How Will His departure affect Alabama on the trail? Re..

Returning to another recruiting mailbag, happy (belated) New Year.

As we look forward to the Class of 2025, it’s difficult to think we’re only one month away from tying the knot for the Class of 2024. A few fireworks have already occurred, such as the commitment of LSU’s top prospect Bryce Underwood and the reclassification of fellow five-star quarterback Julian Lewis from 2026 to 2025. Now that the contact period, which ends on February 3, has begun, coaches can resume their in-person, off-campus visits. Naturally, everyone is focused on Alabama’s roster.

Now let’s get started. I sincerely appreciate your inquiries.

the apparent one. What effect will Nick Saban’s departure have on Alabama’s recruiting class, and does this indicate that more prospects will be visiting the portal? — In Thad N.

Will Georgia and Alabama continue to be the top two recruiting destinations? — Matt A.

Alabama is a terrific location to start with this mailbag, so I’m merging these two questions because of their connection.

The only commit the Crimson Tide lost in their 2024 class since Saban’s retirement last week is five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams, who reclassified from 2025 to 2024 and will choose between Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, and Texas in February. Williams, who has been committed to the Crimson Tide since October, praised Saban last month before the Under Armour Next All-America game in Orlando, Florida. Williams expressed several times how grateful he was that Saban was understanding about his desire to take additional official visits as he wrapped up his recruitment.

The Crimson Tide have lost just one commit since Saban’s retirement last week, but it’s a significant one: Ryan Williams, a five-star wide receiver who reclassified from 2025 to 2024 and will choose between Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Texas in February. Before the Under Armour Next All-America game in Orlando, Florida, last month, Williams praised Saban and expressed several times how grateful he was that Saban was understanding of his wish to make more official visits as he concluded his recruitment, even though he had been committed to the Crimson Tide since October.

The Class of 2025 has dealt Alabama’s recruitment the worst blows. Five commitments have left the Crimson Tide since Saban’s announcement: four-star tackles Mason Short and Dontrell Glover, five-star wide out Jaime Ffrench, five-star edge Zion Grady, and four-star edge Javion Hilson. They are all in the top 200 players. Hilson, Grady, and Ffrench are among the top 50 players.

It will be intriguing to watch how quickly DeBoer gains traction at Alabama high schools and whether recruit interest in the program is maintained by Saban’s legacy during the transition — particularly in light of Hugh Freeze’s recent success at rival Auburn. DeBoer is regarded as a program builder, but the fact that there are just six blue-chippers and no top 250 players in his Washington class of 2024 made me a little uneasy. Nevertheless, with Michael Penix Jr. and a group of outstanding wide receivers, DeBoer had one of the most entertaining offenses in the country at Washington, which must be alluring to top prospects. Additionally, he is now in a better location with simpler access to talent.

My belief is that the Crimson Tide’s recruiting strategy will be heavily influenced by the team’s appearance in 2024. It’s possible that elite players are waiting to see what the new staff will do. DeBoer needs to enroll in high schools as soon as feasible in the meantime. That should be helped by his appointment of South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack as his defensive coordinator. If he wants to maintain the Crimson Tide among the best in the SEC, he must also make a name for himself in the perpetually gifted state of Georgia.

Kirby Smart of Georgia, a Saban protégé and possibly the best coach in the nation right now, is now able to take advantage of prospects that Saban may have previously passed on. In terms of the most sought-after locations, I would now rank the Bulldogs first, followed by Texas or Ohio State. However, I’m eager to see how everything turns out.

After making it to the CFP title game, do you believe the UW Huskies will see an increase in recruiting in the near future? — Emily H.

This year, Washington really got me. DeBoer’s first year was marked by instant success, and this season things really took off. However, the Huskies’ recruiting efforts for the Class of 2024 never really materialized. In December, they signed just 15 players, with Peyton Waters, a four-star athlete ranked No. 259 nationally, being the highest-ranked prospect. DeBoer has since departed, taking with him a few of his most important coaches.