can never have enough big bodies, and this is a terrific upside swing for Oats and company, and a player who will likely have a role immediately.