How Washington's NFL draft success helps Alabama, Kalen DeBoer in recruiting

One of the biggest winners of the 2024 NFL Draft was Washington and now-former head coach Kalen DeBoer, who is now at Alabama. The Huskies produced 10 draft picks over the course of seven rounds, including three first-rounders, and both marks tied school records.

Now leading the Crimson Tide football program, which also had 10 players drafted in late April, DeBoer was asked by former UA quarterback Greg McElroy how Washington’s success in the 2024 NFL Draft has helped Alabama on the recruiting trail in the last two months.

“I think a combination of just everything that’s always happened here in the program – the development,” said DeBoer on the Always College Football podcast. “I know it’s high-end guys that are coming in, but there is a lot of development that happens in the program. And 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 just added another level of just kind of a stamp of, ‘Hey, this can happen at Alabama.’ And the staff I have around me, they’ve been proven, as well.

“So it’s made it probably a little more seamless just because those questions aren’t ones that really hang out there for an extended period of time. You just talk about and show people that maybe don’t know and aren’t aware of who all was drafted at Washington. But it’s certainly something that we wanna make sure we put out there in front and not brag about but make sure we highlight.”

Washington’s high-powered offense in 2023 featured seven draft picks, including three in the first round. Quarterback Michael Penix and his top three receivers (Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan) were all selected in the first 100 picks of the 2024 draft.

In the wake of the draft, Alabama has had a hot start to the summer by landing commitments from seven high school players in the month of June. That total includes four top-100 recruits, three offensive linemen and 4-star quarterback Keelon Russell of Duncanville, Texas. Ahead of the final official visit weekend, the Tide sits with the nation’s No. 3 class.

When he was hired to replace Nick Saban, there were some who wondered if DeBoer could recruit in the South. There is still a ways to go until the 2025 recruiting cycle is over, but if his recent run is any indication, DeBoer appears set to reel in a top-five signing class.

He discussed his approach to recruiting this part of the country with McElroy.

“I think in the end, no matter where you’re at, when it comes to recruiting, it does come (down) to relationships and just how much are you gonna pour into it, how important it is,” DeBoer said. “It takes time, it takes time. So you’re starting a little bit behind when it comes to moving here in January and really trying to reestablish. 

“I mean, there’s acquaintances but not on a regular basis because I was at Eastern Michigan. We recruited in Florida. I was at Bloomington for 10 months, and there were a lot of visits around the Southeast that you took with guys, and Florida was another area that was recruited heavily. When I was at Southern Illinois, we recruited Tennessee and made some trips down here into Alabama and Mississippi quite a bit, even Atlanta.

“So there’s times where I understood the area but not just one where you’re just full-fledge engrained in it. So I get that when people bring that up.”

DeBoer shares his thoughts on UA’s 2024 roster

DeBoer has been in Tuscaloosa for five months now, and Alabama’s roster should be complete for his first season with the Tide. There has been some movement, whether in the aftermath of Saban’s retirement or during the spring transfer window, while several new pieces were added to the mix at key positions that lacked depth, especially of experience.

During his 22-minute conversation with McElroy, DeBoer discussed the state of the roster.

“The defensive backfield, we brought in a couple of guys here at the end of the spring to help out there, and that’s been good,” DeBoer said. “It doesn’t mean that you don’t feel good about who you have, but you’ve just gotta have some numbers at some spots. And there’s some good up and coming guys we brought in from other programs that are young and gonna help us.

“But I think overall, you just saw the athleticism, and now, it’s just a matter of them feeling comfortable in your system across the board at all positions. 

“I feel the offensive line has really come together in a special way with Kadyn Proctor coming back, and I know for a while there, we didn’t have Parker Brailsford. But you’ve got those guys along with just being a position group that over the course of the spring, I thought, was the position group that improved the most from the start to the finish. And a huge tip of the cap to Coach (Chris Kapilovic), our offensive line coach, and those guys for just continuing to work. So I was proud of that group.

“I think just across the defensive side of the ball, I think we’re just very consistent. Up front, there’s a lot of returning production, whether it be at the defensive line or linebacker. We’ve got some veterans there. So now, it’s just a matter of continuing to build up the guys that are in behind them. A lot of young faces there in the two deep, but there’s a lot of potential that exists, too. 

“So getting more and more reps and building up their confidence in these times that we have right now in the summer, each and every day is important when we get to have those touchpoints with them. And we’ve still got 20-plus practices left of fall camp and some games where each and every one is gonna matter as far as their growth and reaching their potential.”

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