Kalen DeBoer and Alabama earned a massive win on the recruiting trail over Josh Heupel and Tennessee by landing 4-star LB Kenneth Simon II, a Vols legacy recruit who was a massive priority on Rocky Top.
Simon committed to the Crimson Tide on Monday, choosing Alabama over Tennessee and Georgia. Kirby Smart's Bulldogs made a late surge for the Brentwood Academy product, but it wasn't enough to beat out Alabama, which had been consistently near the top for Simon throughout his recruitment.
While there's still a long way to go between now and December's early signing period, there appears to be no reason for Alabama fans to worry about a potential flip down the road. Simon is locked in with the Crimson Tide, as he made clear in an interview with 247's Brett Greenberg in the aftermath of his announcement.
"The standard they are held to, it has been so high, and it is something I want to be a part of," Simon said. "There is not a single doubt in my decision. I am confident."
Kenneth Simon II has zero doubts about his commitment to Alabama
That obviously won't stop programs like Tennessee and Georgia, among others, from trying to flip him over the next seven months, but it appears to be of little concern in the immediate aftermath of his commitment on Monday.
Not only does Simon appear locked in completely, but he also mentioned his desire to recruit for Alabama and help the Crimson Tide add to its surging 2027 recruiting class.
Alabama has now secured two major recruiting wins in recent weeks as official visit season arrives. A couple of weeks earlier, DeBoer and company added 5-star QB Elijah Haven as the headliner of the class. Simon continues that momentum as the Crimson Tide looks to go on a major recruiting run for a third consecutive summer.
Simon is a huge addition to the Tide's LB room, and LB coach Chuck Morrell deserves a ton of credit for helping Alabama get to the finish line. After only signing one for certain off-ball LB in the 2026 class in Tuscaloosa native Zay Hall, that was a major position of need in this cycle. The obvious caveat to that is 5-star Xavier Griffin, who seems destined for more of a Jihaad Campbell-type role in Kane Wommack's defense, and could certainly become a factor as an off-ball LB in his own right. He seems likely to begin his career as a pass-rushing specialist, though.
Alabama lost its top three off-ball linebackers following the 2025 season, with Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Nikhai Hill-Green all exhausting their eligibility. The Tide added Virginia Tech's Caleb Woodson out of the Transfer Portal, but he's entering his final year of eligibility in 2026.
There's still some intriguing young talent in the room, however, as DeBoer and the staff landed a large class of linebackers in the 2025 class in anticipation of major turnover in the room due to the number of veterans.
Simon is the type of versatile linebacker that Wommack has shown to covet. He's a former safety who has coverage skills and sideline-to-sideline ability. At 210 pounds, he'll need to add some weight, but that isn't likely to be a problem as he gets into a college strength and conditioning program.
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