There’s something almost unfair about how quickly a five-star OL recruitment is heating up. He’s a priority target with bluebloods circling like it’s signing day already. And that’s where the tension creeps in. While Alabama remains a contender, Kalen DeBoer is beginning to lose ground as official visits accumulate.
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Ismael Camara, the 6-foot-6, 340-pound French Freak from Gilmer, Texas, has official visits lined up with Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon, LSU, SMU, and Tennessee. On June 12, he will be on the Longhorns’ campus; from June 19th to 21st, he will be in Eugene with the Ducks, and somewhere in there, LSU is making a hard push too. On3 analyst Justin Wells says if you were to place a bet right now, Texas is the one most likely to steal him, due to the in-state pull.
Camara was on the Tide’s radar all the way from last year. He took a Junior Day visit in the spring and then made his first game-day trip to Tuscaloosa on November 9 for an Alabama-LSU matchup. He told Rivals that walking into the facility and seeing all the national championships, the Heisman trophies, and the whole history of Alabama football gave him “butterflies.”
“When we got into the facility and saw all the nattys, the SEC championships, and the Heisman Trophies, I really had the butterflies,” Camara said.
At 6’6, 340 pounds, @RecruitGilmerFB 5-star ATH @Only1_iscamara was here at 7v7 competing at multiple spots.
He’ll see Texas, Oregon, LSU, Texas A&M, and more this Spring. @InsideTexas @Rivals @CTROBISON10 pic.twitter.com/YkANUY3g0B
— Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) February 21, 2026
Camara’s been talking about his bond with offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, who he says told him two things from the start: that passion and effort are everything, and you don’t need talent for that.
“I appreciate him investing in me like that, and I am trying to get better to live up to the standard at ‘Bama,” he said. “The way they treated each other and the way they treated me, it was not just an honor for me to be there, it was an honor for them to be there,” he said. “They practiced like that. They operated like that. They hung together like that. That was when I really started to understand what makes Alabama ‘Bama.’”
Since then, DeBoer has replaced Kapilovic with Adrian Klemm. The program checked on the recruit after the move, and he said it won’t affect his decision to return to Alabama for another visit. But the other official visits mean that he’s not committing blindly. And then you start looking at him, and you realize why he has the attention from all sides.
Camara is a multi-sport athlete: soccer, swimming, wrestling, judo, track, basketball, badminton, boxing—you name it, he’s done it. And somehow, he’s mastered football in just a few short years after moving from France to Texas in 2024.
“Ten months ago, I was in France, and ten months later I have all this college attention,” Camara said on February 11. “I have been working for that, so I am thankful.”
He’s got a 30-inch vertical, a 755-pound squat, 18% body fat, and a mean streak that shows up every time he hits the line. He plays offensive line, guard, tackle, linebacker, sometimes even snaps the balland then he’s out there on the track training for shot put, aiming for Senegal in the 2028 Olympics.
Just like Camara flipped his mind, Alabama’s pull is now making waves elsewhere. Nebraska now finds itself on edge because a 4-star RB, Amir Brown, out of Rolesville, North Carolina, has Alabama on his mind.
4-Star RB has Alabama on his mind
Nebraska football might be staring down at the same nightmare right now. Amir Brown, the 4-star running back commit out of Rolesville, North Carolina, just got an official offer from Alabama last week.
“After a great conversation, I’m blessed and honored to receive an offer from The University of Alabama !!!! @AlabamaFTBL @KalenDeBoer @BAMACoachG @TomLoy247 @samspiegs @adamgorney @RamsFootballNC @RRACKLEY9,” Brown wrote.
And suddenly, the Huskers’ sense of security in the 2027 class feels shaky.
Brown admitted, “Have been on my mind every day & every night … I think about ‘Bama.” That’s not exactly the kind of thing a committed player says when he’s fully locked in, and for Matt Rhule and his staff, it’s a jolt days before spring practice.
It makes sense why Alabama is a threat. Sure, the Tide haven’t been running the ball perfectly the past couple of seasons under Kalen DeBoer, but history matters. The Crimson Tide has consistently produced NFL backs. Heading into his senior season, Brown has amassed 1,374 yards and 22 touchdowns on 189 carries, making him an ideal prospect for DeBoer.