After securing a 2026 class ranked No. 2 nationally per 247Sports, Kalen DeBoer is prioritizing elite talent to build his program’s future. That’s why in January, the head coach, along with GM Courtney Morgan and LBs coach Christian Robinson, visited a 2027 edge rusher, who’s in the 5-star range (according to 247Sports) in Georgia. That visit is now paying off with a major update from the Stephenson High standout.

On Monday, BamaOnLine’s Andrew Bone reported that K.J. Green will take an official visit to Alabama on June 18-20.

But before that, Green is scheduled to have an unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa towards the end of March. This demonstrates that, despite having many in his recruiting race, the edge rusher preferred Alabama. Last year, he made several unofficial visits to the Tide. K.J. Green even attended Alabama’s games against LSU and Tennessee. Both games Alabama won, and that might help the Tide to make a good impression on Green.

In fact, Green paid a visit to Tuscaloosa in 2024, after receiving a scholarship offer from Bama. Now, with each visit, his words signal one thing: Alabama remains firmly at the top of the prospect’s recruitment, which is a major boost for DeBoer.

“Everything was overly righteous,” said Green once after his visit, while in another interview, he said, “… Alabama is a winning program and gets guys to the NFL.”

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DeBoer has already proven he can keep Alabama in the national conversation, guiding them to a historic CFP appearance in his first year. Furthermore, Alabama’s proven track record of developing NFL talent only strengthens its chances. In the 2025 NFL draft alone, 7 players got drafted, including one notable edge rusher. For the 2026 NFL Draft, edge rusher LT Overton is currently projected as an elite pick, with some analysts giving him a 2nd-round grade. Maybe Green can be next.

While Alabama’s NFL pipeline is a major draw, it’s not the only factor in this recruitment. DeBoer faces stiff competition from within the SEC, as Green has also named South Carolina a frontrunner.

“A strong connection with South Carolina, and they have been prioritizing me for a long time,” said Green. “They had a down year this past year, but in the ’24 season, everyone saw how good they can be.”

In 2024, with a 9-4 record, South Carolina saw one of the most successful seasons under Shane Beamer. But 2025 saw a 4-8 record. Considering that, Alabama’s 11-4 record can tempt the prospect. So Alabama has a chance, but predictions claim otherwise.

What are Alabama’s odds of landing him?

As per early predictions, South Carolina holds a 30.2 percent chance, while Alabama has a 10.1 percent chance to get this elite 2027 edge rusher. Although South Carolina holds an early edge in the prediction models, K.J. Green’s own words tell a different story. It indicates Alabama is firmly in the mix for the defensive prize, and they have a solid chance to land him.

The elite 2027 prospect ranks as the No. 6 edge rusher nationally and one of the top players in the state of Georgia. With this ranking, his production in high school only suggests that getting a commitment from this player will boost Alabama’s defense.

With official visits locked in for both Tuscaloosa and Columbia, the battle for the elite edge rusher is set to intensify, testing DeBoer’s recruiting prowess against a determined SEC rival.