Alabama recruiting class is loaded with nine 5-star recruits

Win or lose, the Alabama Crimson Tide will beat your favorite team on the recruiting trails.

With nearly everybody committed in the 2023 cycle, Alabama will have the No. 1 recruiting class across college football.

Alabama has the No. 1 overall ranking per the 247Sports Composite Index for 2023. The Crimson Tide have 24 early enrollees, four other players having signed their national letters of intent and two more coming to Tuscaloosa by way of the transfer portal. They edged out Georgia and Texas for the top class in the country in this past cycle. Ohio State and Oklahoma round out the top five.

Even more impressive, nine of Alabama’s 28 signees were five-stars and 10 are top-50 prospects.

Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class is absolutely dripping with five-star talent

Here are the nine five-stars Alabama was able to sign in the most recent recruiting cycle.

• Keon Keeley: No. 2 overall, No. 1 edge rusher, No. 1 Florida
• Caleb Downs: No. 6 overall, No. 1 safety, No. 1 Georgia*
• Kadyn Proctor: No. 9 overall, No. 1 offensive tackle, No. 1 Iowa*
• Justice Haynes: No. 24 overall, No. 2 running back, No. 2 Georgia*
• Desmond Ricks: No. 25 overall, No. 2 cornerback, No. 6 Florida*
• James Smith: No. 26 overall, No. 2 defensive lineman, No. 1 Alabama*
• Yhonzae Pierre: No. 30 overall, No. 4 edge rusher, No. 2 Alabama
• Qua Russaw: No. 34 overall, No. 5 edge rusher, No. 4 Alabama*
• Jalen Hale: No. 38 overall, No. 6 wide receiver, No. 7 Texas*

* indicates an early enrollee

As you can see, seven of Alabama’s nine five-stars opted to enroll early. Their other top-50 recruit in defensive back Jahlil Hurley (No. 50 overall, No. 5 cornerback, No. 8 Alabama) decided to enroll early as well. Even with two five-stars uncommitted this late into the process, it would be absolutely shocking if Georgia were to somehow surpass Alabama for 2023’s top overall class.

What makes this really impressive for Alabama is three-fold. One, Nick Saban is in his 70s. Two, Saban lost both of his top coordinators to other jobs with Pete Golding going to Ole Miss and Bill O’Brien going back to the New England Patriots. And three, Alabama has not won a national title in two years. Georgia is at the peak of its power, but the “reeling” Crimson Tide out recruited them.

This could mean any number of things, but it may suggest that Saban indicated to this particular class that early playing time could be had at Tuscaloosa this year. While it remains to be seen who he chooses to replace Golding and O’Brien internally, the Crimson Tide are in need of an influx of talent. The receiving corps was lackluster last year and its three best offensive players turned pro.

Ultimately, this 2023 recruiting class will play a huge part in if Saban wins a seventh national title in Tuscaloosa before hanging up the headset. Georgia winning back-to-back championships has shifted college football’s preeminent dynasty over to Athens in the SEC East. However, the Crimson Tide are always one season away from getting back on top throughout college football.

Saban and his remaining staff should be thrilled with how well they did on the recruiting trails.

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