Meet the Alabama Crimson Tide Recruiting Class of 2023
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program announced the addition of 27 players to its 2023 recruiting class on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period:
COLE ADAMS
WR, 5-10, 180, Owasso, Okla./Owasso
One of the most versatile playmakers in the country … a consensus four-star recruit … ranked 184th on the Rivals250 and listed as the No. 30 receiver and No. 2 player from the state of Oklahoma … No. 268 in the ESPN300 and ranked as the No. 30 wide receiver, No. 58 player in the Midlands Region and No. 5 player in Oklahoma … the 247Compsite rated him as the No. 41 receiver, No. 5 player in the state and No. 287 nationally … No. 263 nationally, the 36th-ranked wide receiver and the No. 5 player in the state according to the On3 Consensus … PrepStar ranks him 294th nationally, No. 43 at his position and No. 5 in the state … as a junior, caught 55 passes for 913 yards and eight touchdowns while returning three kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns … world-class speed, posting a 6.98 in the indoor 60 meters, a 10.65 time in the 100 meters and a 22.27 time in the 200 meters … a shoulder injury limited his senior season to just the first half of the season opener where he had 144 yards … coached by Bill Blankenship at Owasso High School … chose Alabama over in-state Oklahoma along with Arkansas, LSU and Tennessee.
OLAUS ALINEN
OL, 6-6, 315, Windsor, Conn./The Loomis Chaffee School
An elite offensive line prospect who hails from Pori, Finland, but prepped at The Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut … unanimous four-star prospect … ranked as high as No. 132 on the ESPN300 list and the No. 14 offensive tackle prospect by the outlet … consensus No. 1 player in the state of Connecticut … ranked 175th in the 247Composite and the No. 15 offensive tackle … No. 131 in the Top247 ratings and the No. 17 tackle … 249th in the Rivals 250 and the No. 26 tackle … rated 168th in the On3 Consensus and the No. 12 offensive tackle … No. 276 nationally by On3 … ESPN also listed him as the No. 12 player in the East Region … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team, ranking No. 112 nationally and the No. 16 tackle and top player in Connecticut … earned an invitation to the Under Armour Next Future 50 … selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game … moved from Finland prior to his junior year of high school … father, Klaus, played in NFL Europe and spent one season on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad … played for head coach Adam Banks at The Loomis Chaffee School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Oregon.
MALIK BENSON
WR, 6-1, 185, Lansing, Kan./Lansing/Hutchinson C.C.
Widely regarded as the nation’s top junior college prospect out of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College … a five-star recruit by On3.com and a four-star by the remaining recruiting services … the unanimous top-ranked junior college player in the country, regardless of position … caught 43 passes for 1,229 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games for head coach Drew Dallas at Hutchinson as a freshman, earning first team NJCAA DI All-America honors … followed that up with 923 receiving yards and 10 more touchdowns on 54 receptions as a sophomore, breaking the Hutchinson C.C. school record for receiving yards with 2,152 … played for head coach Dylan Brown at Lansing (Kan.) High School and finished his high school career with 1,119 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns across three seasons, including 700 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior … chose Alabama over Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.
