A slow start on the recruiting trail doesn’t have 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins sounding the alarm on Alabama.
Several weeks ago, Ivins said he had real concerns about the Crimson Tide’s 2027 class. That view has changed after taking a closer look, and now he thinks Alabama may be leaning into a model that fits the current college football moment better than most.
“I think I was concerned,” Ivins told Bud Elliott on CBSSports’ Cover3 Podcast.“And then me and you talked about it a few weeks ago.”
Alabama currently has 16 commits in its 2027 class, but the ranking is far from the standard the program has set over the years. The Crimson Tide are sitting at No. 32 overall, which would be their lowest finish in the 247Sports recruiting era, dating back to 2011. That’s a sharp drop for a program that has finished with the top-ranked class in 10 of the last 16 seasons.
Still, Ivins sees a path where that approach actually makes sense.
“I think the model that might win out in this current landscape, this current environment, is (building a) big high school recruiting class that’s going to kind of set your foundation,” Ivins said. “Maybe follow it up with a second one.
Then, you take a year off. Patch some holes with transfers, or go use some funds to get the difference makers to take you where you want to go.”
The idea is that Alabama’s roster already has enough young talent in place to make that strategy work. Ivins pointed to listed starters such as quarterback Keelon Russell, tight ends Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett, wide receivers Lotzeir Brooks and Derek Meadows, offensive linemen Michael Carroll and Jackson Lloyd, cornerback Dijon Lee Jr., linebacker Luke Metz, defensive lineman London Simmons and punter Alex Asparuhov.
Micah DeBose transferred to Vanderbilt after the season.
With that kind of core, Ivins believes Alabama can be selective about where it spends next.
“To me, this feels like kind of that for Alabama,” Ivins said. “We’re gonna save some of that budget because we’re going to go out, and we’re gonna go get a Cam Coleman -type of receiver for Keelon Russell. They’re going to go and get some of those individuals.”
That thinking lines up with what Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has already said publicly. Byrne told Front Office Sports that the Crimson Tide expect to put more resources into their 2028 high school recruiting class.
“The year after, we’re planning on going heavier from a high school recruiting standpoint,” Byrne said. “You have to be flexible.”
Even with the class ranked well below Alabama’s usual standard, Ivins still sees plenty to like in the group. He mentioned four-star quarterback Elijah Haven, four-star quarterback Trent Seaborn, four-star wide receiver Osani Gayles and four-star edge Tyler Younger.
The class also includes a long list of three-stars: running backs Nigel Newkirk and Tai Phillips, wide receiver Cedrick Simmons, offensive linemen Stafford Willis and Xavier Endicott, tight ends Michael Nnabuife and Oakley Keegan, cornerback Darrius White, defensive linemen Kavarris Duncan and Avrian Pauley, edge Jeremiah Beverly and kicker Luke Cody.
Ivins especially likes the quarterback room in the class.
“Two quarterbacks,” Ivins pointed out. “It seems like every Saturday I’m watching backup quarterbacks around the country come in and be called upon.
Trent Seaborn’s going to have close to 60 starts - been playing since he was in eighth grade - and obviously, they’ve got Elijah Haven with all the traits there. But to me, Trent Seaborn, a guy that’s played in a lot of difficult situations over the years, these guys are going to be a little bit more valuable.”
For now, Ivins isn’t treating Alabama’s ranking as a crisis. If anything, he thinks the Crimson Tide may be adapting to a recruiting landscape that rewards a different kind of roster-building.
“No, I’m not panicked,” Ivins said.
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Austin Mack is the next man up if Alabama needs him, and DeBoer has made it clear the staff feels good about that option. Still, even with Russell able to return against LSU, the quarterback situation has become a storyline worth watching closely, because what looked like a routine week can change quickly when the starter is dealing with an injury and the backup may be asked to step in. [Read more 🡒]