Coach of Five-Star Alabama Safety Commit: ‘He’s a Leader in Every Sense’

Messay Hailemariam felt comfortable handing over the keys of his defense to Jireh Edwards before the star safety even stepped on the field. From his first time behind the wheel to his first highlight with St. Frances Academy, Alabama’s latest commit has shown maturity beyond his years.

Edwards committed to Alabama on Saturday, July 5, becoming the Crimson Tide’s fifth five-star commitment in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-1½, 205-pound defensive back chose Alabama over national powers such as Georgia, Auburn, Oregon and Texas A&M. Ranked as the No. 2 safety and No. 19 overall prospect in the class, he brings an instinctive, physical brand of football to a program built on it.

Hailemariam calls the Baltimore native an “old soul,” a player who walked into one of the country’s most demanding prep programs already holding multiple Power Five offers and did not blink. That maturity became clear the day the coach got a call from Edwards—not to brag about his brand-new car but to let him know his first solo drive was to church.

“He gets a car, and the first place he drives, with nobody else, just him, is to church," Hailemariam said. "And I was like, wow. That just kind of continues to add to how I feel about him.”

The coach preaches three pillars of leadership to his players: spiritual, mental and physical. In his eyes, Edwards checks every box.

“I’ve known him prior to him coming to St. Frances,” Hailemariam said. “But sitting down with him in that first meeting with his mother and family, I just knew something about him was special. The look in his eyes, his mannerisms, his demeanor, his explanation of why he wanted to be at St. Frances.”

Before arriving at St. Frances, the defensive back began his high school career at Rock Creek Christian Academy in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. By the time he showed up in East Baltimore, he already had SEC offers on the table. But Hailemariam said it wasn’t the offers that defined him.

“He loved to train more than he loved to play,” the coach said. “He had a work ethic that was a little different than the average player walking in the door.”

That grit, not the glamour, drew the five-star to St. Frances, one of the top prep academies in the country with a national schedule and a reputation for developing elite talent. In the last seven years alone, 182 Panthers have gone Division I, 47 earned their master’s degrees, 23 went on to earn a second and 10 are currently active in the NFL.

But there is no home stadium. No flashy facilities. The team commutes 30 to 45 minutes just to practice, tucked in a city where 20.3 percent live below the poverty line and violent crime rates consistently rank among the highest in the country.

“We don’t have the plush places people think we have,” Hailemariam said. “But he just wanted to stay in the grit and the grind. They call it ‘from the mud.’”

As a Catholic school, St. Frances emphasizes faith and character just as much as athletic excellence. Hailemariam leads weekly Bible studies for the team, and Edwards has become a prominent voice in those sessions.

Just a day after committing to Alabama, Edwards sent a message to his teammates inspired by the Bible verse Galatians 6:4.

“Dear God, sometimes I feel the weight of comparison creeping into my heart. Make me fix my eyes on You and not on others. Remind me that I’m uniquely created for the work You’ve called me to do and not to make it about myself. Fill me with contentment, confidence and clarity to walk the path You’ve set for me.”

Hailemariam said the message set the tone for the entire team. Even after a major commitment, the Baltimore native remained grounded and focused. Instead of letting the moment inflate his ego, he used it to refocus his teammates on their own goals. For Hailemariam, that kind of spiritual maturity is just as important as physical tools.

“That’s who Jireh is, a leader in every sense,” Hailemariam said. “He’s growing as a physical player, getting stronger mentally and his spiritual leadership is something we all lean on. That balance makes him special.”

When asked to describe Edwards’ playing style in one word, Hailemariam didn’t hesitate.

“Relentless. He just doesn’t stop coming at you.”

That relentlessness defines Edwards’ game and has made him one of the most sought-after defenders in his class. One of his signature moments came in a high-profile matchup against Duncanville, when he squared off against future Alabama teammate Keelon Russell. On a fourth down, Edwards delivered a bone-jarring hit. Though flagged for helmet-to-helmet contact, Hailemariam said the hit was legal and showcased the five-star’s physical style.

“That whole game, he was on another level,” the coach said. “But that particular play really stood out. I was like, wow.”

His effort is matched by his preparation. Hailemariam credited Edwards’ work ethic during film review and his knowledge of opposing offenses.

“He had razor-sharp with film study,” he said. “Our defensive coordinator, Justin Winters, prepares the defense to be overprepared so instincts can take over. Jireh embodies that mindset. He knows his opponents inside and out, and that elevates his play.”

Statistically, the numbers back it up. As a junior in 2024, Edwards was a MaxPreps Junior All-American and a centerpiece of one of the top defenses in the country. He recorded 92 tackles, including 17 for loss, six pass breakups and three forced fumbles. He also took part in the 2025 Under Armour All-America Game, where he recorded three tackles.

His athleticism is elite, too. The Alabama commit has self-reported a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, with the speed and range to match up with wide receivers in space. Hailemariam said Edwards’ positional flexibility reminds him of fellow Baltimore native and NFL All-Pro Kyle Hamilton.

“He can cover the slot, play deep safety or match up with an outside receiver,” Hailemariam said. “He’s getting better every day.”

Development, paired with Alabama’s recruiting approach, helped seal the deal. Hailemariam said the Crimson Tide’s blend of old-school pedigree and new-school energy reminded him of the 2021 Alabama roster that featured four St. Frances alums and went to the national championship.

“It reminded me of that 2021 group,” he said. “We had four on that roster, two on Georgia, six in the national championship. It feels like that kind of energy again.”

Edwards took visits elsewhere and strongly considered Oregon, Texas A&M and Georgia. But after his first visit to Tuscaloosa, something clicked.

On June 8, 2026 five-star Alabama commits Jorden Edmonds and Jireh Edwards made their official visit to Tuscaloosa. | Instagram: jaygolive1k

“He came home like I’d never seen him before,” Hailemariam said. “He said, ‘I love this.’ He even talked about the staff working at 4 a.m. cleaning the players’ complex. The little things mattered to him.”

Most of all, Alabama’s culture felt familiar. It shared the same values that shaped Edwards at St. Frances.

“He wanted a culture,” Hailemariam said. “Even if we’re missing things, our culture helps us overcome those gaps. I tell these guys every day, I’d take grit over privilege any day. If you instill that mentality, then when they see something flashy, they’re not enamored by it. They appreciate it but remember grit is the better part of the process, not privilege.”

When Edwards arrives in Tuscaloosa this winter, he’ll follow in the footsteps of St. Frances alumni such as Chris Braswell and Darrian Dalcourt, who carved out strong careers with the Crimson Tide. But Hailemariam sees the five-star building a legacy that goes beyond football.

“Having a great, illustrious career at Alabama, an NFL career of at least a decade-plus — hopefully being healthy and strong and making an amazing impact on society,” Hailemariam said. “I also see him like six of the 10 guys we currently have in the NFL. We only had three or four draft picks; the rest were free agents. Six of them all give back to St. Frances in some shape or form, with at least three scholarships donated. That’s the mentality we’ve created: to pave it forward and give another person like you a chance they otherwise wouldn’t have.”