CALEB DOWNS
DB, 6-0, 195, Hoschton, Ga./Mill Creek
One of the top players in the 2023 recruiting class, regardless of position … unanimous five-star recruit and the top-rated safety in the 2023 recruiting class by all major outlets … unanimous No. 1 player in the state of Georgia … the No. 6 recruit in the country on Sports Illustrated’s SI99 list that ranked the top high school seniors in the class … ranked No. 11 nationally on the 247Composite and No. 13 in the Top247 … No. 11 nationally on both the On3 Consensus and the On3 rankings … No. 12 on the ESPN300 list and the No. 7 player in the Southeast Region … ranked 25th nationally in the Rivals100 … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team … selected to participate in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … played for head coach Josh Lovelady at Mill Creek High School … recorded 334 rush yards and 370 passing yards as a senior on offense … on the defensive side of the ball, registered 66 tackles with a sack, five interceptions and one fumble recovery … as a junior was a two-way players, scoring five different ways (four rushing, two receiving, two interception returns, one kickoff return and threw one touchdown pass) … credited with 77 tackles, 11 pass breakups and five interceptions as the team finished 11-2 … MaxPreps Junior All-American and named the Region 8-AAAAAAA Defensive Player of the Year … as a sophomore earned Sophomore All-America honors from MaxPreps … played both ways, rushing for 175 yards and three touchdowns which catching two passes for 61 yards and a touchdown … racked up 57 tackles with four interceptions … made five interceptions as a freshman on the varsity squad … a multi-sport athlete in high school (basketball and baseball) … helped Mill Creek’s basketball team to the Georgia AAAAAAA State Tournament … brother, Josh, is a wide receiver at North Carolina while his father, Gary, was a running back for the New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons … uncle, Dre Bly, was a two-time Pro Bowl selection at cornerback and a Super Bowl XXXIV champion … chose Alabama over Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
WILKIN FORMBY
OL, 6-7, 295, Tuscaloosa, Ala./Northridge
One of the top offensive line prospects after a standout prep career at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa … a unanimous four-star prospect … ranked as high as No. 51 nationally by On3 … listed as On3’s No. 6 offensive tackle and the No. 6 player in the state of Alabama … No. 82 overall in the On3 Consensus along with the site’s No. 8 tackle and No. 12 player in Alabama … No. 71 nationally in the 247Composite while ranking as the No. 9 offensive tackle and eighth-ranked player in the state … No. 132 in the Top247 along with the site’s No. 18 tackle and No. 11 player in the state … No. 81 nationally in the Rivals100 and No. 6 among offensive tackles … the No. 92 recruit in the country on Sports Illustrated’s SI99 list that ranked the top high school seniors in the class … ESPN.com ranked him as the No. 58 player in the Southeast Region and No. 110 on the ESPN300 list … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team at No. 48 … the No. 7 offensive tackle by PrepStar and the eighth-ranked player in Alabama … player played for head coach Mike Vickery at Northridge High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
JALEN HALE
WR, 6-1, 185, Longview, Texas/Longview
One of the most explosive athletes in the 2023 recruiting class … a three-sport star at Longview High School where he excelled in football, basketball and track and field … No. 42 nationally on the 247Composite and the No. 7 wide receiver … the On3 Consensus ranked him as the No. 49 player nationally, No. 9 receiver and No. 6 player in Texas … Rivals.com’s No. 36 player on the Rivals100, the No. 6 receiver and the No. 10 player in Texas … No. 45 on the ESPN300, the No. 9 receiver, the No. 9 player in the Midlands Region and the No. 9 player in Texas … No. 49 on the Top247 list and No. 81 nationally in the On3 rankings … the No. 49 recruit in the country on Sports Illustrated’s SI99 list that ranked the top high school seniors in the class … a five-star recruit and member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team at No. 35 … the No. 5 wide receiver and No. 6 player in the state of Texas according to PrepStar … selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game … posted 45 receptions for 936 yards and 14 touchdowns in his senior campaign … added another 84 yards and two touchdowns rushing … as a junior in 2021, caught 50 passes for 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn Texas District 7-5A D-I first team honors … caught 39 passes for 699 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore on his way to earning Texas District 7-5A D-I Offensive Newcomer of the Year recognition … played varsity as a freshman, becoming the first to do so at Longview in at least the last 15 years … caught seven passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns … finished his Longview career with 141 receptions for 2,953 receiving yards and 41 touchdowns … as a junior in the spring of 2022, posted a 22.62 200-meter time along with long jumps of 22-5 and 21-6 … member of Longview’s 4x100- and 4x200-meter relay teams that each finished in the top five in the Texas 5A state finals … played for head coach John King at Longview High School … chose Alabama over Texas and others, including Georgia, Texas A&M and USC.
