Alabama Crimson Tide Football Recruiting Update: Scheduled Announcements

After a slow start to the Class of 2026 football recruiting, Alabama has picked up five commitments in the month of June. And the Tide is potentially about to pick up a few more in the coming days.

JUNE COMMITS

• QB Jett Thomalla 4-star from Omaha, NE flipped from Iowa State.
• DL JJ Finch 3-star Indianapolis, IN resident picked the Tide over Miami, Michigan, and Tennessee. [Bama Bump incoming.]
• RB Javari Barnett 3-star from Tampa, FL flipped from Illinois.
• OL Sam Utu 4-star from Orange, CA committed to the Crimson Tide a few days after his official visit.
• S/DB Rihyael Kelley is the latest to pledge to Alabama. The native Cincinnati 3-star flipped from Rutgers.

BINGO CARD

The Tide has 10 commitments from prospects from seven different states: Georgia (3), Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Indiana (1), Nebraska (1), Ohio (1).

CROOTIN CALENDAR

A Dead Period begins Tuesday, May 25 and runs through the 28th. Then comes a Quiet Period May 29 – June 22, followed by another Dead Period June 24 – July 31. Hopefully, Hugh Freeze can get in a few holes of golf at this time.

During a Dead Period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits and/or their parents. “In-person” means they are not allowed to talk to recruits at their college campus, the athlete’s school, an athletic camp or even in line at Chick-fil-A. However, communications via phone, email, social media and other digital communications are still permissible.

A Quiet Period is a time recruits can talk to college coaches in-person on their college campus. However, the coach is not allowed to watch athletes compete in-person, visit their school, or talk to them anywhere outside of the college campus.

WATCH LIST

As recruiting heats up for Kalen DeBoer’s team, there will be some big-hitters to keep an eye on.

He’s only 17!

RB Ezavier “EJ” Crowell is reclassifying from the 2027 class to the Class of 2026. Ranked as one of the top running backs in the nation, the 5-foot-11, 200-pounder will now enter his final season of high school football this coming fall.

According to MaxPreps, the Jackson, AL back ran for 1,964 yards and 31 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2024, and 1,737 yards and 25 TDs the year before. Including six receiving touchdowns, he has accounted for 62 scores in two seasons.

Nick Saban was on campus this past weekend and met several of the Official Visitors including Crowell (above).

Crowell is announcing on Thursday and appears to a big lean to the Crimson Tide with Auburn, Georgia, and Texas serving as bridesmaids.

[SIDE NOTE: He does not appear to be closely related to Isaiah Crowell.]

5-star Cederian Morgan is the No. 1 player in the state and No. 2 receiver in the country. The 6-foot-4, 220 pounder hails from Alexander City, AL. He also excels in basketball (14.4 ppg, 11.3 rpg), the high jump (state runner-up as a junior), and has run a 21.74 in 200-meter and 11.19 in the 100.

Oh, yeah. He plays football too. As a sophomore, he recorded 36 receptions for 622 yards (19.4 YPC) and 4 TD. He finished his junior season with 70 catches for 1,162 yards (16.6 YPC) and 14 TD.

He is looking at several schools but it will likely come down to Alabama and Auburn when he announces on July 2.

5-star LB Xavier Griffin smartly decommitted from Southern Cal last month. The Gainesville, GA prospect stands 6-3 and 205 lbs. He finished his sophomore season with 54 tackles and 15 sacks. His junior campaign was limited to eight games due to an injury, but he still tallied 43 tackles and 6 sacks.

Some crootin’ experts compare the versatile linebacker to Jihaad Campbell even while he was still committed to the Trojans. Clearly Griffin will need to put on some weight but he is often called a “playmaker”. Some believe he would play Wolf for the Tide, a spot primarily filled by Qua Russaw and Que Robinson last season.

Griffin appears to be down to Alabama, Ohio State and Texas with So Cal still as a possibility. On3’s Steve Wiltfong as well as UGA 247sports staff writer Benjamin Wolk have predicted Griffin will end up with the Crimson Tide. He plans to announce his commitment on Sunday, June 29.

4-star TE Mack Sutter (Dunlap, IL) spent his final OV in Tuscaloosa this past weekend. He is 6-5/230. In just 10 games as a junior, he recorded 35 receptions for 505 yards and 7 TDs on 14.4 yards per catch. This athletic prospect also played some QB and extensively on defense, totaling 36 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 sacks, 1 INT (returned for TD), and 2 FF.

On Thursday June 26, he will be deciding between Alabama, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and home state Illinois. 247’s Brett Greenberg, On3’s Tim Watts, Andrew Bone and Wiltfong all think Sutter rolls with the Tide.

[SIDE NOTE: Illini fans are melting down over this one. Especially after Bama flipped Barnett.]

ANNOUNCEMENT SCHEDULE

(Times are tentative.)

June 26: Ezavier Crowell (5pm/6pm), Mack Sutter (TBA)

June 29: Xavier Griffin (11am/noon)

July 2: Cederian Morgan (11am/noon)