Alabama insider explains how the Tide landed elite 4-star ATH Darrell Johnson

Kalen DeBoer and the new staff in Tuscaloosa continue to cook on the recruiting trail. Alabama has now added five commitments this month and now check in with the No. 5 recruiting class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Another major pledge came on March 20, as Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County four-star athlete Darrell “Duke” Johnson announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide. He is the No. 35 overall prospect and No. 2 athlete in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

“It’s like a dream that’s come true,” Johnson told On3 upon his commitment. “Where I’m from, people don’t go to Bama.” 

It didn’t take long for Johnson to pull the trigger on his pledge after meeting DeBoer, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and the new Bama staff. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder is a terrific fit for Wommack’s system, according to Alabama insider Tim Watts.

“Alabama jumped in with an offer after meeting the staff, and they really moved high on his list. He was pretty excited about Alabama,” Watts said on ‘The Inside Scoop’. “He’s kind of that Swiss Army Knife, utility guy that I keep talking about that (Wommack) wants in his defense. You see him on the edge, you see him in the middle, you see him some on offense, he does a lot of things.”

At Dodge County High, Johnson has ran for over 1,200 yards and has proven to be a do-it-all type. While he could certainly translate that over to the next level, Watts sees Johnson as a linebacker for the Tide upon his arrival.

“He’s definitely going to end up at linebacker, but he’s a guy that can drop into coverage, come off the edge, get through the middle, make things happen,” Watts said. “Kind of a sic ’em guy. Find the ball, get the ball, go chase it, add pressure — and that’s a lot of what Kane Wommack’s defense is, they call it the swarm. It’s just being busy, confusing.”

DeBoer and Co. continue to emerge on the recruiting trail

Johnson is now the highest-ranked commit in Alabama’s 2205 class, but all five recruits that have pledged this month possess four stars next to their name on the On3 Industry Ranking. Selma (Ala.) Southside four-star ATH Derick Smith is the No. 57 recruit in the nation, while Saraland (Ala.) four-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman is the No. 10 player at his position.

DeBoer entered T-Town with a 2025 class that had dwindled down to just two prospects in a matter of days. As he worked to hire his new staff, he also had to operate with a fresh slate and re-gain the energy surrounding Alabama football that was a fixture under Nick Saban.

Safe to say, the new staff has resonated well on the recruiting trail.

“They set a lot of tables in February. It was quiet, and I think that sort of pushed the narrative of ‘can Kalen DeBoer, can this staff recruit?’ And then we’ve seen March be much more fruitful for Alabama,” Watts said.

“I feel like Bama is going to win right away,” Johnson told On3. “They’re not going to take a year off. I liked how they were being coached up and how they were learning the scheme. They have two linebackers leaving, so if I come in mid-year, I can learn the playbook and get in there fast.”