The Alabama Crimson Have Signed five incredible players for a total of $497 million

Quinton Reese, a three-star linebacker commit who ended his recruitment after meeting with Kalen DeBoer, will remain with the Alabama Football program. Following the coaching change, Reese was the lone player who wasn’t sure if he would sign with the Alabama Football program. This past weekend, Reese attended Junior Day, and it seemed like Kalen DeBoer and his team made an impression on him. Reese will formally sign his letter of intent to enroll in the program on Wednesday.

Listed as the 48th-ranked player in the state and the 91st-ranked linebacker, the native of Birmingham is vastly undervalued in prospect rankings. Reese has demonstrated excellent coverage skills at the high school level and will carry over his remarkable speed to the collegiate ranks. Reese will probably be considered for the linebacker spot starting in 2025, because Jihad Campbell and Deontae Lawson appear to be set for 2024.

For Kalen DeBoer and his team, landing Reese signals the successful conclusion of the 2024 hiring cycle. Out of this signing class, the team’s sole losses to the transfer portal were Jameer Grimsley and Julian Sayin. Meanwhile, the staff was able to re-land Ryan Williams and Quinton Reese and brought in Noah Carter. After Nick Saban left, the signing class might have easily collapsed, but with Sayin and Grimsley gone, the Alabama football team will have the second-best recruiting class overall.

Using this signing class as a launchpad for future recruiting success is imperative for Kalen DeBoer and his talented recruiting team. Given that many of the best players in the class have already worked with Ryan Williams through showcases and camps, the exceptionally gifted athlete will be a huge asset in the recruiting process for the 2025 class. It might make or break Kalen DeBoer’s tenure at Alabama if this signing class, which is the first without Nick Saban as coach, perform well.

Some players used the transfer portal to leave Alabama after Nick Saban announced his retirement as head coach, without even waiting to find out who will take his position. With Kalen DeBoer taking over, more players left Tuscaloosa; when all was said and done, Alabama had thirty transfers leaving and only six arriving.

Caleb Downs, Isaiah Bond, Amari Niblack, Kadyn Proctor, and other high-impact starters were among the many players that left. The Crimson Tide could be playing with fewer than 11 fins for the first time since 2010 as a result of those losses.

Though it may sound like a pessimistic view, the bright side of that is the talent that DeBoer managed to retain in the program and how successful he has been in tailoring his system to the strengths of his players during his four years as head coach. You nearly always improve when you play for Kalen DeBoer.

For example, consider how Dillon Johnson, who spent three years at Mississippi State, became a 1,000-yard runner in his only season with the Huskies, or how Michael Penix Jr., who started off as a quarterback at Washington, went on to become one of the greatest in the nation.

At Alabama, the same thing will occur, and these five players who have been faithful are the most likely to see an improvement in opportunities or productivity under the new coaching staff.