Everyone wants Monshun Sales. But the No. 1 ranked pass-catcher in the 2027 recruiting class is taking his sweet time to choose. After receiving nearly 40 scholarship offers, the five-star recruit has declared 2 teams to be ahead of the rest. Alabama and Indiana. Now, the real race begins between these two programs.

Kalen DeBoer just hosted Monshun Sales in Tuscaloosa this past weekend. The visit was very crucial for the team, as he’s Alabama’s top priority. Plus, he has solid ties to the place. He originally comes from Alabama and even earned the nickname “Bama” during his high school career in Indianapolis. Growing up, he dreamed of playing for Alabama.

“It really felt unreal,” Sales said in an interview with Brett Greenberg of Bama247. “I grew up in Alabama. I grew up thinking about that all the time, and it was finally there. It was an ‘I am here’ moment. I feel like Bama and Indiana are my top two schools right now.”

For Monshun Sales, this isn’t just a recruiting decision. It’s a homecoming versus a home-state revolution. Growing up in Alabama, he dreamed of wearing the crimson and white, earning the nickname “Bama” because everyone knew where his heart lay. But when Indiana rolled through the Rose Bowl and crushed Alabama 38-3 en route to the national title this past season, the Hoosiers showed him what’s possible right in his own backyard.

Coach Curt Cignetti built a program that wins championships. And with three of Sales’ Lawrence North teammates already on Indiana’s roster, including star receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (now with the Jets after his college career), the familiar faces make Bloomington feel like family. That’s the tension. It is either his childhood dream or the proven reality.

“Indiana has been my second home,” Sales said to Rivals back in February. “Their coaching and how they’ve turned the program around to be national champions stands out.”

However, it would be unwise to ignore the fact that Alabama brings in history, and it’s his dream school too. For two years, they couldn’t get into the championship finals, but that doesn’t mean that Kalen DeBoer isn’t capable of that. He has taken the Huskies to the finals in 2023, which gave tough competition to Michigan. Then, during his time at Washington, he developed solid WRs like Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk.

Sales has physical capabilities which makes talent evaluators call him a potential game-wrecker. He blends an elite 6-foot-5 frame with blinding track speed, having clocked an 10.81-second 100-meter dash and a 21.09-second 200-meter time.

As a junior, he proved to be an absolute vertical mismatch, racking up 37 catches for 794 yards and 9 touchdowns, averaging a massive 21.5 yards per reception, while simultaneously playing safety on defense. Scouts heavily compare his combination of size and explosiveness to NFL wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

So, it’s going to be a tough choice for Sales between the two teams he has on his top 2. He still has visits scheduled for other teams like Texas, Ohio State, and Miami. Now, it will be interesting to see if other teams can make an impact on him or not. Along with Sales, Alabama is targeting other players, too.

Alabama eyeing EDGE target

Alabama made a strong impression on one of its top defensive recruiting targets during a successful official visit weekend in Tuscaloosa. Four-star EDGE Antwan Jackson spent time with Kalen DeBoer and the coaching staff, and the visit appears to have brought the Crimson Tide one step closer to earning his commitment.

The Crimson Tide already celebrated one recruiting win when four-star running back Nigel Newkirk committed to Alabama after the weekend. Now, Jackson could be the next prospect to join the class. Jackson’s comments after the visit increased the excitement around Alabama even more.

“It’s definitely the top school right now. We probably have some big news coming soon as conversations keep going on,” Jackson said.

Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Missouri are the four schools still competing for Jackson’s commitment. Tennessee has been considered Alabama’s biggest challenger because Jackson is from Tennessee. So, now let’s wait and see if Alabama can surge in his recruitment or not. With top teams competing for recruits, grabbing them can be a tough task.