You have to admire the confidence that Kalen DeBoer consistently exudes. It's hard to blame him these days. After a disappointing loss to Florida State to begin the season, Alabama has reeled off six consecutive wins, including four in a row over ranked conference foes. The Crimson Tide has positioned itself as a National Championship contender once again.
That's catching the attention of plenty of the nation's top recruits. And DeBoer may have pulled off a sneaky recruiting tactic this weekend for one of 2027's top overall players - and one of Tennessee's top targets.
5-star WR Kesean Bowman, a Tennessee native, was invited to Tuscaloosa this weekend to witness the Third Saturday in October. He got to see Alabama put belt to behind of Tennessee on the way to a 37-20 victory. DeBoer put a stamp on the visit by extending an official offer to the 2027 5-star:
Extremely blessed to receive an offer from The University of Alabama 🐘⚪️🔴 @CoachShephard @KalenDeBoer @ChadSimmons_ @SWiltfong_ @TomLoy247 pic.twitter.com/2weE1yt7Wf
— Kesean Bowman (@K3B02) October 18, 2025
Bowman, a one-time Oregon commitment, is currently ranked as the No. 31 overall player and the No. 5 WR in the 2027 class, per the 247 composite.
Alabama is an immediate contender for 5-star WR Kesean Bowman
Alabama's track record of putting wide receivers in the NFL - and DeBoer and Ryan Grubb's offensive system - is intriguing for the top wide receivers in the country. Alabama has a 5-star committed and locked in for the 2026 cycle in Cederian Morgan. That came two cycles after landing 5-star Ryan Williams, and while Lotzeir Brooks wasn't as highly recruited as the others, he's already outperformed his recruiting ranking as a true freshman.
JaMarcus Shephard is one of the premier wide receiver coaches in the country, and Alabama's ability to develop the position is intriguing for Bowman and other elite recruits. It doesn't hurt that there's a lot of talent waiting in the QB room, either.
Even if Ty Simpson ultimately jumps to the NFL after this season, Alabama has uber-talented players like Keelon Russell and Austin Mack waiting in the wings. That's not to mention two more 4-star QBs committed to the Crimson Tide in the 2026 cycle in Jett Thomalla and Tayden Kaawa.
The future of the offense is in good hands. That's something that was undoubtedly pitched to Bowman during his visit. And while he'll have his pick of the litter of where he wants to play at the next level, Alabama helped itself immensely by having him on campus for a raucous Bryant-Denny Stadium environment and a 17-point win over his home-state Volunteers.