While Kalen DeBoer was out of town this weekend, mourning a personal loss with his 5-star QB’s family, Alabama quietly secured a massive talent in the trenches. This wasn’t just another win. With Nick Saban stepping back for the weekend, Bama pulled off a low-key recruiting move that effectively shut down a major SEC bidding war. A 285-pound interior offensive lineman just told Georgia and Florida that he’s ‘Rolling with Tide.’

Alabama just slammed the door shut on one of the most-wanted big men in the country. Four-star interior offensive lineman Chris Booker, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound bulldozer out of Atlanta, made it official Sunday: he’s locked in with Bama and shutting it all down. No more visits. No more phone calls. Not even a side-eye at Georgia or Florida, who made late runs for the rising mauler.

On June 22nd, Chris Booker announced on Instagram that his recruitment was closed: “I’m home, nobody does it like Bama! RTR.” This was a full-circle win for Kalen DeBoer, O-line coach Chris Kapilovic, and GM Courtney Morgan—they jumped on Booker back in February when most of the SEC world barely had him on radar. At the time? Booker was a 3-star. Now? He’s top-300 in the country and climbing fast, sitting as the No. 287 overall per 247Composite.

And just when you thought DeBoer was out of the picture for a second—attending 5-star QB Keelon Russell’s sister’s funeral—Nick Saban was reportedly still in Tuscaloosa, helping work behind the scenes on recruiting weekend. That’s right: Saban is still pulling strings in-house. On June 22nd, an Alabama insider hopped onto the On3 podcast and laid it out: “Kalen DeBoer wasn’t on campus on Saturday. He was in Mississippi for Keelon Russell’s sister’s funeral. So, you know, having Coach Nick Saban over there on Saturday—I don’t know if it was because Kalen DeBoer wasn’t there, but being there when Coach DeBoer wasn’t there was certainly a big plus for Alabama.” 

The Tide weren’t just hosting average prospects either. They rolled out the red carpet for three of the baddest names in the 2026 class—CeDerian Morgan (5-star WR), Ezavier Crowell (5-star RB), and Tank Jones (5-star EDGE). These aren’t just top recruits; they’re homegrown Alabama boys. Lifelong Tide fans. Raised on Nick Saban wins and SEC Saturdays.

The insider doubled down on just how much Nick Saban’s name still rings out on the recruiting trail, even in retirement. His presence during that visit wasn’t just for show—it meant something to these top prospects. “You had three guys who were on campus: Ezavier Crowell, the No. 2 running back in the country, CeDerian Morgan, 5 star wide receiver, and Tank Jones, five-star edge rusher. These are guys who all grew up as Alabama fans. I mean, their entire life, all they’ve known about is Nick Saban and the success of the Alabama football program.”

These are elite recruits who, despite not getting recruited by Saban during his coaching days, still grew up watching Bama dominate Saturdays because of him. The insider added, “So being around Coach Saban—and really for the first time—these guys hadn’t had a chance or opportunity to really spend time speaking to him. They never really got recruited by him. Tank Jones did meet him a couple years ago, but CeDerian Morgan wasn’t offered by Alabama before Coach Saban’s retirement. Ezavier Crowell, same thing.” The result? Pure electricity. The kind that turns leanings into locks.

Kalen DeBoer and Co. is quietly dominating recruiting

Ezavier Crowell’s set to announce on Thursday. Cederian Morgan? July 2nd. Tank’s date isn’t inked yet, but July’s looking juicy. The buzz out of Tuscaloosa is that this weekend may have flipped the switch for multiple blue-chips. For a program some folks claimed was slipping under DeBoer, Alabama just fired a warning shot across the SEC’s bow.

The Tide added 3-star DL JJ Finch from Indiana, gained RPM momentum on multiple top targets, and locked down Booker for good. And the cherry on top? The GOAT himself is still pulling strings.

Well, Saban hasn’t micromanaged since stepping down—but don’t get it twisted. This man bleeds Crimson. He might not be involved in the daily work, but when it’s time to seal a commitment, his pitch is still the best. Saban didn’t just visit the facility; he walked right into these recruits’ dreams.

Alabama now sits at eight commits in the 2026 class. Five of them are on the defensive side. The O-line is getting nasty with Booker and Sam Utu locked in. Add in rising buzz around Morgan, Crowell, and Tank? Bama might be cooking a top-five class on the low.