Coming into official visit season, it has been obvious that Kalen DeBoer and Alabama are targeting two running backs in the 2027 class. Four players have quickly come into focus as the summer recruiting season heats up, with all four being scheduled for trips to Tuscaloosa.
But after the first big recruiting weekend of the summer, Alabama's 2027 RB class is becoming clear.
4-star RB Nigel Newkirk out of Gainesville, Georgia, was on campus with the Crimson Tide this past weekend. He had planned to take trips to LSU, Ohio State, and Michigan in June, but he ultimately committed to Alabama on Sunday.
Newkirk was the first of two expected dominoes to fall, with Alabama sorting through a trio of options for the second RB spot in this class.
3-star RB Tai Phillips, a speedster from South Carolina, has seemed like the most likely addition with Alabama trending heavily in his recruitment, with a decision expected soon. 4-stars Trey Martin (Louisiana) and Kingston Miles (Missouri) also had trips scheduled to Tuscaloosa in June and were under heavy consideration.
One of those is now off the board.
Miles took a weekend trip to Auburn and anounced his commitment to the Tigers on Monday:
BREAKING: Four-Star RB Kingston Miles has Committed to Auburn, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 1, 2026
The 6’1 200 RB from Saint Louis, MO chose the Tigers over Alabama and Missouri
“We down south baby let’s work!!! #WDE!”https://t.co/iIemTIN3zH pic.twitter.com/8ZtglGUtRP
Kingston Miles' commitment to Auburn is no big deal ofr Kalen DeBoer and Alabama
The writing was on the wall when Newkirk committed that Miles was unlikely to be part of this class. He always felt like the No. 4 priority in terms of Alabama's RB recruiting in this cycle. It will be fascinating to see how this second and final spot fills out, though.
Phillips has flown a bit under the radar during his recruitment, but he's the type of hidden gem that can make your entire evaluation staff look like geniuses. He racked up 919 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground last season in just seven games before suffering an injury. If he had played out the rest of his junior season, his numbers would have precipitated a significant jump in the recruiting rankings.
But will Alabama take a commitment from Phillips before Martin arrives on campus? It has always felt like an uphill battle for Alabama to pull Martin away from LSU, but even after his visit to Baton Rouge, all signs point toward him coming to Tuscaloosa this coming weekend for his scheduled official visit. Courtney Morgan and DeBoer have been resolute in their strategy of not bringing anyone to campus for an official that they don't feel like they have a legitimate shot of landing.
If Martin ultimately makes the trip this weekend, that would mean Alabama still believes it has a chance to land him even after Newkirk's decision.
Regardless of how it shakes out, it is obvious that DeBoer and the Alabama staff have been serious about increasing the talent level of the RB room. Newkirk is a great start to that, joining a young RB featuring elite RBs from the last two cycles in EJ Crowell and AK Dear, along with an unheralded gem in Trae'shawn Brown.
Whether it's Martin or Phillips who joins next, either would be another outstanding addition to the room.
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