Alabama makes big jump in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings

Alabama is going nowhere in the race for the No. 1 class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Following multiple big decommitments, paired with a ranking update, the Tide fell to No. 5 entering this week. On Monday night, though, Kalen DeBoer and Co. flipped Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange four-star safety Ivan Taylor from Michigan.

With the addition of the No. 63 overall prospect, Bama made a three-spot jump in the team recruiting rankings and is now back to holding the No. 2 class in the nation with the Early Signing Period just two weeks out.

“Just the fit,” Taylor told On3 about his decision to flip. “I think I’ll be a better fit there. There’s really nothing else to it. The coaches, the environment.”

“Coach Hitschler, Coach DeBoer, the whole coaching staff,” he added. “They just treat me like family. I’m comfortable there. I’m going to be away from my family. It’s good to be treated like family by all the people.”

Alabama now has commitments from nine top-100 overall prospects, including a quartet of five-stars.

Tide pushing for the top-ranked recruiting class once again

Duncanville (Texas) quarterback Keelon Russell flipped from SMU in the summer and is now a Five-Star Plus+ prospect following Monday’s On300 update. He moved up to No. 3 overall and is now No. 6 overall in the On3 Industry Rankings.

Doylestown (Pa.) IMG Academy five-star interior offensive lineman Michael Carroll is the nation’s No. 13 recruit and top-ranked IOL, while Denton (Texas) Ryan five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood is a top-25 recruit and the No. 5 OT. The class also includes Carmel (Calif.) OT Jackson Lloyd — who also received On300 five-star status on Monday.

Lloyd committed on June 18, just 10 days prior to Mission Viejo (Calif.) five-star cornerback Dijon Lee doing the same. Lee is the No. 4 corner in the nation and one of three defensive backs in the class, alongside Santa Ana (Calif.) four-star CB Chuck McDonald and now Taylor. McDonald is also a top-100 recruit.

Quitman (Miss.) four-star running back Akylin Dear is the No. 50 prospect and No. 2 RB in the nation. Cincinnati Winton Woods four-star EDGE Justin Hill isn’t far behind at No. 53 overall.

Other top commits in the class include: Eastman (Ga.) Dodge County four-star linebacker Darrell Johnson, El Dorado Hills (Calif.) Oak Ridge four-star tight end Kaleb Edwards, Mobile (Ala.) Theodore four-star IOL Micah DeBose, JuCo four-star EDGE Kevonte Henry and Dacula (Ga.) Mill Creek four-star LB Luke Metz.