JAREN HAMILTON
WR, 6-1, 188, Gainesville, Fla./F.W. Buchholz
A talented wide receiver with top-end speed … a four-star prospect on the 247Composite, ranking 258th nationally, the No. 31 receiver and 50th-ranked player in Florida … On3 ranked him No. 106 in their rankings, listing him as the No. 17 wide receiver and the No. 23 player in Florida … the No. 47 receiver according to 247Sports … a three-star receiver ranked 96th at his position by Rivals.com … No. 54 receiver according to ESPN.com … injuries limited him to five games as a senior, catching 14 passes for 354 yards and six touchdowns … averaged 25.3 yards per catch … played 11 games as a junior with 30 receptions for 671 yards and 10 scores, including a long of 84 and a average of 22.4 yards per catch … played for head coach Matthew DiBernardo at F.W. Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Fla. … chose Alabama over Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee and USC.
JUSTICE HAYNES
RB, 5-11, 200, Buford, Ga./Buford
One of the most explosive and talented running backs in the nation … a five-star back according to 247Sports and On3.com … the nation’s No. 1 running back by Rivals.com and the No. 29 player on the Rivals100 list … No. 21 on the ESPN300, the No. 2 running back, No. 2 player in Georgia and No. 11 recruit in the Southeast Region … the 247Composite ranked him 23rd nationally and as the No. 3 running back and the No. 2 player in Georgia … On3 Consensus ranked him 31st nationally, as the No. 2 running back and as the No. 2 player in Georgia … 43rd on the Top247, the No. 3 running back and No. 3 player in the state … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team at No. 28 … the No. 3 running back by PrepStar and the third-ranked player in Alabama … the No. 73 recruit in the country on Sports Illustrated’s SI99 list that ranked the top high school seniors in the class … selected to play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … played for head coach Bryant Appling at Buford High School … rushed for 7,574 yards in his high school career with 95 touchdowns … posted 1,695 yards in 13 games as a senior with 23 touchdowns and 11.1 yards per carry … also scored on to kickoff returns as a senior while catching nine passes for 239 yards and three scores … produced 2,375 rushing yards as a junior in 2021 with 29 touchdowns on 275 carries … rushed for 1,750 yards and 25 scores as a sophomore and 1,754 yards and 18 touchdowns as a freshman … earned MaxPreps Freshman All-America accolades in 2019 … also excelled at baseball for Burford … a left-handed pitcher for the Wolves … father, Verron, was a running back a Georgia and a fifth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2002 … chose Alabama over in-state Georgia along with Clemson, Florida and Ohio State among his 30-plus offers.
EDRIC HILL
DL, 6-3, 290, Kansas City, Mo./North Kansas City
A future impact player in the middle of the Alabama defensive line … a unanimous four-star prospect … No. 173 nationally in the On3 Consensus and No. 180 in the 247Composite … No. 16 defensive lineman in the On3 Consensus … On3’s No. 84 player nationally, the No. 10 defensive lineman and the No. 2 player in the state of Missouri … No. 201 on the Rivals250, the No. 10 defensive lineman and No. 8 player in the state … 215th in the Top247, the No. 31 lineman and the No. 6 player in the Show Me State … ESPN.com ranked him 285th on the ESPN300, the No. 17 defensive lineman, the No. 63 player in the Midlands Region and the No. 8 player in the state … member of the PrepStar Top 300 All-America Team at No. 298 … the No. 44 offensive tackle by PrepStar and the ninth-ranked player in Missouri … recorded 42 tackles with 18 tackles for loss and nine sacks as a senior for head coach Leon Douglas at North Kansas City High School … chose Alabama over Arkansas, Iowa, LSU, Oklahoma and USC.
