Recruits returning to Alabama: Monster week with decisions and visitors

The University of Alabama will host another wave of spring visitors this week. The majority of recruits will attend spring practice while others will visit during the off-days. A few targets are also announcing decisions this week.

A closer look at the upcoming announcements, early week visitors and slew of elite prospects traveling to Alabama this weekend.

BOL will provide visit updates and much more on the RoundTable!

Peach State Decisions

Elite Class of 2025 ATH Darrell Johnson. (Photo by Chad Simmons/On3)

•Darrell ‘Duke’ Johnson, athlete from Dodge County HS in Eastman, Ga.

•Luke Metz, inside linebacker from Mill Creek HS in Hoschton, Ga.

Alabama has five commitments in the 2025 recruiting class which currently ranks No. 7 per the On3 Sports Team Industry Rankings. These numbers might change this week as two targets are scheduled to announce their college destination. Both are also recruited by Alabama as linebackers.

Johnson will announce his decision on Wednesday. The top contenders include Alabama, UCF, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Texas A&M. The ‘Noles were considered the heavy favorite until he took an unofficial visit to Alabama on March 6. Johnson called Alabama his “dream school” prior to the trip which doesn’t always indicate the future choice.

“I just feel like the structure is still there at Alabama,” Johnson told BOL after the visit. “They demand it and require it. Just to be a part of that Alabama family, it’s just a certain mindset that they want you to have. It’s like they force it into your head every day.”

Metz is coming off an unofficial visit to Michigan this past weekend. He is slated to visit Alabama on Thursday, followed by a trip to Ole Miss on Saturday. Metz told BOL he will “know enough” to have a decision ready to drop on Sunday. Metz was offered by Alabama on March 4.

“As much of a Nick Saban fan as I’ve been, I was always an Alabama fan,” Metz told BOL. “It was a sad day when Coach Saban retired, but the new staff has always won whether it was Coach DeBoer at Washington or Coach Wommack at South Alabama. They are really great coaches. I am not worried at all.” 

BOL will provide a decision day preview and final predictions for each player. Alabama appears trending in the right direction with Johnson and Metz ahead of their decisions.

Elite RBs visiting T-Town

On3’s No. 6 RB Girard Pringle with Alabama coaches Kalen DeBoer, Robert Gillespie, and JaMarcus Shephard.

Alabama has one running back commitment in the ’25 class, Anthony Rogers. The four-star from Carver High School in Montgomery, Alabama committed in June. He has remained with the Tide throughout the coaching change. Rogers did, however, take an unofficial visit to Auburn last Thursday. He spoke with BOL after the trip- READ HERE

Alabama will play host to at least three of its current RB targets this week.

•Girard Pringle, Top 100 from Armwood HS in Seffner, Fla. (Monday)

•AK Dear, Top 100 from Quitman HS in Miss. (Thursday)

•Jordon Davison, Top 100 from Mater Dei HS in Santa Ana, Calif. (Saturday)

-Pringle will visit Alabama to kick things off this week. He has also scheduled an official visit to Alabama on June 21-23. Pringle has been clocked at a 10.56 in the 100-meters. Dear, who rushed for more than 2,000 yards during his junior season, met with Coach DeBoer at his high school in January. The No. 2 RB in the country is a priority target.

Davison is returning for a third visit to Alabama. He has a great relationship with RBs coach Robert Gillespie. Ohio State and Texas have been viewed as front-runners with Alabama right in the mix. The Buckeyes lost its RBs coach, Tony Alford, to Michigan last week. This visit could provide an opportunity to move into the top two. Former Mater Dei stars on the Alabama roster currently include freshman DB Zabien Brown and USC transfer Domani Jackson.

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Others to know before the weekend

Abduall Sanders attends Alabama Junior Day

•Abduall Sanders, three-star LB from Mater Dei HS in Santa Ana, Calif. (Monday)

•Tariq Hayer, four-star CB from St. John’s in Washington D.C. (Tuesday)

•Maxwell Riley, ’26 No. 2 Interior OL from Avon Lake HS in Ohio (Tuesday)

•Ba’Roc Willis, ’27 EDGE from Moody HS in Ala. (Tuesday)

-Sanders is one of the first players to receive an offer (1/29) from the new staff. He was in Tuscaloosa for Junior Day on February 3. A decision is not expected soon, but the visit has a high chance to result in Sanders scheduling a summer official visit. He will arrive on Monday afternoon and remain in Tuscaloosa until Thursday morning. Alabama safeties coach Colin Hitschler previously recruited (Tariq) Hayer during his time at Wisconsin. Hayer will take his first visit to Alabama on Tuesday. BOL will monitor for a potential offer.

