A Preseason Primer of Kalen DeBoer’s Debut Alabama Recruiting Class

Kalen DeBoer’s debut season in Tuscaloosa may be one of the most anticipated single college football seasons of all time.

He follows in the footsteps of Nick Saban, the undeniable greatest college football coach of all time. While expectations remain mixed, one thing is clear: this Alabama roster has more than enough talent to make the newly expanded College Football Playoff. The Tide’s hotly anticipated 2024 campaign kicks off this Saturday, against Western Kentucky, in the great cathedral that is Bryant-Denny Stadium (7 PM EST, ESPN).

Record predictions are not the only aspect of DeBoer’s season that are being approached with trepidation. Following his hiring, there was a deluge of disbelief that DeBoer could recruit in SEC country. As a January USA Today article put it, “he’s never done the kind of recruiting it takes to navigate the shark-infested waters of the South.”

DeBoer’s experience recruiting in the South, or even in all of FBS, is admittedly quite limited. The University of Sioux Falls product has head coached in the FBS only twice: 2020-’21 with Fresno State, and 2022-’23 with Washington. While he had remarkable success at both stops (accruing a record of 37-9 and a CFP national championship appearance), both were short enough that they may not have tested his recruiting mettle.

However, it’s safe to say that Kalen DeBoer has quieted the recruiting doubters this offseason.

Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class currently sits at 20 commitments, 6 of which are 5-star recruits. This places the Tide second in 247Sports’s overall rankings, behind only Ohio State. The battle remains close, with the Buckeyes leading despite trailing the Tide with only 4 5-stars.

Meet the Class

Note: 247Sports' composite rankings are an aggregate of ratings from major recruiting services, meant to create a consensus.

Alabama’s 2025 class is headlined by a pair of Texans:

• QB Keelon Russell (Duncanville, TX) is the 3rd ranked QB and 13th overall in the class (0.9927 247 Composite). He is a true dual-threat quarterback, and has run track in his time in high school as well. Russell is an explosive playmaker and extremely prolific high school passer (3,483 pass yds, 38 TDs, 3 INT in 2023), though surrounded by stars at his skill positions. He will have stars like WR Ryan Williams with him in Tuscaloosa.
• OT Ty Haywood (Denton, TX) is the 2nd tackle in the class and 11th overall (0.994 Composite). At 6’5”, 285 lbs, Haywood has more than enough length, but may need to bulk up to compete at the highest levels. He is an agile mauler in high school, using his much superior frame to dominate from sideline to sideline. Haywood possesses a variety of skills and athletic traits, and has plenty of room to expand his frame.

The rest of Alabama’s 5-star recruits can be seen below:

• WR Caleb Cunningham (Ackerman, MS) is the 2nd ranked WR in the 2025 class, and 14th overall (0.992 247 Composite). Cunningham is a solid route runner with great burst and breakaway speed. He has incredibly strong hands and is a reliable threat in the red zone. He is also a dangerous man with the ball in his hands after the catch. Cunningham’s natural size (6’1”, 190 lbs) may be his biggest shortcoming.
• CB Dijon Lee (Mission Viejo, CA) is the 4th ranked corner in the class, and is 23rd overall (0.9883 Composite). He is a talented cover corner with great speed, agility, and instincts. He stays aggressive at the point of attack and plays through the receiver and the ball. His superior intelligence allows him to diagnose plays, and his physicality adds to his run support portfolio. A 6’4”, 190 lb frame doesn’t hurt, either.
• RB Akaylin Dear (Quitman, MS) is the no. 2 RB and 31st nationally (0.9841 Composite). He is one of Bama's more recent commits, having committed on August 20. On the field, Dear is a large, powerful North-South runner (6’1”, 200 lbs). He punches holes through the point of attack to reach the second level and has a proclivity for big plays. He also runs track off of the field. Once he breaks through the line, Dear utilizes this great speed and is nearly impossible to catch. He runs with violence and intensity.
• LB Darrell Johnson (Eastman, GA) is the 4th ranked LB and is 33rd nationally (0.9833 Composite). Johnson (6’1”, 200 lbs) is a long and athletic physical freak with impressive versatility. In his junior season with Dodge County (GA), he played anywhere from edge rusher to outside cover man. Wherever he played, he was physical, tenacious, and flew around the field, sideline to sideline. He is a raw prospect with exciting and coachable tools.

The Tide also have a plethora of 4-star commits, 11 to be exact, which adds to the excitement surrounding this class.