Briefly on Thursday, it looked like Kalen DeBoer and Alabama were going to pull of a major recruiting coup, swooping in at the last minute and stealing away 4-star EDGE KJ Ford from a trio of finalists that did not include the Crimson Tide.
Experts dropped predictions on Thursday for Ford to land with Alabama, after discussions between the blue-chip prospect and the Crimson Tide picked up steam. Those predictions flipped early on Friday, and as expected, Ford ended up committing to the Gators. He teased Alabama fans for good measure, initially putting on an Alabama hat before taking it off and placing the Florida hat on his head.
Alabama fans will feel used. It feels, to some, like Ford used Alabama to potentially increase the offer from Florida or one of his other finalists. That may be true, or it could be as simple as him wanting to play for Alabama, but the Gators coming through with an offer far exceeding what Alabama was willing to spend on him made it difficult to pass up.
Ford was considered an Alabama lean a few months back. He was high school teammates last season with Alabama freshman QB Keelon Russell, and that relationship helped the Crimson Tide always be at the forefront of his recruitment.
There are still five months until the early signing period, so Alabama could choose to circle back on Ford and try to flip him away from Gainesville between now and then. That's probably unlikely, however, as Alabama is comfortable with where they stand in this class with EDGE rushers.
Alabama currently holds commitments from 4-stars Jamarion Matthews and Kamhariyan Johnson at the position, and its top target is still out there, and he'll serve as much more than a consolation prize if DeBoer and company can seal the deal.
Alabama remains in good shape 5-star Anthony 'Tank' Jones
The plan remains for Anthony 'Tank' Jones to commit sometime this month or early next. The 5-star Mobile native is down to Alabama, Oregon, and Texas A&M, and according to Hayes Fawcett, one program is beginning to separate for the coveted 5-star:
Five-Star EDGE Anthony “Tank” Jones recently named his Top 3 Schools: Alabama, Oregon, & Texas A&M
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 11, 2025
He discusses a timeframe for his decision & says one team is starting to separate itself from the pack 👀
Intel: https://t.co/MU3oDtoZLV pic.twitter.com/zdGQNYso1t
Alabama currently holds commitments from three of the top four players in the state of Alabama in the 2026 cycle: 5-stars Cederian Morgan and Ezavier Crowell, as well as 4-star Zyan Gibson.
If Alabama can land Jones, it will be a clean sweep of the top four prospects in the state. It would also give DeBoer an insane sixth 5-star commitment in this class, and likely solidify the Crimson Tide in signing a Top 5 class this cycle, assuming they can hold on to everyone between now and signing day.