Kalen DeBoer and Alabama are making a late run at one of Auburn’s defensive line commits, and the target is a familiar one in Birmingham.
Marquis “MJ” Evans, a 4-star defensive lineman from Spain Park High School, is set to visit Tuscaloosa on October 24 for Alabama’s game against Texas A&M. Evans, who weighs 270 pounds, has been pledged to Auburn since July 1, but Alabama is still working to pull him away before the early signing period gets here.
“I’m most looking forward to feeling the vibe around the staff.”
That visit gives the Crimson Tide a real shot to keep building momentum along the defensive front. Alabama already flipped 3-star Kavarris "Duke" Duncan from Tulane and currently has commitments from AJ Pauley, Tyler Younger and Jeremiah Beverly. Younger and Beverly are more EDGE prospects, while Duncan and Pauley project on the interior.
The Tide are also in the mix for former Memphis commit Joshua Lane, whose recruitment has picked up after he decommitted from the Tigers a few days after Alabama offered him. Lane has two major visits lined up, with Alabama set for October 24 and Tennessee coming in on November 7.
As for Evans, the fact that he’s still taking trips says plenty. He also visited Florida recently, and while he remains committed to Auburn, he is clearly still weighing his options.
That matters for Alabama, which has been relatively quiet in the 2027 cycle. The Crimson Tide currently has 15 commitments and sits 34th nationally, but that number isn’t unexpected. This was always expected to be a smaller class after back-to-back heavy hauls in 2025 and 2026, both of which finished inside the Top 5.
For DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan, the bigger offseason job is keeping the roster intact while leaving room to attack the Transfer Portal again. Alabama found real value there this past offseason and will look to do it again.
Still, the Tide aren’t done chasing high-upside additions, and Evans has emerged as one of the more interesting flip candidates on the board. Auburn’s defensive struggles in Alex Golesh’s first season on the Plains only add another layer to the push.
If Alabama can land Evans, it would be a major recruiting win in its own right - and a painful one for Auburn to swallow.
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The win came without Aden Holloway, Anderson Diaz, Jaxon Richardson and Preston Murphy Jr., which only sharpened the focus on the players available and the way Alabama managed the night. Amari Allen and Cole Cloer carried the scoring load, giving the Tide a glimpse of what the offense can look like as the warm-up schedule winds down and the final exhibition against Auburn arrives next Thursday. [Read more 🡒]