Alabama Locks in Visits with Six Elite 2026 Prospects

More good news for the Crimson Tide on the recruiting trail as Alabama added six premier prospects to the list of upcoming campus visitors.

Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on before running onto the field before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Despite the Alabama Crimson Tide officially kicking off spring practice this week, things did not slow down on the recruiting trail one bit. Alabama added six names to the growing list of upcoming visitors, all of which are premier prospects in the 2026 recruiting class.

Tom Loy of 247Sports shared the news of two 4-star prospects: safety Kaiden Hall and edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes. Hall will make the trip to Tuscaloosa on March 18th while Griffin-Haynes' visit date is still to be determined.

Hall is a Milton, Florida native who stands at 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., giving him an excellent build for the position. He has long arms that uses to both break up passes and wrangle in ball carriers in the open field. 247Sports' composite ranking places him as the No. 10 safety in the nation and the No. 17 overall recruit in the state of Florida.

He recently named the Alabama Crimson Tide as one of his final ten schools in November of 2024.

Griffin-Haynes, edge rusher from Rolesville, North Carolina, is a 6-foot-6, 235 lb. defensive monster. He has an extremely unique build with his incredible height, but still remains very fluid off the edge. Though his production was somewhat limited in 2024, finishing with 28 total tackles, 4.0 TFL's and just a half sack, the lengthy defender's potential is off the charts.

On3's Chad Simmons reported that 4-Star prospect Derek Cooper has lined up a trip to Tuscaloosa for June 9th. Though some recruiting services, such as On3, list Cooper as a running back, he lines up on both sides of the ball for the Chaminade-Madonna Lions of Hollywood, Florida and is a dynamic playmaker regardless of where he is taking snaps.

In 2024, Cooper finished his junior season with nearly 1,100 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns while also compiling an impressive 46 total tackles, 10 TFL's, 4.0 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. It's safe to say the talented prospect can do it all on the football field.

Next was Trenton Henderson, who recently named the Crimson Tide as one of his final schools. The 4-Star edge rusher took to social media to share that he will be in town from June 6th through the 8th for an official visit.

Hailing from Pensacola, Florida, Henderson is ranked by 247Sports' composite ranking as the No. 9 edge rusher in the nation and the No. 10 overall player in the Sunshine state. In three years with Pensacola Catholic, he has compiled 90 total tackles, 23 TFL's, and 14.0 sacks. Not to mention, the talented defender is also disruptive in other ways, having eight pass deflections and three forced fumbles to his name as well.

Fellow 4-Star prospect Zykie Helton took the same approach as Henderson, sharing news of his upcoming visit to Tuscaloosa on social media. He will be in town from June 20th through the 22nd.

Helton is ranked by 247Sports' composite ranking as the No. 36 interior lineman in the nation and the No. 46 player in Georgia. He suits up for the Carrollton Trojans, and in 2024, helped lead the team to a 14-1 record and berth in the state championship.

Finally, Elijah Golden, a 4-Star defensive lineman from Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, Florida announced two upcoming Tuscaloosa trips on social media. He will visit during the spring period on March 22nd, and then again on April 4th.

Golden stands at 6-foot-3, 260 lbs. and is one of the top defensive line prospects in the entire class. He currently holds over 30 scholarship offers, many of which come from power four programs. He finished his junior season with over 60 total tackles as well as 29.0 TFL's, 10.0 sacks and a pass deflection.

alabama currently sits as the 34th ranked recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports. While it has been a somewhat slow start for the Crimson Tide, Kalen DeBoer and his staff have begun surging in recent weeks and look to be in big store for a big spring and summer.

2026 Football Commits

1. CB Zyan Gibson, 5-foot-11, 177lbs. - Gadsden, Alabama (Committed 12/24/2024)
2. EDGE Jamarion Matthews, 6-foot-2, 240 lbs. - Gainesville, Georgia (Committed 02/21/2025)
3. OL Chris Booker, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Atlanta, Georgia (Committed 02/20/2025)

Check out the Alabama football recruiting tracker for the latest of the 2025 class and more.

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