Alabama Football: First spring recruiting weekend has a commitment and numerous big storylines

The Alabama Football program had one of its busiest recruiting weekends of the year, hosting nearly 70 recruits on the first weekend of spring.

Kalen DeBoer and his crew extended their recent run of good fortune, acquiring another candidate while establishing a strong position with numerous others. The coaching and recruiting staff did a fantastic job of bringing many of the nation’s best prospects to Tuscaloosa during the first weekend of visits, demonstrating how interested top recruits are in Alabama.

Here are the top storylines leaving the first weekend of spring recruiting:

Four-Star Athlete Zymear Smith commits to Alabama

Alabama Football got its second commitment of the week, following Antonio Coleman, this time with Zymear Smith.

Smith is Maryland’s sixth-ranked player and the 14th-ranked athlete on 247Sports. Smith was recruited by the coaching staff as a cornerback, and he will most likely play that position at Alabama.

Despite not being nationally ranked, Smith received offers from Georgia, Penn State, Texas, Tennessee, and a number of other colleges. Alabama currently ranks 19th in the 247Sports class rankings, with four commitments.

BREAKING: Four-Star ATH Zymear Smith tells me he has Committed to Alabama!

The 5’11 170 ATH from Ridgley, MD chose the Crimson Tide over Georgia, Tennessee, & Texas

“Their defensive scheme matches my play style & I feel that it would be best for my future.”… pic.twitter.com/KVpKdOIGPJ

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 9, 2024

Crimson Tide pick up several additional crystal balls

With as many recruits as Alabama hosted this weekend, it’s hardly surprising to see such a large influx of news. The first crystal ball the club received was for Quanell X Farrakhan Jr., a four-star wide receiver who appears to be selecting between Penn State and Alabama.

Bama also acquired a crystal ball for three-star linebacker Luke Metz, who has been linked to Ole Miss and Alabama. Derick Smith, a Selma, Alabama native, was also crystal balled to the Tide and is now ranked as the 6th-best receiver in the class and 51st overall. Finally, the squad picked up a crystal ball for Georgia native Darrell Johnson, the class’s third-ranked linebacker.

Alabama continues its push for two top players

Edge rusher Zion Grady and quarterback Julian Lewis look to be Alabama Football’s top two targets right now.

Grady, a previous Alabama recruit, visited Tuscaloosa for the first time since re-opening his commitment and has already planned a return trip. The new coaching staff has made re-landing Grady a top goal, making two trips and hosting the 4-star in-state prospect for a third visit this weekend. Landing Grady would be a huge victory for Kalen DeBoer, as Georgia, Florida State, and Auburn all appear to be in the running.

The clear top priority for Kalen DeBoer appears to be quarterback, with his sights set on Julian Lewis. The Carrolton quarterback is now committed to USC after reclassifying, but the new staff has made a strong push. Lewis and his family spent two days in Tuscaloosa, telling media agencies how impressed he was with the city. Caleb Odom, Lewis’s former high school teammate, is likely to catch passes from Lewis if the Tide signs him.

A few recruits put Alabama as finalists in their recruitment

Earlier this week, we looked at several of the best recruits, including Alabama’s finalists in their recruitment. This week has seen the addition of numerous new players, including 4-star running back Tory Blaylock, who has named Alabama to his final six. Micah DeBose, an offensive tackle from Mobile, Alabama, is one of Kalen DeBoer’s top targets and has named the Tide to his final ten colleges. Alex Graham, a four-star cornerback, selected Alabama one of his final seven colleges. James Simon, a four-star running back, chose the Tide to his final seven. Andrew Maddox, a top ten defensive tackle in the class, ranked Alabama in his top 12.

Early in the Kalen DeBoer era, Alabama Football was ranked as a top choice for roughly 20 high-profile recruits. If the program is able to attract a handful of these highly acclaimed recruits, the class may begin to fill on its own. The quarterback position remains the most watched, while wide receivers and running backs are the most sought after at Alabama.

Successful start to the spring for the Alabama Football program

The first week of spring practice and recruiting was a huge success for the Alabama football team. As the DeBoer era begins, almost everyone is talking about the coaching staff’s and players’ intensity at practice.

The coaching staff was also able to put together one of the busiest first weekends of recruiting, hosting over 70 players when the process resumed. The recruiting success and attendance in week one demonstrate that players throughout the country still believe in the Alabama Football program after Nick Saban’s departure.