It’s not like Kalen DeBoer has ruined Alabama’s recruiting prowess. If anything, the Tide still holds the same elite level Nick Saban set. What’s changed is the way. DeBoer is moving quickly, pushing early commitments and trusting the transfer portal. It’s useful and modern, but not everyone agrees. Former Alabama WR Marquis Maze has been vocal, feeling the rushed style isn’t paying heed to the quality of recruits.

“Bama [is] just offering anybody at this point. What [are] we just filling roster spots?” Maze wrote on X. “We’re offering kids that wasn’t even the 1st or 2nd option on their high school team. I’m disappointed in some of these moves. Nothing pops off the screen about some of these recruits. Still Rolling tho.

“Hopefully, these [are] just in case recruits, and hey, I pray they pan out for the program. It’s not about star rating to me either, everybody we offer I watch their film, and let’s say I haven’t been impressed with any of the latest recruits. Maybe they’ll get better in college.”

You can’t really blame the two-time national champion for feeling the way he does. He played wide receiver under Nick Saban for three full years at Tuscaloosa, so his idea of recruiting comes from a very different era. He leaned heavily on the 85-scholarship limit and valued the volume of it.

Kalen DeBoer, on the other hand, is operating under the new NCAA rules. He took on a 105-scholarship model and a much quicker, numbers-driven approach. Even so, the results are still incoming. As of February 1, 2026, Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class sits at No. 5 in the country, with an average player rating of 91.54 as per Rivals industry rankings.

Bama continues to delve into powerhouse schools like IMG Academy, Mater Dei, and Thompson (AL), where even the third or fourth choice is usually a legit four-star who’d be proven anywhere. Yes, Alabama still sometimes signs a three-star, but those are usually high-upside athletes hiding behind older stars or stuck in systems that didn’t utilize them.

On the flip side, some prospects are so dominant that they leave no doubt. Five-star RB Ezavier Crowell reclassified from the 2027 class to the 2026 class to enroll early after winning Alabama Mr. Football and Gatorade Player of the Year. And at specialist spots like kicker or long snapper, “first option” doesn’t really apply. Evaluators scout guys like Eli Deutsch on a national level and rank them among the very best at their position.

Looking ahead, the 2027 class is still very much in its foundation phase. It is currently ranked No. 7 with four hard commits, mostly from the Southeast. January 31’s Junior Day gave things a real boost. It brought in elite targets like No. 1 QB Elijah Haven and five-star WR Monshun Sales. Even Jatori Williams, who decommitted in December to reopen his recruitment, showed back up.

Correct use of the transfer portal

There’s another big shift under Kalen DeBoer that really separates him from the Nick Saban era. And it’s how aggressively he uses the transfer portal. While Saban built almost everything through high school development, DeBoer isn’t afraid to use the portal to restock entire position groups in one shot. For the 2026 cycle, that approach shows up loudest in the trenches.

After losing five key O-line players, including starters Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford, Alabama started scrambling in the portal. DeBoer brought in six offensive line transfers to become their replacements. Ty Haywood, a former five-star, returned to Tuscaloosa after playing at Michigan, and Nick Brooks arrived from Texas as a massive 6-foot-7, 349-pound block. The same thing carried on the other side of the ball.

With veteran players like Tim Keenan III and LT Overton gone, DeBoer targeted interior difference-makers rather than future resolutions. USC transfer Devan Thompkins and Oregon’s Terrance Green give Alabama immediate experience and strength together. At the same time, DeBoer made sure the locker room didn’t lose the main player. The staff successfully retained key veterans like quarterback Austin Mack and safety Bray Hubbard to keep leadership intact.

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One of the biggest wins was holding onto the entire quarterback room for 2026. After Ty Simpson declared for the NFL Draft, both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell stayed put, setting up a real competition for the starting job.