Nate Oats and Alabama land a surprise commitment from a Top-100 center

With all eyes on the busy official visit weekend for football, commitments are expected to come for Kalen DeBoer's program. Nate Oats and Alabama basketball went ahead and stole some of the thunder on Friday, landing a surprise commitment from a Top-100 big man.

4-star center Collins Onyejiaka, the No. 92 overall player in the 2026 class, committed to the Crimson Tide on Friday after an official visit this week that was kept under wraps. Onyejiaka will reclassify into the 2025 recruiting class and play for Alabama this season.

Onyejiaka had recently been offered by Indiana, and was courted by others like Illinois, Iowa, and West Virginia. At 6-foot-10 and 270 pounds, the Boston native gives Alabama another big body it will need to compete in the SEC.

Collins Onyejiaka provides Alabama with another needed big body

Based on his scouting report on 247, Onyejiaka is more of a rim-runner, more similar to Cliff Omoruyi than the other two centers on Alabama's roster. Aiden Sherrell and Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson are more perimeter-focused big men. Onyejiaka is more of an athlete who should project as a rim protector in the future.

Whatever Oats and the staff are able to get out of Onyejiaka next season is icing on the cake. He's the 13th scholarship player added to the roster, and figures to be Alabama's third big man behind Sherrell and Williamson. He'll play spot minutes here and there and should give Oats the luxury of playing Sherrell and Williamson in lineups together.

It should also allow Taylor Bol Bowen to play primarily at the three and four. He'll be Alabama's starting four, but could play some three, and projected to be Alabama's emergency center in case of injury or foul trouble by one of other two bigs.

Onyejiaka may not have an avenue to too much playing time as a true freshman, but he gives Alabama a clear path forward at center in 2026-27. Williamson is entering his final year of eligibility, and if Sherrell blows up like some expect, he could be a two-and-done and head into the 2026 NBA Draft a year from now.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the portal era, but I would be surprised if he expected too many minutes this late in the process and with the recent decision to reclassify. He has an SEC-ready body, but will obviously lack any kind of polish early on.

Worst case, he's good for five fouls and a more physical presence inside. It's a nice, easy win late in the process for Oats and company.