Kalen DeBoer sees 4-star LB slip from Alabama's grasp in sudden flip to Vols

Well, just like that, four-star linebacker Kenneth Simon II is no longer committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Just over a month after committing to the Tide, Simon flipped his commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Now, this wasn't exactly the most earth-shattering news of all time. Not only is Simon from the Volunteer State, but he's also a UT legacy, his father playing for the Vols during his college days. While it's an undeniable hit to the Alabama recruiting class, it was most likely a flip that DeBoer and the Crimson Tide saw as a high possibility.

Kenneth Simon II flips commitment to Tennessee Volunteers

Even before his commitment flip was officially announced, the Volunteers had a 94.3 percent chance of keeping the blue-chip linebacker at home, according to On3 and Rivals' recruiting experts. Now, DeBoer and the Tide are having to wave goodbye to one of their bigger gets out of the recruiting class of 2027 as he heads to Knoxville to play for the Volunteers and head coach Josh Heupel.

Simon is the No. 11 linebacker in his recruiting cycle and the No. 6 prospect out of the state of Tennessee, earning him a spot as the No. 138 recruit in the class of 2027. With Simon's departure, Alabama's class now ranks just 43rd in the nation, a far cry from the expectations of a recruiting class in Tuscaloosa. Not to mention, it ranks 15th in the SEC, only ahead of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, the Vols' class of 2027 now ranks 30th in the country and 11th in the conference standings thanks to the addition of Simon.

However, not all hope is lost on DeBoer's upcoming group of recruits. With another year until they would actually join the Tide on campus, there is a lot of time for the Alabama head coach to land more commitments and work his way up the national and conference rankings.

The Tide's class is highlighted by five-star quarterback Elijah Haven, four-star running back Nigel Newkirk, and six other blue-chip prospects. Unfortunately, Simon was the second-highest rated player in the recruiting class.

Also read: Kalen DeBoer has Alabama positioned to land local EDGE after recent offer

Simon's father, Kevin Simon, also played linebacker for the Volunteers from 2001 until 2005, becoming a two-time All-SEC player before going on to the NFL. He was drafted in the seventh round by the Washington Redskins in 2006.

While his playing career didn't pan out as well as he hoped, he became a talent scout at the NFL and collegiate level, working for the Dallas Cowboys and serving as the director of player development for the Volunteers.

Simon II grew up just a few hours from the Volunteers' home at Rocky Top, playing for Brentwood Academy. During his junior season at Brentwood, he was the starting linebacker for his varsity team, which went 12-0 and won the TSSAA Division II-AA State Championship.

Apparently, the home-grown talent couldn't resist the allure of his father's alma mater and the possibility of suiting up for his home-state team.

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