Alabama projected to land elite recruit that will make fans forget Jabarrius Garror

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama lost its top commitment over the weekend when 4-star in-state EDGE rusher Jabarrius Garror decommitted. That puts Alabama's 2027 recruiting class at just three commitments, though slow starts to cycles are nothing new for DeBoer and this Alabama staff. They've proven adept at making major summer pushes to sign back-to-back Top 5 classes, and they'll look to do the same thing again this year.

Garror's decommitment stung, but the Crimson Tide could be closing in on a commitment that would make fans quickly forget about it.

On3 recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction on Monday for Alabama to land a commitment from 4-star DL Mitchell Turner out of Louisville, Mississippi.

Turner is ranked as the No. 78 overall player in the 2027 class, per the 247 composite, and is the No. 4 overall player in the state of Mississippi.

Steve Wiltfong projects Alabama to land 4-star DL Mitchell Turner

If DeBoer can reel Turner into the boat, it would be the second straight class in which Alabama landed arguably the top defensive lineman out of the state of Mississippi. Alabama signed 4-star Nolan Wilson, the No. 3 player in the state, in the 2026 cycle.

Turner has four official visits scheduled, starting with Alabama on the weekend of May 29th. He also plans to visit Ole Miss, Texas, and Mississippi State, though DeBoer and the Crimson Tide staff will try to close the deal before he takes those other three visits this summer.

Alabama's three-man class is hanging on by a thread to a Top 25 ranking, but it's only a matter of time before the Crimson Tide makes its run.

DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan have positioned Alabama in a good spot with many of the top recruits in the 2027 cycle, and Turner could end up being the first domino to fall to kick-start the summer push.