ELI HOLSTEIN
QB, 6-4, 222, Zachary, La./Zachary
One of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 recruiting cycle … a strong-armed pocket passer with excellent athletic ability … unanimous four-star recruit … ESPN.com’s No. 22 player nationally and the No. 4 pocket-passer … also listed as the No. 12 player in the Southeast Region and the No. 2 player in Louisiana by ESPN … ranked 69th on the On3 Consensus, the No. 8 quarterback and No. 5 player in Louisiana … ranked 121st nationally by On3 and the No. 9 signal-caller … No. 74 on the 247Composite, the No. 9 quarterback and the No. 5 player in Louisiana … No. 122 in the Top247, No. 10 quarterback and the fifth-ranked player in the state … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team at No. 50 … the No. 7 quarterback by PrepStar and the second-ranked player in Louisiana … Rivals.com’s No. 110 recruit nationally, the No. 10 quarterback and sixth-ranked player in the state … selected to play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … threw for 5,720 yards, 54 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions as a three-year starter for head coach David Brewerton at Zachary High School … also amassed 1,037 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns in his career … completed 65.2 percent of his passes as a senior for 2,153 yards and 22 touchdowns against three interceptions while rushing for 505 yards and nine scores … led his team to the Louisiana Class 5A State Championship as a junior in 2021 … named MaxPreps Louisiana Football Player of the Year … threw for 3,228 yards with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions while rushing for 523 yards and 14 more scores … made one start for Zachary as a sophomore in 2020, throwing for 303 yards with three touchdowns and one interception … chose Alabama over Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M.
BRAYSON HUBBARD
DB, 6-2, 190, Ocean Springs, Miss./Ocean Springs
Signed with Alabama after a standout prep career at Ocean Springs High School in Ocean Springs, Miss. … projected as a defensive back in college … a four-star prospect by ESPN.com, ranking No. 242 on the ESPN300, the No. 21 athlete, No. 5 player in Mississippi and No. 123 in the Southeast Region … ranked No. 367 in the On3 Consensus, the No. 34 safety and No. 6 player in the state … No. 37 safety by On3 and No. 9 in the state … rated No. 334 on the 247Composite, the No. 15 athlete and No. 6 player in Mississippi … Rivals ranked him as the No. 21 athlete nationally and No. 8 player in the state … selected to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game as a quarterback … two-time Class 6A Mr. Football in Mississippi (2021, 2022) … member of the PrepStar All-Southeast Team … threw for 5,288 yards and 55 touchdowns while rushing for another 4,044 yards and 52 scores playing for head coach Blake Pennock at OSHS … finished his high school career with 97 total touchdowns … threw for 2,197 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior while rushing for 1,760 yards and 20 scores … completed 69 percent of his passes as a junior for 2,069 yards and 30 touchdowns with just three interceptions with 1,258 rushing yards and 22 scores … passed for 1,022 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore with 1,026 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns … chose Alabama over Mississippi State, Navy and Tulane.
JAHLIL HURLEY
DB, 6-2, 170, Florence, Ala./Florence
A highly coveted defensive back who can play cornerback or safety … a consensus four-star prospect … ranked 38th nationally on the 247Composite, the No. 4 cornerback and No. 5 player in Alabama … No. 28 on the ESPN300 list, the No. 3 corner, the No. 16 player in the Southeast Region and No. 5 player in the state … No. 41 in the On3 Consensus and a four-star recruit, ranking as the No. 4 corner nationally and No. 5 player in Alabama … the No. 31 recruit in the country on Sports Illustrated’s SI99 list that ranked the top high school seniors in the class … No. 38 in the On3 national rankings, the No. 5 cornerback and No. 4 player in the state … No. 60 in the Top247, the No. 4 corner and No. 7 player in Alabama … No. 67 on the Rivals100 list, the No. 9 player in the state and the No. 8 cornerback … five-start member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team (No. 21) … the No. 3 cornerback by PrepStar and the third-ranked player in Alabama … selected to play in the Under Armour All-American Game … earned a spot in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … played for head coach Kenny Morson at Florence High School … as a senior recorded 56 tackles, five interceptions, six pass breakups, forced two fumbles and recovered another … made 43 tackles as a junior with five more interceptions, four tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
LB, 6-1, 215, Memphis, Tenn./Bartlett/Pearl River C.C.
