Alabama trending for Top-100 LB Dawson Merritt

It’s already been a wildly successful June on the recruiting trail for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. The Crimson Tide have added seven commitments this month and now have the No. 3 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

There’s still more to be done for the new staff in Tuscaloosa, however, and Bama is now trending heavily for one of its top targets still on the board, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest four-star linebacker Dawson Merritt told On3’s Chad Simmons last month that he will choose between Alabama and Nebraska. He’s now logged official visits to both schools. Since April, seven picks have been logged in the On3 RPM in favor of the Tide.

He’s been to T-Town three times this year, including his OV on the June 7 weekend. His latest trip left the Tide “in a great spot” to land his commitment.

“It was a little different because I had already been there twice and I could compare it to a family reunion in a way,” Merritt said of the OV to Simmons. “I knew everyone already and got to hang out with a lot of top-tier guys in the class which was really cool.”

Merritt is the No. 87 overall prospect and No. 10 LB in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 3 player in Kansas.

Bama’s June haul filled with elite recruits

Of the seven commits for DeBoer and his staff this month, four are top-100 prospects in either the On3 Industry Ranking or the 2025 On300.

Duncanville (Texas) four-star quarterback Keelon Russell — a top-60 prospect and top-10 QB this cycle — flipped from SMU on June 4, giving Bama the impressive signal-caller it’s been looking for. Four days later, Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star cornerback Chuck McDonald joined the class. He’s the No. 9 corner in the nation and a top-10 player in California.

Doylestown (Pa.) Central Bucks East four-star interior offensive lineman Michael Carroll and Carmel (Calif.) four-star offensive tackle Jackson Lloyd are both major outliers for On3. Each check in inside the top 30 overall in the On300, providing a major boost on the interior for Chris Kapilovic.

Back in March, Bama landed its top two commits this cycle so far. Selma (Ala.) Southside four-star athlete Derick Smith pledged on March 11 and was followed by Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County four-star ATH Darrell Johnson just over a week later. Both are top-50 recruits overall.

The class now features 17 commitments in total. Only Ohio State and LSU currently check in ahead of Alabama in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, as of June 21.