Where Does Alabama Stand After its First Weekend of Official Visitors? Just a Minute

Take a look at where the Crimson Tide stands with some of the top prospects on its 2026 recruiting board.

Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer visits the field during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a daily video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral's recruiting writer Mason Woods discusses the Crimson Tide's standing with some of its top 2026 recruiting targets following the opening weekend of official visitors.

Alabama welcomed nearly a dozen 2026 prospects for official visits last weekend (May 30-June 1), and is set to do so again this weekend (June 6-8). Since the start of June, the Tide has already been named a finalist for four prospects from next year's class, some of which have yet to even make it to campus yet.

The four prospects to name Alabama in their top schools this week were 4-Star wide receiver and current LSU commit Kenny Darby, 4-Star quarterback Matt Ponatoski, 4-Star offensive lineman Micah Smith and 4-Star defensive lineman Titan Davis.

Darby is one of the most electrifying wideout prospects in the entire class. Standing at 6-foot, 175 lbs., the Bossier City, Louisiana native finished his junior season with an incredible 100 receptions for over 1,700 yards and 24 touchdowns.

He has been committed to LSU since November of 2024, but took an official visit to Tuscaloosa last weekend and has yet to line one up with the Tigers. Darby is set to commit on July 4.

Ponatoski is a more recent addition to the Alabama's recruiting radar. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, the 4-Star signal caller picked up an offer a little less than a month ago and was naming the Tide a finalist within two weeks. He's down to just Alabama, Oregon, Kentucky and Arkansas as his final four.

Smith named the Crimson Tide alongside South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio State, UCLA and Illinois in his top schools. The 6-foot-5, 325 lb. offensive line prospect has yet to line up an official visit to Tuscaloosa, but is expected to make stops at UCLA and Illinois this summer.

Finally, Davis, the last player to name the Tide as a finalist this week, is a massive defensive line prospect, standing at 6-foot-4, 270 lbs. He is one of the top ranked players in not only the state of Missouri, but the entire nation. He's down to just Alabama and Michigan and has already visited Tuscaloosa, but will go to Ann Arbor on June 20.

So, while Alabama was unable to land any commitments following a big weekend of visitors, the Tide is seemingly still in good standing with many of its top targets. By the end of the summer, DeBoer and the staff could very well be sitting at or near the top of the recruiting rankings.

Upcoming Official Visits

June 6-8

• 5-Star S Jireh Edwards
• 5-Star LB Xavier Griffin - Named Alabama as a finalist on 05/28/2025
• 4-Star ATH Kaiden Prothro - Named Alabama as a finalist on 02/06/2025
• 4-Star RB Derrek Cooper - Named Alabama as a finalist on 01/21/2025
• 4-Star EDGE Jacquez Wilkes
• 4-Star EDGE Jamarion Matthews - Committed to Alabama on 02/21/2025
• 4-Star EDGE Khamari Brooks - Named Alabama as a finalist on 01/24/2025
• 4-Star OL Sam Utu
• 3-Star QB Matt Ponatoski - Named Alabama as a finalist on 06/02/2025
• 3-Star WR Corey Barber - Committed to Ole Miss on 05/09/2025
• 3-Star EDGE Kamhariyan Johnson - Committed to Alabama on 04/12/2025

Check out our Alabama football official visitor tracker for the full list of official visitors.

2026 Football Commits

1. CB Zyan Gibson, 5-foot-11, 177 lbs. - Gadsden, Alabama (Committed 12/24/2024)
2. CB Jorden Edmonds, 6-foot-2, 175 lbs. - Marietta, Georgia (Committed 03/26/2025)
3. EDGE Jamarion Matthews, 6-foot-2, 240 lbs. - Gainesville, Georgia (Committed 02/21/2025)
4. EDGE Kamhariyan Johnson, 6-foot-4, 260 lbs. - Muscle Shoals, Alabama (Committed 04/12/2025)
5. OL Chris Booker, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Atlanta, Georgia (Committed 02/20/2025)

Check out the Alabama football recruiting tracker to stay up to date with the 2026 class and beyond.