Alabama’s Saturday win over East Carolina gave the Crimson Tide plenty to feel good about, but the weekend still ended with a recruiting hit.
On Sunday, 247Sports’ Brendan Sonnone reported that in-state linebacker Ryquan Butler has backed off his commitment to Alabama and reopened his recruitment. Sonnone also noted that Butler has several visits to Power 4 programs lined up, with more schools continuing to push for him.
Ryquan Butler has decommitted from Alabama, he tells me.
The three-star linebacker has some visits to P4 schools lined up and other options building up as well.
More details here on the 2028 LB:
- Brendan Sonnone (@BSonnone) September 6, 2026
Butler, a three-star linebacker from Loachapoka, Alabama, already has offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
The timing stings a bit for Alabama because the program had just come off a 48-10 win over visiting East Carolina, a game that featured a strong showing from first-year quarterback Keelon Russell and what looked like early improvement on the ground and on defense.
Even with that, the Tide’s recruiting picture remains crowded with talent. Alabama’s 2027 class sits at No. 42 nationally in the 247Sports Composite and includes five commitments from in-state prospects. The 2028 class, meanwhile, is off to a fast start and currently ranks No. 1 in the country with six verbal pledges.
Alabama’s next test comes Saturday at Kentucky in the SEC opener for both teams. Kickoff is set for 3:30 ET, with ABC carrying the broadcast.
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