Top Tide Targets React to Official Visit

The Crimson Tide staff welcomed another huge crop off official visitors this past weekend. Take a look at some of the reactions from Alabama's top targets.

5-Star RB Derrek Cooper while on his visit to Alabama | Credit @DerrekCooper80 on X

For the second weekend in a row, Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama staff played host to a massive crop of official visitors from the 2026 recruiting class.

Over ten talented prospects from across the country made the trip to Tuscaloosa, and the Tide has already begun to see dividends as 4-Star offensive lineman Sam Utu announced his commitment to Alabama on Monday.

As of now, the Crimson Tide holds six commitments and ranks No. 46 in the 247Sports' composite ranking and No. 8 in the On3 team rankings for the 2026 recruiting class. Though Alabama has just two more official visit weekends left this summer, the Tide is seemingly in excellent standing with several of its top prospects.

While the summer has only produced a single commit thus far, many of the players in attendance this past weekend took to social media with great reports from the trip.

Take a look at some of the reactions below.

1. 5-Star RB Derrek Cooper - Hollywood, Florida

Great official visit to Alabama!! Rolltide 🐘 pic.twitter.com/nZG6J2Exev

— Derrek Cooper (@DerrekCooper80) June 9, 2025

The third ranked running back in next year's class, Cooper is a prototypical three down back that can truly do it all on the field. He is powerful as a runner with the speed and quickness to break away in the open field and he is a gifted pass catcher. As a junior in 2024, he finished the season with over 1,100 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns.

2. 5-Star CB Jorden Edmonds - Sprayberry, Georgia

A 6-foot-2, 175 lb. cornerback, Edmonds is a matchup nightmare for opposing wide receivers. He committed to Alabama in March of this year, and is still the Tide's lone 5-Star commit in the 2026 class. He has excellent coverage instincts and is able to use his long frame to his advantage in breaking up passes and hauling in interceptions.

3. 5-Star S Jireh Edwards - Baltimore, Maryland

5-Star safety Jireh Edwards (right) and 5-Star Alabama cornerback commit Jorden Edmonds (left) | Credit @jaygolive1k on

Hailing from the well known St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Edwards is a lengthy safety prospect with a ton of upside. He is excellent in coverage, but is also able to step into the box and deliver a big hit. Standing at 6-foot-2, 205 lbs., he certainly fits the mold of what DeBoer and the staff have seemingly targeted for defensive backs thus far.

4. 5-Star LB Xavier Griffin - Gainesville, Georgia

One of the most talked about prospects in the 2026 class, Griffin is a 6-foot-3, 200 lb. linebacker that plays a style of defense similar to someone Tide fans should be very familiar with, Jihaad Campbell. He is extremely versatile and can play on or off the ball with the ability to both pass rush or drop into coverage.

5. 4-Star OL Sam Utu - Orange, California

Possibly the most notable reaction from the weekend, Utu became the first commitment of the summer on Monday following his visit. The 6-foot-4, 320 lb. lineman has the versatility to play both inside or out and has some of the quickest and most impressive footwork of anyone in the class.

6. 4-Star DL Kamhariyan Johnson - Muscle Shoals, Alabama

Prior to Utu, Johnson was the Tide's most recent commit of the class. The 6-foot-3, 262 lb. defensive lineman has great footwork and is extremely aggressive at the point of attack, using his hands to shed blockers and find his way into the backfield frequently.

7. 4-Star EDGE Jamarion Matthews - Gainesville, Georgia

One of the Tide's earliest commits in the 2026 class, Matthews is a dynamic edge rusher prospect with some incredible production at the high school level. Originally from Sparkman High School before transferring to Gainesville for his senior season, Matthews finished 2024 with 29 TFL's and 17.0 sacks.

8. 4-Star EDGE Khamari Brooks - Bogart, Georgia

Brooks is a 4-Star edge rusher from Bogart, Georgia rated as one of the top players at his position in the nation. At 6-foot-4, 220 lbs. he has the size to play multiple roles within the defense, whether its down as a pass rusher or back in a coverage role.

9. 4-Star TE Kaiden Prothro - Bowden, Georgia

2026 4-Star TE Kaiden Prothro on his visit to Alabama | Credit @KaidenProthro07 on Instagram

Standing at 6-foot-6, 210 lbs., Prothro is one of the most physically impressive tight end prospects in the class. He has an incredibly wide catch radius and is able to easily bring in contested catches. Named Alabama as a finalist among Auburn, Georgia, Texas and Florida.

Upcoming Official Visitors

June 13-17

• 5-Star ATH Brandon Arrington - Set to commit on July 5th
• 4-Star WR Somourian Wingo - Named Alabama as a finalist on 04/22/2025
• 4-Star DL Elijah Golden
• 4-Star ATH Roman Voss - Named Alabama as a finalist on 05/07/2025
• 4-Star LB Nick Abrams - Named Alabama as a finalist on 05/01/2025
• 3-Star S Kaiden Hall - Named Alabama as a finalist on 11/28/2024
• 3-Star OT Wilson Zierer
• 5-Star WR Tristen Keys - Committed to LSU on 03/22/2025
• 3-Star DL Preston Carey - Named Alabama as a finalist on 04/28/2025
• 3-Star DL Tyson Bacon

Check out our Alabama football official visitor tracker for the full list of official visitors.

2026 Football Commits

1. CB Zyan Gibson, 5-foot-11, 177 lbs. - Gadsden, Alabama (Committed 12/24/2024)
2. CB Jorden Edmonds, 6-foot-2, 175 lbs. - Marietta, Georgia (Committed 03/26/2025)
3. EDGE Jamarion Matthews, 6-foot-2, 240 lbs. - Gainesville, Georgia (Committed 02/21/2025)
4. EDGE Kamhariyan Johnson, 6-foot-4, 260 lbs. - Muscle Shoals, Alabama (Committed 04/12/2025)
5. OL Chris Booker, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Atlanta, Georgia (Committed 02/20/2025)
6. OL Sam Utu, 6-foot-4, 320 lbs. - Orange, California (Committed 06/09/2025)

Check out the Alabama football recruiting tracker to stay up to date with the 2026 class and beyond.