One of the top junior college players in the 2023 recruiting cycle … a unanimous four-star recruit who is also considered the second-ranked junior college recruit by all major outlets … No. 2 on the 247Composite and the No. 1 JUCO linebacker … the On3 Consensus ranked him second overall and as the No. 1 JUCO linebacker … PrepStar Magazine ranked Jefferson as the No. 2 overall JUCO recruit, the No. 1 linebacker and No. 1 player in Kansas … recorded 86 tackles as a sophomore for head coach Seth Smith at Pearl River C.C. in 2022 … added two sacks and an interception … made 57 stops in his freshman campaign with 13 tackles for loss and three sacks … played for head coach Waldon Tucker at Bartlett High School in Memphis, Tenn., prior to arriving at Pearl River C.C. … as a senior at Bartlett, recorded 116 tackles, including 74 solo stops and two interceptions … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Oregon and Texas A&M.
KEON KEELEY
LB, 6-6, 242, Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
A force off the edge who is rated as the nation’s top pass-rusher by nearly every major recruiting site … a five-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals.com, On3 and PrepStar while holding the same ranking on the 247Composite and On3 Consensus lists … the third-ranked prospect in the country and Florida’s top player according to On3 … No. 5 on PrepStar’s Top 150 Dream Team and the outlet’s No. 1 defensive end … No. 10 on the Top247 list and the second-ranked player in the state by 247 … also rated as the No. 10 prospect on the 247Composite while being listed as the third-ranked player in Florida … a five-star, the No. 11 recruit in the country and the No. 3 player in Florida by the On3 Consensus … the No. 2 weakside defensive end, No. 8 player from the state and No. 21 recruit overall by Rivals.com … a four-star recruit and the No. 20 player on the ESPN300 list … ESPN’s top-ranked defensive end, the No. 10 player in the Southeast Region and the No. 5 player from Florida … the third-ranked player on SI.com’s SI99 rankings of the top high school seniors in the class … selected to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … coached by Dominic Ciao at Berkeley Prep … helped BPHS to a district and regional title in 2021 … totaled 65 tackles, including 35 for loss and 16.5 sacks, to go with 22 quarterback hurries across 13 games of action as a junior … also played basketball at Berkeley … signed with the Crimson Tide over Florida, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
TY LOCKWOOD
TE, 6-5, 225, Thompson’s Station, Tenn./Independence
A two-way player in high school who projects as a weapon at tight end in college … possesses excellent ability as an in-line blocker but is also equipped to be a factor in the passing game … a unanimous four-star prospect … No. 139 on the ESPN300 and the site’s fourth-ranked tight end nationally, the No. 71 player in the Southeast Region and the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee … No. 235 on the 247Composite and No. 226 in the On3 Consensus rankings … listed at No. 235 in the Top247, the No. 14 tight end and No. 5 player in the state … the No. 12 tight end nationally by Rivals.com … the No. 21 tight end according to the On3 rankings and the No. 8 player in Tennessee … member of the PrepStar Top 150 Dream Team at No. 105 … the No. 6 tight end by PrepStar and the second-ranked player in Tennessee …played for head coach Scott Stidham at Independence High School where an injury limited him to seven catches for 88 yards as a senior … hauled in 42 receptions for 462 yards and two touchdowns as a junior … caught 43 passes for 606 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore in 2020 … originally committed to Ohio State, Lockwood chose the Crimson Tide over the Buckeyes, LSU, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
DYLAN LONERGAN
QB, 6-2, 215, Snellville, Ga./Brookwood
A multi-sport athlete who excelled on the football field and baseball diamond … a consensus four-star signee at the quarterback position who accumulated 3,932 total yards (3,412 passing) and 39 touchdowns (32 passing) as a junior at Brookwood High School … rated No. 26 in the ESPN300, No. 5 at the quarterback position and No. 15 in the Southeast Region, while checking in as the No. 3 player from the state of Georgia by ESPN.com … 247Composite ranked him No. 91 overall, No. 10 at his position and No. 4 in Georgia … ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 11 quarterback prospect in the nation and the No. 9 player from the state of Georgia … No. 89 nationally, No. 9 quarterback and No. 4 in Georgia according to the On3 Consensus … No. 53 in the SI99 revealed by Sports Illustrated … ranked as a four-star prospect by PrepStar Magazine, who has him listed at No. 92 overall, No. 9 at his position and No. 6 out of Georgia … selected to the Under Armour All-America game … played for head coach Phillip Jones at BHS … chose Alabama over South Carolina and Stanford.
