Coach DeBoer and his staff now have more 5-star recruits committed than any other FBS program
5-star linebacker Xavier Griffin (Nation’s #1 linebacker)
5-star corner Jordan Edmonds (Nation’s #1 cornerback)
5-star safety Jireh Edwards (Nation’s #2 safety)
5-star receiver Cerderian Morgan (Nation’s #2 wideout)
5-star running back Ezavier Crowell (Nation’s #2 running back)
RTR!
Meme/Photo Credit: University of Alabama Athletics, TDA, & Sport Illustrate
Tuscaloosa, AL – In just his second summer at the helm, Head Coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff have assembled the deepest haul of 5‑star recruits in all of FBS football. With five elite prospects now committed to the 2026 class, Alabama stands alone atop the leaderboard—no other program has more than two such pledges .
The most recent addition is standout safety Jireh Edwards from St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), who chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia, Oregon and Texas A&M . Edwards, at 6’2″ and over 200 lb, earned MaxPreps Junior All-American honors after amassing 92 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, and three forced fumbles last season . He becomes Alabama’s fifth 5‑star in this cycle—and the other four arrived just prior, including elite talents like Cederian Morgan (WR), Xavier Griffin (LB), Jorden Edmonds (CB) and Ezavier Crowell (RB) .
On3’s Industry Team Rankings now place Alabama in the top‑5 nationally, with the 2026 class surging from the low‑40s to a top‑10 position . Pro Football Network highlighted that the Crimson Tide are “the only program to have more than two five‑star prospects committed” as of early July .
Edwards emphasized the impact of relationships and culture in his commitment, praising DeBoer by saying, “he’s a real winning coach … me and him will match perfect,” and lauded how Alabama “made my family feel … with warm hugs” .
The Tide also remain in play for top-ranked edge rusher Anthony “Tank” Jones, whose final three narrowed to Alabama, Oregon and Texas A&M . If he joins, DeBoer will guide a class with six 5‑star prospects—cementing Alabama’s recruiting dominance early in the DeBoer era.
