With a lot working against him following a flurry of decommitments and a late start overall after Nick Saban's retirement in January, it is rather remarkable how strong of a class Kalen DeBoer and General Manager Courtney Morgan put together for Alabama football in 2025.
As things stand, Alabama is No. 2 in the 247 composite rankings. The Crimson Tide signed 21 players during the early signing window, which is now effectively National Signing Day. The question of whether or not DeBoer could recruit at a high enough level to win at Alabama has, at least in year one, been answered affirmatively.
Time will tell if that remains the case, but his first big test has been aced as he reeled in one of the best recruiting classes in the country in 2025.
Let's break Alabama's class down by position and hand out grades.
Alabama's 2025 class graded by position group
Quarterback:
Signees: Keelon Russell (5-star)
Grade: A+
Keelon Russell is a great example of DeBoer and this staff's ability to evaluate talent. Rival fanbases made many jokes when Alabama flipped Russell—then a 3-star prospect—from SMU.
Russell then went on to win the Elite-11 competition and put together a dominant senior season at the highest level of Texas high school football. He enjoyed a meteoric rise up the rankings and ultimately finished as the No. 2 overall player in this class.
Russell is the future of the QB position at Alabama, and it wouldn't be a big surprise to see him in the middle of the competition to start next season for the Crimson Tide.
Running Back:
Signees: AK Dear (4-star)
Grade: B+
The night before the early signing period, Alabama saw one of its two RB commitments, Jace Clarizio, flip his commitment. Clarizio had long been a Michigan State commit but flipped to Alabama a week ago. He ended up deciding to remain close to home and signing with the Spartans.
Even without Clarizio, Alabama should feel good about the one signee they ended up with at RB. AK Dear is the No. 2 RB prospect in the country, per the 247 composite rankings.
Dear was originally committed to Ole Miss, but Alabama flipped him in August and held onto him down the stretch run. Alabama's RB room looks like one of the best in the country at the moment, but we'll see who stays and who goes when the transfer portal window opens up.
Wide Receiver:
Signees: Derek Meadows (4-star), Lotzeir Brooks (3-star)
Grade: B+
Alabama's WR class was looking thin following 4-star Caleb Cunningham flipping from Alabama to Ole Miss a few weeks back. That left the Crimson Tide with only Lotzeir Brooks, who might be the most underrated player in this class.
After signing five WR's last season, the Tide would have been okay with just one in this class, but it's clear they were hoping for two. Late yesterday afternoon during a signing ceremony at Bishop Gorman High School, Alabama landed a huge signee.
4-star LSU commitment Derek Meadows flipped his commitment to Alabama, giving the Crimson Tide one of the most physically gifted receivers in the 2025 class.
Meadows and Brooks are a good haul at receiver for the Tide. Brooks is the speedy, big-play threat who has been severely underrated by most services. Meadows is an intriguing physical freak at 6-6 and 205 pounds who might be raw but could develop into a matchup nightmare.
Tight End:
Signees: Kaleb Edwards (4-star), Marshall Pritchett (4-star)
Grade: A-
Alabama had a need in this class at tight end with both CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts exhausting their eligibility after this season. Alabama wanted two guys and they got two of the best in the country.
Kaleb Edwards is a special athlete who has the potential to be a real difference-maker as a receiver. He also has the frame that could allow him to immediately compete for playing time as a freshman.
Alabama flipped Marshall Pritchett from North Carolina in October to solidify its tight end class. Pritchett has a lot of potential but will need some time in a collegiate strength-and-conditioning program before he is ready to play.
Offensive Line:
Signees: Michael Carroll (5-star), Jackson Lloyd (4-star), Micah DeBose (4-star), Mal Waldrep (3-star)
Grade: B+
Alabama still signed a really good class along the offensive line, but for quite some time it had arguably the best class in the nation at OL. But 5-star OT Ty Haywood did not sign with Alabama yesterday, and while he is still listed as a commitment, is not likely going to end up in the Tide's class.
Michigan and others have thrown a lot of NIL money at Haywood and he's likely headed to the highest bidder.
Even still, it's hard to be disappointed with Alabama's haul, though I won't be surprised if they are portal players for a potential bridge starter or two.
5-star Michael Carroll is the prize of the group as the No. 1 ranked IOL in the country. He's a guy who could come in and be a day-one starter at guard in Tuscaloosa.
Jackson Lloyd projects as a good player down the road but will need to add some strength before he's ready to play. DeBose and Waldrep are the lone players from the state of Alabama in the Tide's class.
Defensive Line:
Signees: London Simmons (3-star), Steve Mboumoua (JUCO), Kevonte Henry (JUCO)
Grade: C+
This position group was the lone group that was a bit underwhelming in this class. Two JUCO players and a composite 3-star doesn't exactly inspire memories of the dominant Alabama defensive lines of days gone by.
But Mboumoua and Henry are two of the most highly ranked JUCO players in the country. Henry projects as a Bandit (DE) while Mboumoua will play DT or Nose.
Look for defensive line to be a focal point in the Transfer Portal for Alabama. The Tide is likely to lose LT Overton as well as Tim Smith and Tim Keenan, and Jeheim Oatis left the team midseason to enter the portal.
Linebackers:
Signees: Justin Hill (4-star), Darrell "Duke" Johnson (4-star), Luke Metz (3-star), Abduall Sanders Jr. (3-star)
Grade: B+
Alabama lost 4-star Dawson Merritt who flipped to Nebraska a few weeks ago, but still brought in a strong group of linebackers. I'm including Justin Hill - an EDGE who will play WOLF at Alabama - here because it makes more sense than DL.
Hill could make an immediate impact as a situational pass rusher but will need to bulk up to be able to set the edge against the run.
Johnson is an exceptional athlete who played both ways in high school and is the sideline-to-sideline versatile linebacker prospect who is important in Kane Wommack's system.
Metz and Sanders are the most physically ready of the group.
Defensive Backs:
Signees: Dijon Lee (5-star), Ivan Taylor (4-star), Chuck McDonald (4-star),
Grade: A-
Alabama wanted to add one more defensive back in this class, but couldn't quite seal the deal on flipping Donovan Starr from Auburn. It was never going to be easy with the group Alabama brought in last season at DB and the number of talented underclassmen who saw the field. It's a competitive room and it'll be hard for anyone to see playing time right away.
Dijon Lee is one of the top corner prospects in the nation and has great size at 6-foot-4. He'll compete for playing time somewhere in the secondary next season. He and Chuck McDonald are a heck of a duo at CB.
Ivan Taylor was a late flip to Alabama in this cycle. The son of NFLer Ike Taylor, he flipped his commitment to the Crimson Tide from Michigan. He's the No. 2 ranked safety in the 247 composite rankings.