Alabama lost one of the in-state members of its 2025 recruiting class when 4-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman decommitted over the weekend. Coleman flipped to Auburn after attending the Tigers’ Big Cat Weekend, and subsequently did not show up at Alabama’s Champions Cookout on Sunday.
4-star athlete Derick Smith, another in-state product out of Selma, also failed to show up in Tuscaloosa after attending Big Cat Weekend. Smith, who would play safety at Alabama but is being recruited to receiver at Auburn, has been rumored to be a flip candidate for several weeks now but remains in Alabama’s class as of now.
EDIT: Smith flipped to Auburn on Monday afternoon
Recruiting experts are also keeping their eyes on 4-star running back Anthony “Turbo” Rogers out of Carver (Montgomery). The diminutive but speedy running back who previously played for Pike Road and IMG Academy seemingly has a good relationship with Ohio State and Texas. He has understandably kept his recruitment open as Alabama has publicly pursued AK Dear, perhaps the top running back in the country.
Rogers is still committed to Alabama and is the longest-tenured member of the class. In fact, he is the only remaining member of Alabama’s 2025 class that committed to Nick Saban, having done so in June 2023.
Alabama has done very well in the 2025 cycle and continues to maintain a top-two recruiting class in the country. Antonio Coleman, Derick Smith, and Anthony Rogers all appear to be long-haul recruitments, meaning Kalen DeBoer and his staff will have to continue pushing hard all the way until December. These are the type of recruitments that Coach Saban excelled at, usually coming out on top in the end.
While Bama fans should be happy with the way this recruiting cycle has gone regardless, these on-the-fence prospects could determine whether or not the Tide finishes with the no. 1 class in 2025.