Kalen DeBoer flips the script on Alex Golesh with major in-state WR steal

And now begins the goalpost moving from Auburn fans.

As predicted on Tuesday, Kalen DeBoer and Alabama just flipped star in-state WR Cedrick Simmons away from Auburn. The announcement was made via Hayes Fawcett on Twitter:

Simmons committed to Auburn three weeks ago, coming off his visit to the Plains on June 19th. Alabama was trending in his recruitment after his visit to Tuscaloosa the week before, but the Tigers won the initial recruiting battle.

DeBoer gets the last laugh on Alex Golesh, however, with Simmons flipping to the school he wanted to go to all along.

Alabama flips 3-star WR Cedrick Simmons away from Auburn

Simmons is one of those players you can't get lost in looking at star ratings for. He's better than what the recruiting services have him listed at. That's not dissimilar to Lotzeir Brooks, who was a 3-star recruit out of high school before turning in an impressive freshman season for the Crimson Tide.

Turn on the tape, and look at the stats from his junior season at Southside High School in Selma. No player in the state was as prolific as Simmons in 2025. He led all receivers in Alabama with 2192 receiving yards on 106 receptions and 20 touchdowns.

He was a big play waiting to happen every single Friday night. There's a reason he became such a priority for both Alabama and Auburn this summer.

The Crimson Tide and Tigers were both late in pursuing him. Auburn extended an offer in late May, while Alabama offered him on June 1st, with both schools quickly setting up official visits. Despite programs like West Virginia and Purdue pushing to get him out of the state, it became clear that his focus was narrowed on the in-state options.

Auburn fans rejoiced and mocked Alabama three weeks ago when Simmons, who grew up a Tide fan, committed to them instead. They will now chalk it up to money while, in the same breath, talking about how broke Alabama is now. They are not serious individuals.

Simmons is the 14th commitment for Alabama in the 2027 class and the second WR to join the group. Alabama landed a commitment from 4-star Osani Gayles at the end of last month.

Gayles and Simmons are a really strong haul of receivers in this class. Of course, DeBoer and Alabama are still hoping to reel in the biggest fish of them all in 5-star Monshun Sales, who will announce his commitment on Friday. The current industry feeling is that the decisions will likely be either Indiana or Texas, with Alabama on the outside looking in.

Simmons is a solid consolation prize, however, and will be a big-time weapon for DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb to utilize moving forward.

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