Long-time Bama lean on commitment watch heading into Champions BBQ weekend
Alabama has long been favored to land former Ole Miss commit AK Dear, who might just be the best running back in the 2025 cycle. With Dear’s announcement that he will be at Alabama’s Cold Summer Champions Cookout this weekend, a commitment seems imminent.
Dear is ranked as the top running back in the class by 247Sports and is the no. 2 running back and no. 31 overall player at On3, meaning he may qualify for a fifth star by the end of the cycle. At 6’1” and already over 200 pounds, he is a thoroughbred the likes of which Alabama hasn’t had in several years.
A commitment from Dear would give Alabama what might be the best two players in the state of Mississippi. 5-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham is already firmly committed to the Crimson Tide. 5-star quarterback and Notre Dame commit Deuce Knight gives the Magnolia State a very formidable “Big Three.” It will be somewhat surprising if neither of the Mississippi schools land any of these in-state 5-star caliber players. If Kalen DeBoer and his staff are able to go into Mississippi and snag two of them, it will be one of the most impressive feats of the entire cycle.
Many have theorized that landing AK Dear would cost Alabama its current running back commit, 4-star and borderline top-100 player Turbo Rogers. While discussions of Rogers flipping to Ohio State have cooled in recent weeks, they would likely heat back up if the Tide land Dear.
Ideally, Alabama will keep both running backs in this class and its culture of competition will sort out the pecking order. If Turbo Rogers flips to Ohio State, I don’t believe it will be because of AK Dear. The Buckeyes have an equally stacked running back room, and already have two 2025 commitments at the position in 4-star Bo Jackson and 3-star Isaiah West.
If Rogers wants to go to Columbus, that is his choice, but he wouldn’t be going to a more favorable situation or a clearer path to playing time, at least from the outside looking in.
Alabama should go all-in on Dear as if Rogers intends to leave the class, and then it should do everything in its power to keep both. I think that is exactly the approach the Bama staff is taking, and I wouldn’t be surprised if AK Dear commits to the Tide at this weekend’s cookout.