RYQUEZE ‘ROCK’ McELDERRY
OL, 6-3, 340, Anniston, Ala./Anniston
A highly sought-after offensive lineman who remained in the state of Alabama following a standout prep career … rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com and On3 … Rivals’ No. 11 offensive guard and the No. 21 overall player in the state of Alabama while On3 has him rated No. 26 at his position and No. 20 in the state ... ranked No. 431 and a three-star on the 247Composite rankings, checking in as the No. 26 interior offensive lineman and No. 22 player from Alabama … No. 424 in the nation, No. 31 offensive lineman and No. 21 in the state on the On3 Consensus … ESPN.com’s No. 206 player in the Southeast Region, No. 21 offensive guard and No. 23 player from the state … ranted as the No. 55 interior offensive lineman in the nation and No. 22 player in Alabama by 247Sports … played for head coach Rico White at Anniston High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee.
MILES McVAY
OL, 6-6, 358, East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis
One of the top offensive lineman prospects in the nation … rated No. 138 on the ESPN300, checking in as the 16th-rated offensive tackle, No. 10 player in the Midwest Region and the No. 2 from the state of Illinois … 247Composite listed him at No. 192 nationally, the No. 19 offensive tackle and No. 3 player in the state ... ranked No. 214 overall by the On3 Consensus while also being tabbed as the No. 14 interior offensive lineman and No. 3 recruit from Illinois … Rivals.com’s No. 11 at the offensive tackle and the No. 2 player from Illinois, while 247sports lists him as No. 27 offensive tackle and No. 4 in the state … a three-star prospect by On3 who rated him at No. 36 interior offensive lineman and No. 6 player from Illinois … ranked as a four-star recruit by PrepStar Magazine, who listed him at No. 102 overall, No. 15 at his position and No. 2 out of Illinois … selected to play at the Under Armour All-America Game … played for head coach Darren Sunkett at East St. Louis High School … chose Alabama over Michigan State, Missouri, Oregon and Texas A&M.
TONY MITCHELL
DB, 6-2, 180, Alabaster, Ala./Thompson
A top-rated prospect who looks to continue the tradition of standout defensive backs under head coach Nick Saban … rated as a five-star commit by the 247Composite who has him rated No. 34 in the nation and as the No. 3 safety and No. 7 player from Alabama … No. 25 in the ESPN300 and a four-star prospect by ESPN.com … also listed as the site’s No. 4 safety, No. 14 recruit in the Southeast Region and the No. 4 player in the state of Alabama … ranked No. 35 in the nation and a four-star recruit by 247Sports … also earned the No. 3 safety spot and No. 3 ranking in Alabama by 247 … a four-star defender by Rivals.com who was No. 9 at his position and No. 5 in the state … No. 35 nationally by the On3 Consensus rankings … also listed as the No. 4 safety and No. 5 recruit from Alabama by the Consensus … No. 64 in the SI99 list of top high school seniors that was revealed by Sports Illustrated … ranked as a five-star by PrepStar Magazine, who has him listed at No. 20 overall, No. 2 at his position and No. 2 out of Alabama … earned a spot in the Under Armour All-America Game … played for Mark Freeman at Thompson High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Georgia and Texas A&M.
HUNTER OSBORNE
DL, 6-4, 260, Trussville, Ala./Hewitt-Trussville
One of the highest-ranked defensive linemen in the nation and consensus four-star recruit who fielded more than 50 Division I offers … listed by the 247Composite as the 130th-ranked player in the nation while checking in at No. 19 at the defensive line position and No. 13 in the state of Alabama … 247Sports listed him at No. 144 overall and the No. 12 player in Alabama … ranked as the No. 10 strongside defensive end in the nation and the No. 14 overall player in the state by Rivals.com … No. 210 on the ESPN300 rankings … also regarded as the No. 34 defensive end in the nation, the No. 107 player in the Southeast Region and No. 15 in the state of Alabama by ESPN … checked in as the No. 125 prospect according to the On3 Consensus and the 13th-ranked defensive lineman in the nation … On3’s No. 163 player in the nation, the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 13 recruit in the state … ranked as a four-star by PrepStar Magazine, who has him listed at No. 68 overall, No. 7 at his position and No. 9 out of Alabama … earned a spot in the Under Armour All-America Game … played for Josh Floyd at Hewitt-Trussville High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Tennessee and Texas.
