Recruiting Rundown: Alabama Coaches All Over the South

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The Alabama Crimson Tide football program got arguably its biggest win of the offseason this week as 5-star wide receiver Ryan Williams announced on Wednesday his re-commitment to The University of Alabama.
Williams is considered the best player in the state, even after he reclassified into the 2024 class. Nick Saban's retirement led to Williams re-opening his recruitment and gave rival fanbases hope of landing the dynamic talent.
New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has clearly been a busy man as everyday new photos of him surface on social media in different locations as he's getting to know his new recruiting base.
The hard work has paid dividends as DeBoer re-secured Williams into the 2024 Alabama recruiting class and even added an edge rusher for good measure in 4-star Noah Carter.
Bama On The Road
The Crimson Tide coaching staff has been hitting the road across the southeast to get their foothold into the next recruiting class. Luckily, Saban and the previous staff locked up the majority of the Class of 2024 before retirement, leaving plenty of time for the new staff to get to know the next class.
Monday, January 22
The staff went to visit Deuce Knight in Lucedale, Miss., Knight is a 4-star 2025 quarterback committed to Notre Dame.
@AlabamaFTBL it was a pleasure to meet Coach Kalen DeBoer today. pic.twitter.com/oNCNOmL2Zi
— Sid Taylor (@sidtaylor75) January 22, 2024
The Crimson Tide staff reoffered 5-star Class of 2025 quarterback Julian Lewis out of Carrollton, Ga. Lewis is currently committed to Southern Cal and considered the No. 2 quarterback in his class.
Coach DeBoer was in Mobile to see 4-star offensive tackle Micah DeBose. DeBose was committed to Georgia but decommitted in December and is one of the top talents in the state in the class of 2025.
Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack make a stop at Vigor High School.
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) January 22, 2024
Vigor is home to some emrging young talent and the state’s top 2025 OL, Micah DeBose. pic.twitter.com/InY68wWXrB
Tuesday, January 23
The new Alabama staff was in Birmingham visiting Class of 2024 linebacker commit Q.B. Reese. Reese is considered a 3-star linebacker out of Ramsay High School.
It was good meeting @AlabamaFTBL today. Of course #1 LB in Alabama is in the room. @qb_reese
— RReese (@shidabr) January 23, 2024
Thanks for the visit @KaneWommack @KalenDeBoer @freddierch8 @CoachL__ pic.twitter.com/S1IW0r8sLW
While in Birmingham Coach Freddie Roach, Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack went to Parker High School, home of 5-star cornerback Na'eem Offord. Offord is the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama and the No. 5 player in the entire Class of 2025.
Roll Tide stop by Parker today @KalenDeBoer @freddierch8 pic.twitter.com/wEM9fE5XC3
— Frank Warren (@CoachWarren23) January 23, 2024
Derick Smith is a 4-star athlete from Southside Selma High School in Selma, Ala. Smith is a dangerous receiver at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds and is considered the No. 8 overall receiver in the Class of 2025.
Alabama makes a stop at Southside Selma, home of Elite 2025 ATH Derrick Smith. pic.twitter.com/Me3dPC9kme
— Justin Smith (@Jdsmith31Smith) January 23, 2024
Wednesday, January 24:
5-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham announced the new staff re-offered him an Alabama scholarship on Wednesday. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound athlete out of Ackerman, Miss., is considered the top player in the state of Mississippi and the No. 2 receiver in the class of 2025.
I am blessed to be re-offered by the University of Alabama! @CoachShephard @KalenDeBoer @D_Mitchell91 @ChadSimmons_ @MacCorleone74 @shayhodge3 @BHoward_11 @Jdsmith31Smith pic.twitter.com/41it7CO2pM
— Caleb Cunningham ✝️ (@calebcunning13) January 24, 2024
Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and running backs coach Robert Gillespie were in Orlando to meet with Vernell Brown III. The 5-11 receiver is a 4-star prospect and considered the No. 17 athletes in the class of 2025.
Alabama OC @GrubbRyan & RB Coach @BAMACoachG Was At Jones HS (FL) Wednesday Checking On 2025 4-Star WR @VB3_9 https://t.co/bEGqenjHgM pic.twitter.com/2XK5rZdcTz
— InsideBamaRecruiting Alabama Football (@RTRnews) January 25, 2024
Thursday, January 25:
The Alabama staff offered a scholarship to Quanell X Farrakhan Jr. a 4-star receiver out of The Woodlands, Tx. Farrakhan Jr. is considered the No. 32 overall receiver in the class of 2025.
Blessed to receive an offer from The University of Alabama 🐘❤️ #rolltide @CoachShephard @GHamilton_On3 @SWiltfong247 @RivalsFriedman @adamgorney @MohrRecruiting @Perroni247 @samspiegs pic.twitter.com/fidaNWbnEw
— Quanell X Jr. (@QuanellJr) January 25, 2024
Coach DeBoer, Wommack and Roach went to Montgomery to visit Madhouse Training, an elite athletic training facility that's seen Henry Ruggs III, Shaun Dion-Hamilton and Mack Wilson find their way to Tuscaloosa.
Appreciate @KalenDeBoer And @AlabamaFTBL For Stopping By The House 🏠Today. #MadHouseFit #Family #RollTide #WeBuiltDifferent @KaneWommack pic.twitter.com/BJezg6zbNu
— Madhouse Training (@Madhousefit) January 25, 2024
Coach DeBoer went to the reigning Alabama Class 6A state champions on Thursday. Daylyn Upshaw is a 3-star receiver playing for the Central Phoenix-City Red Devils. He's considered the No. 24 prospect in the state in class of 2025.
Thank you for speaking to me !!! @KalenDeBoer @CoachShephard pic.twitter.com/HFydAtTCx9
— ✞ (@Daylyn2025) January 25, 2024
Friday, January 26:
Mason Short was visited by Scott Huff and re-offerd a scholarship by the new staff. The 4-star offensive lineman decommitted from the Tide after Saban's retirement but appears to be open to Huff and the new regime after a visit.
— Mason Short ✞ (@MasonShort_) January 26, 2024
Coach DeBoer was in Georgia at Savannah Christian Prep on Friday to check in with 5-star defensive lineman Elijah Griffin. Griffin is considered the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia and the No. 3 overall player in the class of 2025.
Checking out the Capstone
The Crimson Tide hosts a handful of visitors in Tuscaloosa this weekend as prospects are allowed to take an additional official visit when there is a coaching change.
Class of 2024 signees Amari Jefferson, Rico Scott and Steve Mboumoua will all take official visits to meet with the new coaching staff. Jay Lindsey and Kevin Riley will also be at the Capstone for unofficial visits as all five plan on summer enrollment.
Four-Star 2024 Edge-Rusher Noah Carter Commits to Alabama

Joe Gaither oversees videos and podcasts for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral. He began his sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 he joined BamaCentral to cover a variety of Crimson Tide sports and recruiting, in addition to hosting the “Joe Gaither Show” podcast. His work has also appeared on the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt web sites.
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