You ever seen sharks start circling before blood even hits the water? That’s exactly what’s happening in Tuscaloosa right now. Kalen DeBoer thought he locked in a war-ready edge rusher for his 2026 class. But in reality? It’s open season. Teams from the SEC to the ACC are running full-court presses on one of Bama’s most prized recruits, and let’s just say… nobody’s playing nice. One name in particular got the sharks doing backflips.
When Kamhariyan Johnson committed to Alabama on April 12, the Tide fanbase let out a sigh of relief. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound muscle missile from Muscle Shoals High had been fielding over 30 offers — we’re talking Auburn, Clemson, Miami, USC, Ole Miss — the full buffet. But after a trip to A-Day in Tuscaloosa, the four-star EDGE hit the button early and locked in with Kalen DeBoer’s crew. Problem is, his commitment didn’t cool down the block… it lit a fire under everybody else.
Fast forward to May, and the headlines aren’t whispering. “Teams continue to make hard push for 4-Star Alabama Edge commit Kamhariyan Johnson,” Touchdown Alabama reported on IG. This man’s got Clemson and Auburn breathing down his neck like unpaid bills. Miami and USC are not far behind, either. Coaches and GMs are still sliding into his DMs, still tryna get him on campus, still selling promises like used car dealers in July.
Thing is, Johnson isn’t your average edge-rusher commit. He’s versatile enough to slide in at DE or grow into an interior disruptor if Bama bulks him up. And while On3 ranks him No. 52 at EDGE overall, their own scouts put him higher — No. 34 nationally. This is a state-certified Alabama gem, the kind Auburn dreams about poaching to flip the power balance in-state. Bama fans might wanna keep that bat signal on standby.
Recruiting-wise, DeBoer’s doing fine — better than fine. Bama’s 2026 class ranks No. 9 nationally, No. 4 in the SEC. The blue-chip rate? A clean 100%. Every single commit is a four-star. That includes five-star CB Jorden Edmonds, top-100 CB Zyan Gibson, and lockdown DB Jamarion Matthews. It’s a defensive masterclass on paper. But paper don’t mean squat in May — not with the NIL world spinning and official visits about to heat up like Death Valley in August.
And that’s the scary part. Johnson had visits scheduled with Clemson, Auburn, USC, Miami, and Ole Miss. Just ‘cause he shut it down early doesn’t mean these other schools packed it in. The floodgates are open, and every one of ‘em is betting he’ll flip once the summer chaos starts. With that kind of pressure and that kind of talent? You bet DeBoer’s camp is treating this like DEFCON 2. The wolves are out — and they’re hungry.
Kalen DeBoer’s Bama Hunting for Big Fishes
The flipside to all this? Alabama aren’t just playing defense. They’re throwing haymakers of their own. The Tide is in hot pursuit of the No. 1 player in the state — 5-star DE Anthony “Tank” Jones outta Mobile. Word dropped this week that Bama’s getting the last of his five official visits this summer, and in recruiting world? That final visit hits different. That’s your closer. Your mic drop. Your chance to make the pitch nobody forgets.
Tank is a walking cheat code. 6’3, 235 pounds of pass-rushing fury. He can play Bandit, Wolf, or whatever wild name Kane Wommack throws at him. On3 says he’s the top-ranked player in Alabama and a top-20 guy nationally. And while schools like Oregon, Texas A&M, and Miami are in the mix, this one feels like a two-man cage match: Alabama vs. Auburn. Freeze got the first swing with a visit this weekend. But if Jones leaves the Plains without committing? That’s DeBoer’s opening to close the coffin.
Alabama’s making a strong in-state push in 2026 — and that isn’t accidental. A lotta folks grumbled last cycle when DeBoer only landed two in-state dudes in a highly-ranked 2025 class. Hugh Freeze pulled the rug from under ’em with that Auburn pitch. This time around? DeBoer isn’t playing that game. Bama already has Zyan Gibson (No. 5 in-state) and could be trending for the Top 3 in-state monsters: WR Cederian Morgan, RB Ezavier Crowell, and Tank Jones.
According to On3’s RPM (Recruiting Prediction Machine), Alabama’s got a strong lead for Morgan and Crowell. They’re in a tug-of-war with Auburn for Jones. But getting the final word in his recruitment? That’s tight game. Alabama’s lining up a summer blitz of visits from top dogs nationwide. If DeBoer nails those? This class might jump from dangerous to downright nuclear.
And while the fanbase might still be side-eyeing the 2025 in-state haul, all signs point to a rebound. DeBoer and Director of Player Personnel Eron Hodges are putting in that trench work. They’re not just hunting five-stars — they’re targeting guys who fit the system and have NFL upside. You heard what Johnson said: “When looking into a school, I want to play for great coaches who can help me get to the NFL.”
If DeBoer closes on Tank Jones, holds firm on Johnson, and adds Crowell and Morgan? That 2026 in-state class might go down as one of the best Saban never signed. In the NIL era, recruiting’s not about who you get to commit — it’s about who you can keep. And right now, Alabama’s fighting like hell to keep theirs while still stealing somebody else’s. Summer’s about to get nasty.
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