Kalen DeBoer finally landed Alabama’s seventh commit in the 2026 class, flipping four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla from his Iowa State commitment, improving the class’s national ranking to 44th. However, that’s not nearly enough to appease a fan base growing restless from his program’s slow start to the 2026 recruiting cycle.
DeBoer proved himself as an elite SEC recruiter last offseason, constructing the third-ranked class in the country for 2025, headlined by five-star quarterback Keelon Russell. However, his encore performance has left a lot to be desired.
The official visit season is nearly coming to an end, with Alabama welcoming its final crop of 13 recruits to campus on Friday. Here’s a look at the players who will be in Tuscaloosa this weekend and could help DeBoer make up ground on his SEC rivals on the recruiting trail.
13 recruits scheduled to visit Alabama this weekend
- Cederian Morgan, WR (Alexander City, AL): 5-star
- Anthony "Tank" Jones, LB (Mobile, AL): 5-star
- Ezavier Crowell, RB (Jackson, AL): 4-star
- Zyan Gibson, CB (Gadsden, AL): 4-star (Alabama commit)
- Mack Sutter, TE (Dunlap, IL): 4-star
- Lasiah Jackson, S (Leesburg, GA): 4-star
- Jett Thomalla, QB (Omaha, NE): 4-star (Alabama commit)
- Anthony Davis Jr., LB (Loganville, GA): 4-star
- Chris Booker, OL (Atlanta, GA): 4-star (Alabama commit)
- Javari Barnett, RB (Tampa, FL): 3-star (Illinois commit)
- Mitchell Smith, OT (Picayune, MS): 3-star
- Owen Cabell, WR (Nashville, TN): 3-star
- Zay Hall, LB (Tuscaloosa, AL): 3-star
While this weekend is the final official visit date for Alabama, there is still plenty of time for Alabama to build an elite class. The foundation is strong with five-star defensive back Jorden Edmonds and four-star cornerback Zyan Gibson, who is a top 50 recruit in the class, so with more volume in the class, the Tide can quickly climb the national rankings.
Many of the recruits visiting this weekend and who have visited throughout May and June have set their commitment dates near the end of the month, so coming out of this weekend, top prospects may begin to flock to the Tide.
Frustration over a slow start is warranted, but it’s not quite time to sound the alarm on DeBoer’s tenure in Tuscaloosa. If players like four-star running back Ezavier Crowell, who has long been connected to Alabama, begin to join the fray, it will assuage any concerns the fanbase has about this offseason. Needless to say, this weekend is an important one for the second-year head coach.
Also, with the Thomalla commitment, DeBoer and his staff showcased the ability to flip key targets from previous commits. Summer commitments are nice, but everyone knows nothing is set in stone until signing day.