Who Else Could Alabama Potentially Flip in the 2021 Class?
Flip season is in full effect.
In the last two weeks, the University of Alabama has added two defensive back prospects that the coaching staff has flipped from other schools with the first being former Ohio State commit and three-star cornerback Devonta Smith on June 29, then late Wednesday night, three-star athlete Kadarius Calloway announced his verbal pledge to the Crimson tide after de-committing from SEC rival Mississippi State.
Smith committed to the Buckeyes back in mid-March and Calloway had been a member of the Bulldogs 2021 class since October of 2019.
While it might not have pertained to Calloway's situation, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused high school prospects to commit earlier on, in the process than normal. At this point in the cycle compared to last year, we have seen more than double, even close to triple, the number of early commitments.
That makes sense given the dead period and suspension of in-person recruiting so the unknown element has played a huge factor in all of this.
But just like every year, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban and company are able to lure players away from other schools throughout the recruiting process. Many members like of the 2020 class like namely, Drew Sanders, Jase McClellan, Quandarrius Robinson, and Javion Cohen were all committed to a school not named Alabama at some point.
Let's take a look at who Alabama could potentially flip in the coming months:
Four-star DT Lee Hunter (Blount - Eight Mile, Ala.) (Auburn commit)
One of the more impressive players in the state of Alabama this cycle is Hunter. At 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, he is a monster in the trenches and has the strength of a bull as only a high school senior. Alabama commit and four-star linebacker Deontae Lawson has been doing some recruiting of his own as the two are close friends. This is a recruitment that feels like Auburn is going to have to hold on to dear life for.
Four-star DE Tunmise Adeleye (IMG Academy -Bradenton, Fla.) (Ohio State commit)
The 6-foot-3, 240 pound defensive end has been committed to the Buckeyes since mid-April, but this recruitment feels like a long way from over. He will have Alabama commits, Jacorey Brooks and JC Latham, in his ear this coming season at IMG, and that could change some things. Another factor in Adeleye's recruitment could be on-campus visits. If in-person recruiting opens back up, expect this Buckeye commit to make a trip to Tuscaloosa.
Four-star QB Luke Altmyer (Starkville - Starkville, Miss.) (Florida State commit)
Coming off a strong performance at the Elite 11 Finals, Altmyer was on a FaceTime call with Saban. He is one of the program's top targets at the position right now, along with Texas commit, Jalen Milroe. It would appear the chances are greater of Altmyer flipping than Milroe at this current moment. While he has been saying the right things about his pledge to the Seminoles, the door is not shut on him joining the Crimson Tide's class.
