Kalen DeBoer and Alabama are building some serious momentum on the recruiting trail. With only four commitments in the 2027 class so far, there's been some unease, though the expectation is that the Crimson Tide will have a third straight massive summer.
That was expected to kick off on Saturday with the expected commitment of 5-star QB Elijah Haven. Instead, on Tuesday night, DeBoer and Alabama picked up a surprise commitment from an off-the-radar, fast-rising 2027 edge rusher.
3-star Stevan Thornton III from Cairo, Georgia announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide via his X account:
1000% COMMITTED ❤️🐘
— Stevan Thornton III (@Top5trxy) April 22, 2026
All glory to God for guiding me through prayer, hard work, and the support of my family. This journey didn’t come easy, but I’m proud to announce I’m officially 1000% committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide‼️@AlabamaFTBL @crob45 @Cairo_Football @Coach_WRC pic.twitter.com/a7zy8lqzu1
3-star Edge Stevan Thornton III commits to Alabama
On the surface, Thornton's commitment might not seem like that big of a deal. He's a 3-star recruit, and 247 has him as the No. 812 overall player in the composite.
But Thornton's recruitment has begun picking up in recent weeks. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Georgia native is coming off an impressive junior season where he put up 20 tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Thornton is another example of DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan having an early eye for talent. Alabama extended an offer to Thornton on March 3rd as the second Power Four program to do so, joining Wake Forest. Since then, Thornton has picked up offers from the likes of Georgia, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kansas State, and Vanderbilt, among others.
His recruitment will continue to pick up steam, particularly following his late-night commitment to the Crimson Tide.
DeBoer and Morgan have made a living off of finding gems on the recruiting trail and extending offers before everyone else can jump on them. That's exactly what helped Alabama land coveted defensive lineman Nolan Wilson in the 2026 class, and it's precisely what has them in good shape to land Mitchell Turner in the 2027 class.
And it certainly didn't hurt here. Thornton is currently underrated, but his film has caught the attention of some of the best coaching staffs in the country. You can expect his rise to continue.
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