It’s been a 5-star summer for Alabama recruiting
Alabama recruiting has been on a tear all summer, landing 14 of its 22 verbal commitments since June 1st. Amidst that push, the Tide has gone from having zero 5-star commitments less than a month ago (a point of concern for some fans) to having five of the most coveted prospects in the nation.
Quarterback Keelon Russell, wide receiver Caleb Cunningham, offensive linemen Ty Haywood and Michael Carroll, and cornerback Dijon Lee are all rated as 5-stars by at least one of the big four recruiting services. These five 5-stars give Alabama the most in the country, and the no. 1 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry ranking.
Though the Tide’s recruiting momentum has been gradually building for several months, it was very recently that people were asking when Kalen DeBoer would finally land a 5-star. That narrative has been erased completely, and Bama’s recent surge on the trail has been remarkable to watch.
Ty Haywood is Bama’s top commit per the industry average, ranked as a 5-star by both On3 and 247Sports while being considered a top-21 overall player by every service. Similarly, Caleb Cunningham is ranked no lower than 23rd across the board, though he is only a 5-star according to 247Sports at the moment.
Dijon Lee, one of the nation’s top corners, is the no. 50 overall player at On3 but is in the top 31 per every other service. He has a 5-star ranking from 247Sports.
Keelon Russell committed back in early June, but didn’t get that elusive 5th star until recently. He is ranked as a top-50 player and a top-6 quarterback across the board, but 247Sports has him as a 5-star and the 10th-best player nationally. ESPN calls Russell the no. 1 dual threat quarterback in the 2025 cycle.
Michael Carroll has by far the most variance in his rankings. Like Russell, he committed to the Tide early in June and has seen his stock rise since then. Rivals has Carroll as the 185th-best player in the country and the 20th-best interior offensive lineman, and ESPN has him unranked nationally and the 12th-best player in the state of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, On3 calls Carroll the 12th-best player in the country, the top interior offensive lineman in the class, and a 5-star recruit. How’s that for a discrepancy?
The general consensus is that On3 and 247Sports are ahead of the curve in their scouting, so perhaps Rivals and ESPN are just lagging behind on Michael Carroll. The good news is he’s quickly trending up and some of the most reliable experts in the recruiting industry think he’s a borderline top-10 player.
These five standouts are the headliners in a very deep and talented class that has been assembled by Coach DeBoer and company throughout this offseason. The Bama staff isn’t done in the 2025 class just yet, but they have done a remarkable job this summer.