Kalen DeBoer won’t lose any sleep over this lost in-state recruiting battle to Auburn

Four-star edge rusher Jaquez Wilkes named Alabama as a finalist ahead of his commitment announcement on Monday, but the Crimson Tide knew they weren’t likely to add the in-state recruit to their 2026 recruiting class. Wilkes went with Auburn, choosing the Tigers over Alabama, Miami, and Texas A&M, and while it typically stings to lose a top recruit to the in-state rival, Kalen DeBoer and his staff won’t be losing any sleep over this one. 

Jaquez Wilkes headlines Auburn’s 2026 recruiting class

That doesn’t have anything to do with the caliber of recruit that Wilkes is. A composite four-star edge rusher at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Wilkes is a top 100 recruit in the class and the 11th best at his position. He’s the top-rated recruit for Auburn’s 2026 class, which currently ranks 65th in the country. He’s an elite recruit; he was just no longer a priority for Alabama, nor was Alabama a priority for him.

Heading into his commitment day, Wilkes had not visited Tuscaloosa since April, and the Tide had set their sights on two other defensive linemen in the 2026 class: five-star Tank Jones and four-star Elijah Golden, who recently delayed his commitment by two weeks, buying the Tide more time to make up ground. 

It would have been nice if Miami had pried Wilkes out of the SEC, but Auburn was always going to make up some ground in the 2026 cycle, and eventually, Hugh Freeze had to land a big in-state victory.

Alabama locked in on specific recruiting targets to round out 2026 class

While it’s only July, DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan have nearly put the finishing touches on the 2026 class. Alabama is not expecting to bring in a huge class, likely between 20-25 recruits, and it has already amassed 19 commitments and assembled the No. 6 class in the country. Wilkes just didn’t factor into those plans. 

While Alabama already has five defensive linemen in the 2026 class, including five-star Xavier Griffin, who is expected to play more of a hybrid role, the program could add two more in this cycle. Elsewhere on the roster, Alabama could be adding its 20th commit on Tuesday and the second quarterback in the class. 

DeBoer has already landed four-star Jett Thomalla, flipping him from Iowa State earlier this summer, but the Tide are also predicted to land four-star Tayden Kaawa, the top remaining uncommitted QB in the class who is making his announcement on Tuesday. Currently, he and Jones are the top targets, and without taking an official visit, Wilkes was never really on the board.