Well, it’s the last lap of the 2025 off-season. Before the curtain gets lifted up, the recruiting trail is now going on turbo mode. College football programs are getting their last chance to bolster their 2026 roster before they get busy with the scheme planning and gridiron action. Who is stirring the pot right now? That’s none other than St. Paul’s 5-star linebacker Anthony “Tank” Jones.
While he is yet to dock his wagon, he has got his list of the final three programs that would get the chance to land his commitment. And as soon as the clarity hits, another 5-star recruit who recently confirmed his next home, Cederian Morgan, already wants to be on the same team with Jones.
On July 4, Hayes Fawcett posted on IG, “BREAKING: Five-Star EDGE Anthony “Tank” Jones is down to Alabama, Texas A&M, & Oregon, he tells me for rivals.” The IG post has three slides with Jones donning the Crimson Red jersey, Texas A&M’s black color, and the Ducks’ green and white. To add on to the suspense, below each of the slides, the caption reads, “HOME?” The 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior is now spoiled with three choices. Now, why wouldn’t he? He proved himself as a junior, with 84 solo tackles, 38 assists, 18 tackles for a loss, and 16 sacks. He also had a pair of interceptions. This made him a hot target, receiving 30 offers over the past two years. June has been a busy month for him.
While Jones’ final 3 list includes Alabama, Oregon, and Texas A&M, last month he also made stops at Miami and Auburn. While we are yet to receive confirmation about his commitment date, it could be this summer, or Jones might push his signing day to December. And Morgan can’t keep calm. Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama got lucky to land another huge piece to their 2026 class, five-star in-state wide receiver Morgan. The Benjamin Russell High School product confirmed to play for Alabama over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Clemson and Colorado. “This is the only program I wanted to be a part of since I was younger.” Morgan now wants to make his Tuscaloosa stay even better by having Jones on the same team.
And what better way to woo the 5-star EDGE target than hinting at what’s best suited for him? On Fawcett’s post, Morgan dropped a comment for Jones, “@_tankjones the best instate STAY!!.” Well, right now, Alabama might need some momentum on the recruiting trail, and the addition of Jones after Morgan would be the best way to do that. As per On3’s 2026 Industry Ranking football Team Recruiting Rankings, DeBoer’s program now stands at the No.8 position with 17 recruits locked in. Now, where does Alabama stand in Jones’ list?
No time for Kalen DeBoer to get comfortable in the Anthony “Tank” Jones race
The in-state Crimson Tide have long been considered one of the top schools, if not the favorite. After Jones took an official visit to Alabama, his love for the program just solidified. In an interview with Rivals’ Chad Simmons, the 5-star EDGE shared, “On this visit, I loved the brotherhood that I saw at Alabama. The relationships I have with the staff is something else I like a lot. How I fit into the scheme and their plan for me is something else that stands out at Alabama. … What helped Alabama the most on this visit was seeing what they can do for me and helping me be versatile in the defense. They have a plan for me even if I get bigger and gain weight.”
But that does not mean that DeBoer can sit back and relax. Jones can anytime get wooed by the Ducks or the Aggies. “Texas A&M is definitely still a top school for me. Outside of my relationships with the coaches, the connections I can make at A&M and the alumni are other things that make them stand out. The degree from there would be big for me too,” said Jones of Mike Elko’s squad. Then there is Dan Lanning. Already, a hunger is burning bright in the Ducks’ head coach’s heart. After all, he has lost his ‘Recruitment King’ tag as, after gifting back-to-back No.1 classes, the Ducks’ 2026 class sits at No.7.
If Alabama is leading the race, Anthony “Tank” Jones is someone they will be able to pony up for in NIL in order to get him. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins might send away some FOMO feels. “Has the athleticism to chase down plays from behind and shows a crazy motor. Natural pass rusher at an early age and knows how to use his hands and can win with multiple counters,” the analyst said about Jones. Which program will strike gold by landing this all-in-one phenom?
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