Alabama WR coach JaMarcus Shephard may have uncovered another hidden gem. Following a workout during a camp in Tuscaloosa on Monday, the Crimson Tide extended an offer to unheralded 3-star WR Owen Cabell from Nashville, Tennessee.
The offer was surprising to those who follow recruiting, as Cabell is much further down the rankings than the other targets for Kalen DeBoer at the WR position. Alabama seems to be in good shape for in-state 5-star Cederian Morgan, and they have pushed for other elite prospects such as Tristen Keys, Boobie Feaster, and LSU commitment Kenny Darby.
Some figured the offer to Cabell was a cursory one, meant for him to be more of a backup option in case Alabama misses on Keys, Feaster, and Darby as the second WR in this class (assuming Morgan ends up in this class as expected.)
A recent video published to social media, however, shows that Cabell is much more than a backup option. He looks like a complete stud, and it's the type of video that will almost certainly heat up his recruitment going forward, especially with an Alabama offer in hand.
Cabell looks fast and fluid. According to the video, he ran a 4.4 40-yard dash in front of the Alabama coaches. You can hear the excitement in Shephard's voice coaching him through drills. It's obvious now why the decision was made to offer him a scholarship.
Shephard is no stranger to uncovering gems. He did in the last recruiting cycle, too, with Lotzeir Brooks. Brooks, despite tremendous tape, flew under the radar in the 2025 cycle. He's already made waves in the spring in Tuscaloosa, and despite Alabama's loaded depth chart at WR, Brooks looks like he's going to be able to carve out an immediate role as a true freshman.
Alabama has already landed a prediction for Cabell to end up in the 2026 class
Immediately after extending an offer to Cabell, Vandy247 writer Robbie Weinstein logged an expert prediction in favor of the Crimson Tide.
Alabama will be looking to get Cabell back on campus for an official visit in the near future. His recruitment could explode from here, as we have seen time and time again, once Alabama offers a prospect.
The Nashville native already has reported offers from Georgia and Tennessee, but it's unclear how hard they have recruited him so far. With Alabama now involved, don't be surprised if the Bulldogs and Vols turn up the heat. Others could get involved, too.
Alabama has put itself in a good position, though, and the 3-star looks like another diamond in the rough evaluation by this staff.