On3 Roundtable: Alabama has a 'great chance' to flip Georgia commit Peyton Woodyard

Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco four-star safety Peyton Woodyard announced his commitment to Georgia on Jan. 7 and will take an official visit to Athens on June 2. However, SEC rival Alabama is working hard to flip the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Woodyard from the Bulldogs, Andrew Bone of BamaInsider said on the On3 Roundtable.

Woodyard is taking an official to Alabama on June 23. He will also see USC on June 9 and Ohio State on June 16. According to Bone, the Crimson Tide have a “great chance” to flip Woodyard.

“This is a kid who grew up an Alabama fan all the way out in California,” Bone said. “His father, who is originally from Mobile (Ala.), raised his family as Alabama fans and they were always watching Alabama football games growing up, cheering on the Crimson Tide. He earned an offer from Alabama prior to his sophomore year, but didn’t make it back to Tuscaloosa until April the 13th of this year.

“He made it back to Tuscaloosa, kind of renewed that interest in Alabama and all of a sudden, set up an official visit. So I think they’ve got a great chance to flip him away from the Bulldogs and he’s certainly one of their top overall safety targets in this class, one of their top overall targets in general.”

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Alabama is making Woodyard feel like a priority

Woodyard is the No. 65 overall prospect and No. 4 safety in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 6 player in California.

If Alabama is able to flip Woodyard, it would mark a massive recruiting win from the Crimson Tide, especially since their 2024 recruiting class does not currently contain any safeties. Meanwhile, Georgia has commitments from two of the top five safeties in the country in Woodyard and Rockledge (Fla.) four-star safety Jaylen Heyward.

“(Nick Saban) wanted to talk with me before he left on his trip,” Woodyard told Bone on May 10. “He just wanted to make sure that I knew that, not only does he want me there at Alabama, but that he needs me there. He said he is looking forward to having me and my family there for my official visit. We had a great conversation.”

“It means a lot to me,” he added about speaking with Saban. “Especially with him coaching up the DBs, he’s the GOAT. He was telling me that he likes my football IQ and how quickly I diagnose plays.”