Runnin’ Wild: Alabama lands commitment from No. 2 RB AK Dear

AK Dear, No. 2 running back in the country per On3 Sports, has announced his commitment to the University of Alabama on Tuesday afternoon. He becomes the third prospect to commit to the Tide from Mississippi in the ’25 class. Dear announced his commitment plans last Thursday.

The 6-foot, 200-pounder originally committed to Ole Miss on March 30. He visited Alabama the weekend prior to the decision. It was his first time on campus since the new staff arrived in Tuscaloosa, but not the only time meeting with the Tide’s new head coach.

Coach Kalen DeBoer stopped by Quitman High School in Mississippi to visit the No. 31 overall recruit on January 24 – His first week on the recruiting trail for Alabama. Coach Nick Saban had also extended the initial scholarship offer on March 8, 2023. He visited the Crimson Tide several times, and the powerhouse program was always considered in the top two.

“Most people grew up being Alabama fans — even if they were from another state — just because of the type of culture they created, which was a winning culture,” Dear said after his Alabama official visit on June 14-16. “I’ve always loved what Alabama has done with their running backs because look at the NFL currently and in the past… a lot of running backs that are/were in the league come from Alabama.”

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Mississippi to Alabama

Alabama running backs coach Robert Gillespie (originally from Hattiesburg) certainly delivered a big win for his new head coach. The one holdover from the offensive staff under Coach Saban has been the force for the Crimson Tide in the pursuit of Dear. He developed an early connection, and it ultimately played a major factor.

“Coach Gillespie is Coach Gillespie… Coach Gillespie and I have always had an extremely good relationship,” Dear told BOL in June. “Even when I made my decision on committing to Ole Miss, Coach Gillespie said he respected that and he still was going to recruit me until the end. My time with Coach Gillespie was great as always. I love how he’s always honest with me about everything.”

The Crimson Tide signed Daniel Hill (Meridian) in December; Hill announced in January at the All-American Bowl. Hill spent time helping recruit Dear to Alabama during the official visit last month. Another freshman also heavily recruited the No. 31 overall player in the On300.

“Ryan Williams was a great player-host as well,” he previously told BOL. “I’ve watched him over the past two years be a dominant force. For him to tell me to come home and play with him was crazy. I respect those guys, and it means a lot that they would even consider me as a potential teammate.”

Dear is the second running back commitment for Alabama in the ’25 class, joining Anthony Rogers, four-star from Carver High School in Montgomery. He is the third player from Mississippi to commit to Coach DeBoer as he joins five-star wide receiver Caleb Cunningham (Ackerman-Choctaw County) and three-star defensive lineman London Simmons (Flowood-Hartfield Academy)

“Since the first time I visited Alabama, I knew that was where I was going to end up,” Dear told On3 Sports on Tuesday. “I have been there eight or nine times and I have always had that feeling. It goes back to when coach Nick Saban was there. Something about the feeling at Alabama has always been different.

The 6-foot, 200-pound athlete rushed for 2,016 yards and 27 touchdowns during his junior season. He scored 22 touchdowns of those touchdowns in the final five games. Dear also had three touchdown passes.

UPDATED ALABAMA COMMITMENT LIST: VIEW HERE

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15267528/65265bf40427fe0af4358bd7

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