2025 Alabama High School Football Recruits
This article shall exclusively cover many of the top 2025 Alabama high school football recruits.
To accomplish this task, in-person evaluations from high School games, practices, seven-on-seven tournaments, linemen camps, private workouts, and Under Armour camps will be given the highest priority. Video evaluations will be a part of the equation when needed.
Note that over time a young man's ranking can certainly change with improved play. The evaluation is also about a prospect's ability to make smart plays, which the key below helps to define.
Key:
5.0: 1-25. This prospect is going to at least be a two or three-year college starter, plus be capable of winning national awards. Earning this grade almost always comes with the preferred measurables – preferred height, wingspan, elite combine numbers – that college coaches covet. To help dominate the prep level, this player uses intelligence to make game-changing plays.
4.5: 26-100. Top-notch recruit with a good opportunity to at least be a Power 4 multi-year starter. With more work and refinement in an area like blocking technique or adding more speed and/or size, this prospect could be a top-of-the-board prospect for just about any college football program. Almost always dominates opposing prep competition.
4.0: 101-250. Has multiple traits of a big-time player. Might lack one key ingredient like natural size or elite speed; shows out on Friday nights. With further development, should be a Power 4 college starter.
3.5: 251-400. Talent is present; perhaps some form of highly-regarded size is verifiable. The focus for a player within this ranking is continuing to hone the skills necessary to be more consistent and/or dominant. Oftentimes a player is someone that's seen a rapid-growth spurt and/or is undergoing a position change, and/or is newer to the game of football than other prospects.
Note: This list will be updated throughout the year and is not yet complete.
Quarterback
KJ Lacey, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Saraland (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.5
Playmaker with a powerful arm; goes up top and hits deep passes particularly well. Will come off of a first or second read and continue through progressions to find an open target. Scrambles well to avoid pressure.
Perhaps his most impressive trait, Lacey completes passes on the run even, even under heavy duress. He's also a capable runner to pick up yards when he decides to take off.
Another top attribute would be the ability to stay calm under pressure and make plays when Saraland needs it the most. He's one of the nation's best prep signal-callers.
Running Back
Alvin Henderson, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Elba (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 5.0
Vision, power, speed, and elusiveness are all obvious. One trait still stands above the rest for Henderson: durability. He is now at 532 carries from three seasons at Elba. Henderson plays with the same vigor and tenacity in the fourth quarter that he does in the first quarter, game after game.
Despite playing 1A football, do not be fooled. Henderson dominates the competition as he should. He's not yet filled out and still packs a punch upon initial contact. Decisive feet inside the tackle box help him create more yardage than just about any other Alabama prep runner in recent memory.
The only aspects of his game that are not yet completely known would be his passing game skills because Elba does not throw the football much. Even so, Henderson might be the nation's top 2025 running back recruit.
Anthony "Turbo" Rogers, 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, Montgomery (Ala.) Carver
Ranking: 4.5
Reaches top gear as quickly as any recruit in the nation. Despite his height and overall size, Turbo willingly hits the gas and runs between the tackles. His speed allows him to make it through small openings and create chunk-yardage runs.
He's been doing that IMG Academy down in Bradenton, Fla. before returning home to Montgomery for the 2024 season. Now, Turbo is going to be a combination of a slot receiver, running back, and almost certainly a return man, too.
Rogers' athleticism is exceptional but so is this young man's football IQ. He knows when to break in a different direction just before a linebacker hits him, only to leave that defender grasping at air. Then, like few other running backs are capable of, Rogers runs away from the defense.
One could even argue that Rogers is the most entertaining all-around running back in the country.
Slot Receiver
Carson "CD" Gill 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, Saraland (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.0
Gill is absolutely electric in space. Gill's ability to be effective as a deep threat will also catch a scout's eye. Performing well at Under Armour Atlanta, Gill's burst allowed him to consistently run by defenders and make receptions look easy.
He will be a threat to score from the slot, as a return man, and could even be an impactful player if given some reps as a running back. Keep in mind, that also means linebackers trying to cover Gill in space. That's unlikely to work out well for any defense.
While Gill still needs more mass before taking on a serious college workload. Gill's toughness and speed still cannot be taught. He's going to make defenders at the college level, too.