Alabama will also host a few underclassmen. (Maxwell) Riley will fly into Birmingham on Monday, and spend Tuesday visiting the Tide’s campus. Riley is a Top 13-overall recruit in the ’26 class. (Ba’Roc) Willis is one of the top rising sophomores in the state. He had an offer from the previous staff and attended Junior Day on 2/3.

*This is not a complete list of recruits visiting Alabama this week. BOL will continue to update our spring visitors thread on the RoundTable.

Jackson, Sanders lead way for Saturday

Photo by Chad Simmons/On3

The visitors list for Saturday’s practice is extensive, and will likely add a lot more names during the next few days. The current group includes two players who rank No. 1 at their position: Five-star OL David Sanders (Charlotte-Providence Day) and linebacker Ty Jackson (Loxahatchee, Fla-Seminole Ridge).

Sanders recently included Alabama in his top six. The other contenders also include Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina and Tennessee. Sanders has visited Alabama on four previous occasions. This is his first trip back since the new staff arrived. Coach DeBoer visited Sanders in January.

“You can’t neglect the fact that this program is legendary and will always be that,” Sanders told On3 Sports. “I loved Alabama before the coaching staff, and I think the new coaching staff has done an amazing job recruiting me so far. The biggest thing for them is just getting to know me and building that relationship. So I would feel more comfortable making that decision later on.”

Jackson attended Alabama’s home game against Austin Peay last season. The previous staff did not offer Jackson. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound athlete has a Top 10 of Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Syracuse, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

“I have been talking to the defensive coordinator (Kane Wommack) and Coach Christian Robinson,” Jackson recently told On3. “I am still feeling Alabama out, and I want to get up there to see how the new staff takes to their role. What I like about Alabama is what they have been doing in the past and how they carry themselves. They have great tradition.”

Dijon Lee, No. 5 corner from Mission Viejo High School in Calif., and Hylton Stubbs, No. 6 safety from Mandarin High School in Jacksonville. These are two highly sought after recruits who rank in the Top 100. Lee considered a Junior Day visit (7-on-7 obligations). Lee received an offer from the new staff (who also previously recruited him @ Washington) on January 16. He has also set an official visit with the Tide on June 21-23.

“Probably the best offer I’ve gotten, so it was really shocking when I got it,” Lee told BOL after receiving the offer earlier this year. “Bama has always been top two, like every single year. Always in the College Football Playoff. It seems like they’re always making it to the championship no matter what every year. That’s why I think they’re the top team.”

Stubbs received interest from the previous staff, but has not revealed an offer from Coach DeBoer ahead of his trip to Tuscaloosa. He currently has official visits dates set for USC (5/30), Florida (6/7), FSU (6/14) and Miami (6/21). Florida is considered the early front-runner. An offer from Alabama could shake things up in his recruitment.

Also in Tuscaloosa on Saturday:

Jadon Perlotte, Top 100 LB from Buford HS in Georgia (UGA commitment)
Tyler Lockhart, four-star LB from Winona Secondary School in Winona, Miss.
Dawson Merritt, four-star LB from Blue Valley HS in Overland Park, Kansas
Jaylen Williams, four-star DL from Palatine HS in Illinois
Marcus Wimberly, three-star S from Bauxite HS in Arkansas
Micah Jones, three-star TE from Central HS in Madison, Miss.
Sam Turner, ’25 WR from Southwest DeKalb HS in Atlanta, Ga.
Faizon Brandon, ’26 No. 3 QB from Grimsley HS in Greensboro, N.C.
Xavier Griffin, ’26 Top 100 EDGE from Gainesville HS in Ga.
Nasir McCoy, ’26 S from Buford HS in Ga.

*BOL will provide a in-depth preview regarding the weekend visitors later this week.

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