Alabama football recruiting reset: Early signing period expectations for the Crimson Tide
7 Alabama football player was suspended in the match including their…
College Football Playoff preparation began over the weekend, and more than half of its 2024 recruiting class will take part in Playoff practices.
Per On3, 13 signees comprise the initial early enrollees: On offense, it’s quarterback Julian Sayin, tight end Caleb Odom and offensive linemen Casey Poe, Joseph Ionata and William Sanders. On defense, it’s linemen Jeremiah Beaman and Isaia Faga, linebacker Sterling Dixon (who will not be participating due to injury) and defensive backs Zabien Brown, Jameer Grimsley, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr, Rydarrius Morgan and Peyton Woodyard.
Three others — defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe and linebackers Cayden Jones and Justin Okoronkwo — are expected to enroll in January after playing in national all-star games. Also of note: Okoronkwo, a Germany native, is the first European prospect to be invited to and play in the All American Bowl (formerly known as the U.S. Army All-American Game).
How Alabama landed Germany’s No. 1 American football prospect
The recruiting dead period begins on Monday and the early signing period runs Wednesday to Friday. For Alabama’s verbal commits, there should be little drama. The other remaining prospects who will not be enrolling early — receivers Amari Jefferson, Rico Scott and Ryan Williams; tight end Jay Lindsey and defensive lineman Quinton Reese — are all solid commitments. Right now, Alabama’s recruiting class is ranked No. 4 nationally in the 247Sports Composite. The Crimson Tide have finished outside the top three only twice since 2010 (2010, 2018), but it’s still possible they could move up.
With this past weekend being the last before the dead period, Alabama hosted several recruits, ranging from official visits for both committed prospects and players currently committed elsewhere to transfer portal visits to unofficial visits for elite 2025 prospects, including quarterback Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 player in 2025, according to the 247Sports Composite — and fellow 2025 five-star DJ Pickett, a defensive back. There was also some movement within Alabama’s current roster.
The week ahead is trending in the direction of more additions to Alabama’s team via the 2024 recruiting class. There’s always the chance that the Tide peek into the transfer portal, but those needs could be mitigated with signing day wins — for example, last year’s flip of from Iowa nullified the need for a transfer offensive tackle.