Wide Receiver
Dillon Alfred, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Saraland (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.0
Perhaps the best route runner from the state of Alabama, Alfred's ability to turn a defender around with his quickness and change of direction footwork is impressive. Well-timed leaps also allow him to go up and catch the football over bigger defenders. He commonly makes difficult catches look easy by contorting his body to reach the football.
When it's a screen, Alfred's toughness helps him break tackles; his shiftiness does as well. A slant or shallow cross can lead to a long run with several missed tackles as well.
Derick Smith, 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Selma (Ala.) Southside
Ranking: 4.5
Smith's style probably best resembles Justin Jefferson. He provides a burst in the middle of the field and doesn't get caught from behind all that often. Screen passes, hitches, and simple slants tend to be adventures for defenses trying to get Smith on the ground.
When one considers his ability to suddenly stop and watch a defender go by, or see a small crease and immediately go into high gear before breaking into the open, it's easy to understand why Smith is one of the nation's best wide receivers. He's also a tremendous defender.
As a blitzer and all-around physical defender, Smith deserves his due. While receiver is his future, Smith could certainly be one heck of a defensive back.
Daylyn Upshaw, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, Phenix City (Ala.) Central
Ranking: 4.0
Teams that press Upshaw might pay for that decision. Upshaw's ability to run past cornerbacks stems from his desire to shorten the distance between himself and the defender as quickly as possible. Then, he uses his hands to fend off a cornerback and runs down the pass.
With his ability to get over the top of the defense, Upshaw can more easily run shorter routes because defenders must respect the deep. If the pass is off target, Upshaw's ability to locate the football and adjust to make a catch is also top-notch.
It will be interesting to see how big Upshaw's frame becomes before leaving Central High School. If he adds more power, he can become a big-time college football player.
Offensive Line
Micah DeBose, 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Prichard (Ala.) Vigor
Ranking: 4.5
DeBose also has athleticism, at over 300 pounds, that is rare. Even at his size, DeBose bends at the knees and kick steps pretty well. If he can get his hand in the middle of a defender's chest, it's over. Elite power is present and he can pancake a defensive back in space as easily as he does a defensive end at the line of scrimmage.
Another couple of years of training could lead to DeBose being a dominant college football offensive guard or tackle. Finding ways to offset quick moves by defensive linemen, and staying square even more consistently, are a few of the areas he still needs to improve.
If there's a specific area to work on, he's still developing as a pass protector but already trending in the proper direction. DeBose should be an early contributor regardless of where he signs his national letter of intent.
Weak-Side Defensive End
Zion Grady, 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Enterprise (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.5
Plays a true defensive end position and a standup outside linebacker role for Enterprise. When Grady is head-up with a bigger player, he still does a tremendous job of using his quickness to keep the lineman's hands away from him. Grady has solid power, too. When he's on the edge, however, that's a sign of what's to come.
When rushing the quarterback, few defenders possess Grady's combination of length, speed, natural bend, and effort. He tracks down quarterbacks and running backs outside the pocket that are much smaller than himself.
Grady still has room to add weight to his frame but he's physically inclined to end up being an every-down edge defender as a 3-4 outside linebacker or 4-3 defensive end. He should fill out to 250 pounds without any problems at all.
Jakaleb Faulk, 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Highland Home (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.5
Seeing how much Faulk weighs now compared to two years ago, it's amazing. His tremendously long arms might be more impressive. Combined, he is becoming a true edge defender in terms of adding enough bulk to go against top offensive tackles. For Highland Home, Faulk also moves around.
Blitzing from his inside linebacker position, or playing the run by scraping off of an attempted block from a guard, he's a physical run defender who uses his hands well to reach the ball carrier.
He is also a quality flex tight end candidate. In particular, Faulk's hand-eye coordination allows him to make impressive over-the-shoulder catches.
Strong-Side Defensive End
Jared Smith, 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson
Ranking: 5.0
There's plenty of room to fill out Smith's frame as he wears a size 18 shoe. He's still twitchy off the snap of the football. After the snap of the ball, Smith can dip and rip, go with a long-arm move, or use a combination of techniques. He also changes directions with ease, which is a great sign for a player Smith's size.
