Alabama’s 2028 class just got a whole lot stronger.
Three days after adding four-star quarterback Kingston Preyear, Kalen DeBoer and his staff went back on the attack and pulled in another major piece: Ohio’s top offensive lineman, four-star IOL Anthony Blalock Jr. out of Youngstown. Blalock picked the Crimson Tide over Ohio State and Texas Tech, giving Alabama another high-end addition in a cycle it’s already handling like a priority.
Blalock is a consensus four-star in the 2028 class, and he checks in as the No. 6 player in Ohio and the state’s top-ranked offensive lineman. At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, he gives Alabama a massive presence up front and becomes the program’s sixth commitment in the class.
The Tide’s 2028 group now includes:
4-star QB Kingston Preyear
4-star IOL Anthony Blalock Jr.
4-star CB Braylen Gibbs
3-star QB Charles Scott Jr.
3-star LB Dustin Henry
3-star LB Ryquan Butler
The early results point to a clear shift in focus. Alabama has not pushed as hard in the 2027 cycle, with retention taking priority because of the number of young players already on the roster.
The staff isn’t looking to spend big on a crowded high school class right now. Instead, it’s taking a more aggressive approach to 2028 and trying to stack commitments early.
Blalock may be the first real domino in what could become a loaded offensive line class. Alabama already has two priority tackle targets in its backyard for the next cycle: four-stars Joey Fleming and Samuel Bailey, both out of Huntsville.
The one question hanging over any commitment this early is whether it lasts. Alabama has landed early pledges under DeBoer every year, and not all of them have held. At this stage, financial packages usually aren’t part of the conversation yet, so things can still change for all six current commitments.
For now, though, Blalock is a major win. And with Ohio State already in the mix, you can expect the Buckeyes to keep pushing hard to bring the in-state lineman back home.
In Other News...
Alabamas Biggest Recruiting Wins Put DeBoer In A Saban-Level Debate
Alabamas recruiting story in the 2020s is already starting to read like a bridge between eras, with the programs biggest wins stretching from Nick Sabans closing stretch to Kalen DeBoers early work. The list naturally includes names that shaped the Tide at the top of the sport, from Will Anderson Jr. to Bryce Young, while also pointing to newer additions such as EJ Crowell, Keelon Russell and Ryan Coleman-Williams as the kind of talent that can keep the roster stocked for another run.
What makes the conversation interesting for Alabama is not just who signed, but how the staff kept landing premium players even as the program changed hands. DeBoers classes have given the Tide fresh momentum, and the debate now is whether those recent recruiting victories can stack up with the standard Saban set when Alabama was turning elite evaluations into national-title fuel year after year. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Receiver Board Just Got More Intriguing At A Critical Time
Alabamas wide receiver board for the 2027 cycle is starting to take on a different shape, and one of the names worth watching is Ja'Hyde Brown. The four-star receiver has made a major jump in the updated Rivals300, rising from No. 252 to No. 66 overall, a move that underscores how quickly his stock is climbing as college staffs continue to sort through their next wave of targets.
Brown is already committed to Louisville, but Alabama has shown strong interest as it evaluates alternatives at receiver and keeps building out its options. The timing matters because the Tide are still working through a crowded board, and Browns rise gives the staff another increasingly attractive path if the top of the market continues to move the way it has this summer. [Read more 🡒]