YHONZAE PIERRE
LB, 6-4, 220, Eufaula, Ala./Eufaula
A versatile player who can be used in a variety of ways along the defensive front … a unanimous four-star prospect … rated as high as the No. 34 overall player nationally, the No. 6 edge and the No. 3 prospect in the state of Alabama by On3 … No. 71 in the On3 Consensus along with being tabbed the No. 8 edge rusher and No. 9 player from Alabama … listed on the 247Composite at No. 72 … the same service rates him as the No. 10 edge and No. 9 overall recruit in Alabama … No. 130 on the Top247 list while also being listed as 247’s No. 14 edge defender and the No. 10 player from the state … listed at No. 117 on the ESPN300 and checked in as the No. 16 overall defensive end, No. 60 player in the Southeast Region and the No. 12 prospect from Alabama per ESPN … Rivals’ No. 8 weakside defensive end and the 12th-ranked player in Alabama … ranked as a four-star by PrepStar Magazine, who has him listed at No. 206 overall, No. 17 at his position and No. 18 out of Alabama … earned a spot in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … played for head coach Ed Rigby at Eufaula High School … the cousin of former Alabama standout linebacker Courtney Upshaw … signed with the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Florida and Georgia.
KADYN PROCTOR
OL, 6-7, 330, Des Moines, Iowa/Southeast Polk
One of the top-rated offensive tackles in the cycle … Iowa’s top-ranked prospect … a five-star recruit by nearly every major site … the No. 5 player nationally and top-ranked offensive tackle according to 247Sports … No. 10 on the ESPN300 list while also being tabbed the No. 2 tackle and player from the Midwest Region by ESPN … a five-star tackle and the No. 12 player in the country on the 247Composite … No. 12 overall and the second-ranked offensive tackle by the On3 Consensus … Rivals.com’s 14th-ranked player and the site’s top offensive tackle as a five-star lineman … earned a four-star ranking by On3 who also listed him at No. 44 nationally and the fifth-ranked offensive tackle … the No. 9 player on SI.com’s SI99 rankings of the top high school seniors in the class … selected to the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas … coached by Denny Muller at Southeast Polk High School … a multi-sport athlete who also played basketball and participated in track at SPHS … chose Alabama on signing day after originally committing to in-state Iowa.
JORDAN RENAUD
DL, 6-4, 245, Tyler, Texas/Tyler Legacy
Considered one of the top defensive lineman in the 2023 class … a consensus four-star recruit … No. 50 on the ESPN300 and ranked as the No. 4 defensive tackle overall, No. 12 player in the Midlands Region and the No. 11 recruit out of the state of Texas … the On3 Consensus listed him at No. 61 nationally and as the No. 7 edge defender and No. 11 player from Texas … listed by On3 as the No. 74 overall player, No. 11 edge and No. 16 recruit from the Lonestar State … No. 65 in the nation according to the 247Composite while also being tabbed as the No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 12 player in Texas … rated No. 12 at the defensive line position and No. 16 in Texas by 247Sports … also ranked by Rivals.com at No. 9 at his position and No. 21 in the state of Texas … ranked as a four-star by PrepStar Magazine, who had him listed at No. 59 overall, No. 6 at his position and No. 9 out from Texas … selected to play in the Under Armour All-America game … coached by Joe Willis at Tyler Legacy High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Michigan and Texas.
