Alabamas Next 2027 DB Flip Battle Is Starting To Take Shape

As Alabama readjusts its recruiting strategy, two promising defensive backs become prime candidates for flipping to bolster the 2027 lineup.

Alabama’s 2027 recruiting board has been relatively quiet lately, but Week 1 brought a couple of fresh names into the mix as Kalen DeBoer and his staff keep hunting for defensive back help.

The Crimson Tide are working with a class that currently sits at 14 commitments, and the attention is still spread heavily toward the 2028 cycle. With so much of the current roster eligible to return next season, Alabama isn’t planning to pour major resources into 2027.

Even so, the staff is still searching for value, and defensive back remains a clear area of need. One corner and one safety are the likely priorities.

That’s where two new offers came in over the weekend.

The first went to UConn cornerback commit Preston Glasco, a 3-star prospect from Georgia who was in Tuscaloosa for a visit during Week 1. After that trip, Alabama jumped in with an offer on Saturday.

Glasco announced it this way:

“After a Great Conversation with Coach @KalenDeBoer, I’m Blessed to Receive an Offer from The University of Alabama ! @CoachMoLinguist @KaneWommack @AlabamaFTBL @TonyJones_810 @PlayerProMorgan @CoachSanders14 @BrettGreenberg_ @blakebyler45 @ChadSimmons_ @TomLoy247 … pic.twitter.com/mi5IlwUBHg

  • Prestonglasco (@prestonglasco) September 5, 2026”

Glasco’s recruitment has picked up fast since the summer. He committed to UConn in June, but keeping him locked in looks like a tough task now.

Georgia and South Carolina have also offered him recently, and both SEC programs figure to keep pressing. Alabama appears to be in a strong spot as well, and the Tide want to get him back on campus again soon.

At 6-foot-2.5 and 190 pounds, he has the kind of size Maurice Linguist likes at corner.

The other weekend offer went to Texas safety James Roberson, a Wisconsin commit who is also starting to draw more attention. Alabama extended that offer on Sunday after a conversation with coach Jason Jones.

Roberson posted:

“After a great conversation with @CoachJasonJones I’m blessed to receive an offer from The University of Alabama! pic.twitter.com/tLqRxhlGIT

  • James (Trey) Roberson (@Jrobe0) September 6, 2026”

Roberson has gotten out to a strong start this season at Allen High School, one of Texas’ powerhouse programs, and his stock looks like it could keep climbing as his senior year rolls on. He committed to Wisconsin in June, but he has plenty of other offers, and Alabama will try to bring him in for a game-day visit in the coming weeks. That could give the Tide a real shot at pulling him away from the Badgers.

Texas commit Junior Tu’upo remains a higher-priority safety target for Alabama, especially after visiting for the season opener. But the Tide aren’t sitting around and waiting on one name. If Roberson keeps trending the way he has, Alabama could decide to push harder rather than let the safety board linger.

In Other News...

Tua Tagovailoa Just Got The Atlanta Chance Alabama Fans Wanted

For Alabama fans who kept wondering whether Tua Tagovailoa might finally get a fresh NFL stage, the Falcons have given him one. Atlanta announced that Tagovailoa will open the 2026 season as its starting quarterback after an offseason trade from the Miami Dolphins, putting him in line to lead a team that spent the summer sorting out its quarterback picture with Michael Penix Jr.

The assignment comes with an immediate test, too. The Falcons are set to begin the season on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, so Tagovailoa will get his first chance to settle into the job under pressure and in front of a national audience. For Alabama backers, it is the kind of early-season storyline that ties their former star to a new opportunity and a new set of expectations right away. [Read more 🡒]

Keelon Russells Debut Left Alabama With One Clear Concern

Keelon Russells first Alabama appearance offered enough to see why the staff is so intrigued, but it also showed why the postgame film will matter. Against East Carolina, the freshman quarterback had stretches where he tried to make plays down the line instead of taking what was available underneath, and the overall snapshot was of a debut with some promise mixed with some decisions Alabama will want cleaned up quickly.

The same game also gave the Tide a useful look at other parts of the offense, from the tight ends working as both receivers and run blockers to concerns around Coleman-Williams mechanics. On the other side of the ball, freshman defensive back Jireh Edwards was around the action on the sideline even though he did not play after an August injury, leaving one more item for Alabama to monitor as the opener is absorbed and the depth chart keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]

Cole Cubelic Saw One Encouraging Sign In Keelon Russells Debut

Week 1 of the 2026 college football season gave the SEC a clean opening weekend, and ESPN analyst Cole Cubelic spent much of it picking apart what he saw from each league team on social media. For Alabama, his attention naturally landed on Keelon Russells debut, which came in a conference that looked sharp overall and left plenty of room for early readjustments around the league.

Cubelic liked the way Russell handled the offense, noting the timing on his throws and the way he used his legs when it mattered. Even with that encouraging first impression, Alabama still has a bigger-picture checklist to work through, and Cubelic pointed to the need to do a better job managing the edges as the Tide move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]