Kalen DeBoer explains how his Washington draft class helps him recruit at Alabama

Everyone knows about the NFL talent Alabama has pumped out over the years. Nobody was better than Nick Saban at turning high school players, no matter their recruiting ranking, and getting them drafted when their college days were over. Saban’s first-round numbers alone were astonishing, having 47.

But as the program goes through transition, Kalen DeBoer is now in charge. Questions from the outside about DeBoer’s ability to develop at the same rate have certainly been asked. There is a nice out for the new Alabama head coach, though. This past season at Washington has been something DeBoer has pointed out when speaking to recruits with a Script A on his chest.

“There is a lot of development that happens in the program,” DeBoer said. “You mix that with showing proof that that’s something you can do as well with the guys that were drafted from Washington this year — I think it’s added another level. Kind of a stamp that ‘Hey, this can happen at Alabama.’

“The staff I have around me, they’re proven as well. It’s made it probably more seamless just because those questions aren’t ones that hang out there for an extended period of time. You just show people that maybe don’t know and aren’t aware of who all was drafted at Washington. It’s certainly something we want to make sure we put out in front. Not brag about but highlight.”

Washington wound up having 10 players drafted this April after making the College Football Playoff national championship game under DeBoer. Seven of them were on the offensive end, the side of the ball DeBoer specializes in. Of those seven, three came in the first round — quarterback Michael Penix Jr., wide receiver Rome Odunze, and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.

This was off the back of Washington having no players selected during the 2023 NFL Draft. DeBoer was able to come in and get the most out of players. Not just to help the Huskies have a ton of success but also to get his guys into the NFL.

Whatever message DeBoer has been sending out there, it’s certainly working. At the time of posting, Alabama has the No. 3 class in the country per the 2025 On3 Industry Team Rankings. Just Ohio State and LSU are ranked ahead of the Crimson Tide but there is plenty of time to compete for the top spot as we enter a critical portion of the recruiting calendar.