QUA RUSSAW
LB, 6-2, 230, Montgomery, Ala./Carver
Explosive and instinctive outside linebacker from Alabama … one of the state’s top recruits and a five-star prospect by On3, ESPN.com and the 247Composite and On3 Consensus ratings … No. 7 on the ESPN300 and the top-rated linebacker by the site … also listed as ESPN’s No. 4 player in the Southeast Region and the top recruit in the state … the top linebacker, No. 25 player in the nation and second-ranked player in Alabama by On3 … No. 19 nationally, the second-ranked linebacker and No. 2 player in the state according to the On3 Consensus … the state’s No. 2 player, the No. 3 edge rusher nationally and the No. 22 player at any position on the 247Composite … No. 48 on the Top247 list along with being named 247Sports’ No. 7 edge defender and the fourth-rated player in the state … a four-star recruit by Rivals.com who also listed him as the No. 3 player in the state, the No. 4 weakside defensive end and the No. 38 player in the nation … the 22nd-ranked player on SI.com’s SI99 rankings of the top high school seniors in the class … selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … coached by Marcus Gardner at Carver High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida and Georgia.
JAMES SMITH
DL, 6-3, 310, Montgomery, Ala./Carver
Powerful defensive lineman with impressive size and speed … a five-star recruit by ESPN.com and On3 along with earning the same rating on the 247Composite and On3 Consensus … the top defensive line prospect and No. 1 player in Alabama while also being tabbed the No. 8 recruit overall by On3 … Rivals.com’s No. 18 prospect nationally, the No. 2 defensive lineman and top player from the state … No. 11 on the ESPN300 and the No. 2 defensive tackle by the site … also listed as ESPN’s sixth-ranked recruit in the Southeast Region and the No. 3 player from Alabama … the top player in the state, No. 2 defensive lineman and No. 14 recruit nationally according to the On3 Consensus … a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247Sports … Rivals’ top defensive lineman, the No. 5 player in Alabama and the No. 52 recruit in the nation … No. 33 on the Top247 list and the site’s fourth-ranked defensive lineman … the No. 20 player on SI.com’s SI99 rankings of the top high school seniors in the class … selected to play in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game … coached by Marcus Gardner at Carver High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Georgia and Florida State
CONOR TALTY
PK, 6-1, 195, Chicago, Ill./Saint Rita
One of the top placekickers in the 2023 class … rated as the No. 2 kicker in the nation, per Chris Sailer kicking … listed as a three-star signee on the 247Composite, who also rated him as the No. 3 kicker in the class … 247Sports’ No. 2 high school kicker nationally … rated by ESPN.com as a three-star prospect, the No. 10 kicker and the No. 29 player from Illinois … listed as a three-star by On3 and the On3 Consensus … also an effective punter … rated by Kohl’s Kicking as a five-star placekicker and four-and-a-half star punter … earned a spot in the Under Armour All-America game … selected to the 2022 Polynesian Bowl … played under head coach Todd Kuska at Saint Rita High School.
RICHARD YOUNG
RB, 5-11, 200, Lehigh Acres, Fla./Lehigh Senior
An explosive runner with a combination of power, speed and finesse that makes him one of the elite rushers in the nation … rated by ESPN.com as the No. 1 running back in the class … No. 19 on the ESPN 300 … the No. 9 player in the Southeast Region and No. 4 player from Florida according to ESPN … ranked as the No. 2 running back in the country, the No. 11 player from Florida and a four-star prospect by Rivals.com … a four-star according to the 247Composite who rated him as the No. 3 running back, No. 9 player out of Florida and the No. 35 overall player in the nation … rated by the On3 Consensus at No. 29 in the country, No. 8 in Florida and No. 3 at his position … No. 43 prospect nationally by 247Sports, who also rated him as the No. 3 running back and No. 11 recruit from Florida … No. 25 in the SI99 revealed by Sports Illustrated … a five-star rusher according to PrepStar Magazine, who also listed him at No. 17 overall, No. 1 at his position and the No. 6 player from the state of Florida … selected to the Under Armour All-America Game … coached by James Chaney at Lehigh Senior High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Oregon.
See Also:
Live Updates: Alabama Football Early-Signing Class of 2023
National Signing Day: Live Updates as College Football's Early Signing Period Opens
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