“It is winning football at Bama and by earning the offer, it makes me feel like what I am doing is right,” the elite Alabama prospect said.  Kalen DeBoer isn’t here to steward Nick Saban‘s legacy. He’s here to build upon it. He’s already making bold moves, going all in on a freak LB prospect out of Georgia who’s got 48 offers stacked on his desk. And now, Bama’s making sure they’re the one he remembers when it’s time to commit. 

This is about Marietta’s star, Brayden Rouse. On May 4, tdalabamamag reported on Instagram that Alabama is leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of a 4-star Kell High School standout. “Alabama tells Georgia 4-star LB Brayden Rouse he is at top of their recruiting board,” they wrote. Kalen DeBoer’s message was loud enough to shake up the SEC boardrooms in Knoxville and Athens. Because this isn’t something you tell anyone. That’s reserved for game changers. 

At 6’3, 208 pounds, Brayden Rouse isn’t just another 4-star waiting for a shot. He’s the kind of hybrid defensive weapon today’s game is built around. Fluid in space. Dominant in the backfield. And a nightmare in coverage. And yeah, he caught 25 passes for 378 yards and eight TDs on offense last season. As for his defensive stats—105 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and five PBUs. And for him, Alabama is no stranger. 

Brayden Rouse first soaked in the Tuscaloosa atmosphere back in August at the season opener against WKU. But it was his spring visit where things hit different. “It’s definitely the type of environment that I want to be a part of, and the competition level is second to none,” he said via Touchdown Alabama. “That is something that stood out to me. The standard they have at Alabama is something that is extremely high value.” And the way inside LB coach Chuck Morrell is leading the charge? Everything looks good. 

“They are high on my board. They’ve been doing a good job of recruiting me and I could see myself playing there,” the young LB said. “Coach Morrell and I are very tight. He has a big vision for me and compared me to Jihaad Campbell.” If Kalen DeBoer lands Brayden Rouse’s commitment, he’ll be their first LB in the class of 2026, which already has five total commits. While it’s already sounding like a win, Bama isn’t without threats. 

Kalen DeBoer still has tough competition 

Kalen DeBoer is making his moves. But Josh Heupel and Tennessee still lead the pack, for now. On3 gives the Vols an 87.5% shot at landing Brayden Rouse. But with official visits scheduled this summer, things could shift fast. Especially after Bama gets the first shot at hosting this coveted prospect on May 30. Tennessee’s been all over Rouse from the jump, offering him last August and getting him on campus three times last fall. 

“Hanging out with the team, seeing how the guys competed even with a shift in their quarterback room, and how happy everyone seems to be at Tennessee were the biggest highlights of this visit,” he said of his most recent spring visit to Knoxville. “The ones I talked to the most were coach Inge, coach Heupel, coach Banks and coach Chop. They continue to show me how much they want me.”

Meanwhile, Georgia seems to have faded from the conversation. For all the hype around keeping elite in-state talent home, things have gone strangely quiet between Kirby Smart and Brayden Rouse. The Bulldogs aren’t on the LB’s top four schools with scheduled OVs—Alabama, Texas, Michigan, and Tennessee. Hurts to watch a top-10 Georgia recruit slip through the cracks. 

As for Kalen DeBoer and his push, the outlook is bright, but the competition isn’t over. If Bama can impress Brayden Rouse on that official visit, the tide could turn!