He still needs to add more power to take on SEC-level offensive tackles; the power will come with time in the weight room and just becoming older. It's still Smith's natural pass-rushing ability which gives him elite upside.
If Smith continues to add to his moves while adding more mass, he could become the rare strong-side defensive end who's able to stuff the run and be a big-time pass rusher. There are very few of those in college football.
Defensive Tackle
Antonio Coleman, 6-foot-2, 285 pounds, Saraland (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.5
Impressive first-step quickness stands out for Coleman. He often shocks the center with a two-handed jolt. Then, Coleman powers through a gap while the center is off-balance. Active hands are present; Coleman keeps going after the football even if he's double-teamed.
That point leads to many sacks and tackles for loss, as does good foot speed for a young man weighing more than 280 pounds. If Coleman continues to hone his pass rush, he could be a truly rare interior player who's capable of getting to the quarterback even when playing nose guard. Look for him to play some defensive tackle, a la 3-technique, as well, in college.
Malik Autry, 6-foo-6, 320 pounds, Opelika (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.0
Autry has an imposing build and fits the role of a run-stuffing defensive tackle, and his length will allow him to swat away passes at the line of scrimmage. His thick upper body is well-defined; Autry's weight room work is paying off. He's also improving as a pass rusher, evidence stemming from his 2024 Under Armour Atlanta Camp performance.
If Autry continues on this trajectory he is going to end up well inside the 4.5 category and knocking on the 5.0 category. During the past 12 months, his physical stature and pass-rushing ability are notably better. Now, just need to see it on Friday nights.
Jourdin Crawford, 6-foot-1, 305 pounds, Birmingham (Ala.) Parker
Ranking: 4.0
Natural nose guard with a penchant for destruction. Crawford's lower-body power is noticeable play after play as he shoots his hand into the chest of the offensive guard or center and drives them back while keeping the other hand free. Sometimes he uses a two-hand bull rush; similar results ensue.
Does his best work in tight areas but Crawford changes directions to chase down the football. Further, he can stop-and-start to change his path before quickly getting back up to full speed. He's quite an athlete for a young man over 300 pounds. If he can develop more pass-rushing moves that become staples of his game, Crawford will have a really good college career. It will be fun to watch Crawford's senior season unfold.
Linebacker
Eric Winters, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Enterprise (Ala.) High School
Ranking: 4.5
Position flexibility is incredible. Option quarterback, running back, safety, linebacker, and just about anything other than interior offensive or defensive line, Winters is capable of making plays.
His savviness is also notable. When he's at free safety, it's like Winters is baiting opposing signal-callers into believing he has a real shot to complete a deep pass toward the middle of the gridiron. At the last moment, Winters sprints to the football and makes a play. Now for the prime discussion point.
He's not yet filled out. Will he be a full-time linebacker? A hybrid linebacker playing over the slot? Time will tell. What's known now is that Winters is an incredibly talented prospect who will be an early contributor to the college football program he signs with.
Cornerback
Na'eem Offord, 6-1, 185, Birmingham (Ala.) Parker
Ranking: 5.0
As crafty a prep cornerback as one will find, Offord is equally adept at challenging quarterbacks by playing off-man coverage, bump-and-run, or zone; he's been taught well to reach this level of efficiency. Offord is obviously accepting the knowledge and putting it to good use, too.
His best attribute is breaking on the football. The timing is tremendous when Offord moves towards the receiver. Then, Offord has a chance at an interception or pass breakup with his long arms and tremendous hands.
From this entire list of prospects, Offord is the most college-ready heading into the 2024 season.
Safety
Anquon Fegans, 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Alabaster (Ala.) Thompson
Ranking: 4.5
One of the most entertaining prospects in the state of Alabama. Fegans has open-field speed to reach the sideline and make an interception. He's not afraid to come down in the box and create tackles and take on bigger players attempting to block him either.
Sometimes Fegans will play cornerback where he's adept at bump-and-run coverage. Most notably, Fegans is a football player who's a pure athlete. He could play running back or receiver and do well.
He has the speed, size, and tenacity to be an impact recruit.