Alabama's big official visit weekend has already gotten off to a good start. A surprise visitor this weekend was LSU WR commit Kenny Darby, who Tide WR coach JaMarcus Shephard visited several times over the last couple of months.
Darby flipped his commitment from Mississippi State to LSU in November, and now appears to be unsure if he has made the right decision or not. Darby is in Tuscaloosa currently and spoke with On3's Hayes Fawcett about the visit. It's clear Alabama has already given him a lot to think about, and while he is still committed to the Tigers, he now plans to make a final decision between Alabama and LSU on the 4th of July.
Shephard is considered one of the best WR coaches in the nation, and he has clearly made a big impression on Darby. The 4-star WR from Bossier City wasn't even on the Tide's radar until recently. The Louisiana native seemed solid with his commitment to LSU, but now it appears Alabama has a real shot to flip him.
Obviously, the pending official visit to Baton Rouge on June 21st looms large. Brian Kelly will undoubtedly put the full-court press on to keep Darby in the class. Both LSU and Alabama can pitch development of receivers. LSU has a ton of high-end receivers in the NFL now, and Alabama has been no slouch in that department, either.
Neither have Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb, and Shephard before they arrived in Tuscaloosa, either. They recruited and developed Rome Odunze at Washington, whom the Bears drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Darby will be comfortable with his developmental path at either school.
Alabama is making a big push for elite WRs in the 2026 class
The talent level in Alabama's WR room continues to improve. DeBoer and Shephard flipped the room in December, and now the Crimson Tide enters the 2025 season with one of the best WR corps in the country.
In the 2026 class, Alabama has put itself in a great position for 5-star in-state prospect Cederian Morgan, who will take an official visit to Alabama in June. Most industry experts believe the Tide has a sizable lead on Morgan going into his official visits.
DeSoto, Texas 4-star WR Boobie Feaster is also in Tuscaloosa this weekend for an official visit with Darby.
Alabama also has an official visit set up with Saint Augustine, Florida, 4-star WR Somourian Wingo on June 13th.
It remains to be seen who Alabama lands, but with Shephard's recruiting acumen and player development history, WR recruiting will be one of the least of the Tide's concerns in recruiting moving forward.