Alabama Big Board: Inside look a the Tide’s top DB targets
The Alabama defensive back class in ’24 almost mirrors the linebacker class in ’25 for the Crimson Tide. It was stacked with players and elite talent. Some of the DBs opted to transfer after Nick Saban’s retirement, but the majority of the class remained. Alabama currently has two DB commitments and hopes to make additional moves during the next two months.
Alabama signed seven DBs in the previous cycle. Five of the players remain in Tuscaloosa including three former five-star cornerbacks- Jaylen Mbakwe, Zay Mincey and Zabien Brown. Alabama doesn’t anticipate losing any, but also understands it’s essentially free agency at the conclusion of each season.
Coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff are recruiting the best players who fit the program with hopes it can sign four or five total defensive backs in the ’25 class.
The commitments include Derick Smith, Top 100 safety from Southside High School in Selma, Alabama, and Zymear Smith, four-star cornerback from North Caroline High School in Denton, Maryland. Both have only visited Alabama since announcing their decisions in March.
“When I went down there, what I saw there was everything I needed to see,” Smith said told BOL earlier this spring. “Watching those clips, they just boosted up more. It’s just locked in, man. It’s their preparation for the practice. They’re going to get it done how they want to get it done. They’re going to get it done right. Keep telling you over and over again to fix it up. Get one percent better every day.”
Alabama has its targets with many who are well known, and some who still remain under the radar. The summer camp season kicks off in Tuscaloosa on May 30. Likely a few players who the staff already have in their vision, but still want to see work-out in camp to confirm a previous offer or extend a new offer. Alabama freshmen defensive backs Red Morgan and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., earned offers from the Crimson Tide based on their camp performance last summer.
Must-Read: Latest intel on top DL targets for the Crimson Tide
Alabama pushing for West Coast corners
Five-star CB Dijon Lee (Credit: On3)
Dijon Lee, five-star cornerback from Mission Viejo High School in California, has visited Alabama this spring and will return for an official visit on June 21. Georgia had previously been viewed as the front-runner in Lee’s recruitment, but Alabama has recently surged with some feeling the momentum has shifted in the Tide’s favor. BOL also likes Alabama’s position, if an announcement were to happen soon.
Lee is expected, however, to embark on the official visit journey before announcing a decision. He will begin with a trip to Washington on 5/31 before returning to UGA on 6/7. He has also added visits dates with Texas (6/12) and Texas A&M (6/14).
Alabama secured the final visit prior to the start of the month-long dead period (June 25). Lee’s previous connection with Coach DeBoer (who offered him while at Washington) and Courtney Morgan has helped, along with his fast connection with cornerbacks coach Maurice Linguist.
“We actually connected really well this time because we had a lot more in common than I thought,” Lee told BamaOnLine regarding their relationship. That was great. That’s my guy right there. He’s a great coach. He coached with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a head coach before this. Everybody knows he knows what he’s talking about.”
Chuck McDonald, Top 100 corner from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, was re-offered by Alabama on February 14. He took visits during the spring, but he did not make it to Tuscaloosa. McDonald recently met with Alabama DC Kane Wommack and Coach Linguist during a stop by his high school last week.
“I didn’t know what to think when the coaching staff changed, but they have done a great job,” McDonald told On3 Sports. “I was really high on Alabama before the coaching change, but after they visited me about a week or so ago, that made a big impact on me. Coach Maurice Linguist and Coach Kane Wommack sat down with me, had a meeting with me and I really liked what they had to say.
“I have Abduall Sanders committed, Zabien Brown just signed there and Domani Jackson is from Mater Dei too, so I know a lot of people there and I need to get on campus and see how I feel around the new coaches.”
Alabama looks in prime position with Lee. He has previously mentioned the possibility of announcing prior to summer visits. He does not have an official visit (OV) date set for USC (yet), but the Trojans are expected to remain in the race.
McDonald, on the other hand, has visited the home town school several times. The West Coast schools seem in a better position, but official visits can change things quickly. Alabama can set the bar high when McDonald travels to Tuscaloosa on May 31. He will visit UGA (6/7), Oregon (6/14) and USC (6/21) before a decision.
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Georgia ATH has Tide in top two
Photo by Jeremy Johnson.
Alabama is aiming for at least one more safety from the high school ranks, and Todd Robinson, two-way athlete from Valdosta High School is on the short list. Robinson, who visited Tuscaloosa on April 3, will return for an official visit on May 31. He also has OVs set for Georgia (6/7), LSU (6/14) and Tennessee (6/21).
Robinson lists the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs at the top ahead of the summer slate. He currently intends to wait until December before a decision. Georgia has talked with Robinson more about playing on offense as a running back, while also open to other positions, while Alabama has focused at safety.
He has a longer relationship with UGA RBs coach Josh Crawford (also previously recruited Robinson while coaching at Georgia Tech). He has developed a strong relationship with Alabama safeties coach Colin Hitschler, and knows what Alabama has to offer.
“It’s just a great program,” Robinson said. “Good coaches. One of the best programs. They produce NFL players. They’ve also got some of the best coaches in the country… Bama is always going to produce great DBs. They’ve always had great DBs in their program.”
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Five other DBs to monitor:
Graceson Littleton/His Twitter
Graceson Littleon, four-star CB from Wiregrass Ranch HS in Tampa
-Littleton took unofficial visits to Alabama in March and April. He is not in a major rush to announce a decision, but he is also hoping to shut down things by the start of his senior season. He has received 40 scholarship offers with the most recent including UGA, Michigan and USC. Alabama offered on March 5, and he is expected to receive an official visit. Penn State is the only known OV at this time (5/31).
“I think Alabama is definitely a program that I’m very interested in right now,” Littleton said. “I’d say it’s just my relationships with the coaches and the defensive scheme. The culture of the program when I went to see it. The environment, it felt like something I would love to be around.”
Onis Konanbanny, four-star CB, Heatherwood School in Columbia, S.C.
-The 6-foot-2, 180-pound corner was born in France prior to moving to London. He moved to the U.S. in 2022, and he is a hot commodity among several programs including Alabama. Konanbanny visited Alabama in early April. He is expected to return for an official visit (date not yet revealed). He recently took an OV to Utah. He has other dates set with UNC (6/7), Penn State (6/14) and Tennessee (6/21)
Timothy Merritt, three-star CB, Parker HS in Birmingham
-Merritt received an offer from Alabama earlier this year. He does not appear in any rush to make a decision. He has mentioned taking OVs during the summer and fall. He attended A-Day, and will likely return to work-out in camp at some point next month. Merritt is expected to take official visits to Arkansas, Miami and Tennessee in June. He will wait until the fall to visit Alabama and Auburn.
Na’eem Offord, five-star CB (Ohio State commitment), Parker HS in Birmingham
-The communication with Offord has continued with Alabama. There isn’t any sense of Offord on ‘flip watch’ though. He is considering official visits outside of Ohio State. Offord has an OV set with the Buckeyes on June 21. He has mentioned taking another visit to Florida while Alabama, Auburn and Georgia remain in pursuit.
Anquon Fegans, Top 100 S, Thompson HS in Alabaster, Alabama.
Fegans visited Alabama earlier this spring. He has a great relationship with long-time area recruiter, Freddie Roach. The relationship with the rest of the defensive staff, along with Coach DeBoer, is new. Alabama is not in the top group which includes Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, LSU and Miami. A visit back to Tuscaloosa this summer is likely, but a lot will need to change for the Tide to be in high contention.
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