A sneaky fan spotted a top-tier 2025 Alabama commit rocking a Colorado Buffs hat—caught red-handed in rival gear! Guess even five-star recruits can mix things up. And it’s none other than Michael Carroll Jr. The elite IMG Academy IOL was either half awake or this was all a set-up. The June commit didn’t take long to give his pledge to Alabama Crimson Tide just after the visit.

As you can see, Michael Carroll is all strapped up like he’s already ready to forklift fellas in the middle of the field and run up the Digits, as the Thugger song suggests. He fresh off posted a dope video in the Black and Gold thread, you guessed it—yes, in a Colorado Buffs jersey. But he later deleted it. The potential Buffs #77 has a chance to be special with his mass, balance, and physicality. Blessed with tackle size having measured 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, he is the No.1 IOL in the nation. Bama’s recruiting struggles with de-commits recently (see five-star Caleb Cunningham’s flip to Ole Miss) already can be a nervy moment in Tuscaloosa and Carroll’s actions will only add fuel to the fire.

Adding intrigue is the Doylestown native’s September visit to Boulder, where he shared a cryptic post captioned, “Perfect timing.” Well, Coach Prime’s track record of turning heads and flipping top recruits might get Bama worried if this is more than a coincidence. Carroll’s apparent lean toward Boulder highlights a broader shift in college football recruiting dynamics, where NIL deals, social media presence, and a coach’s charisma are rewriting the script.

With already breaking up with the four-star edge rusher Dawson Merritt and 12 other commits, Kalen DeBoer’s side would be having trouble moving on from their past. Both sides with an 8-2 overall before entering Week 13 are juicy for recruits. Colorado only has one added layer of sweetness with a potential championship berth and, of course, Deion Sanders. Additionally, the OL already has elite coaching advice coming right from his house’s sofa.

Michael Carroll had it in his genes

Michael Carroll Jr comes with some serious football pedigree—his father, also named Michael Carroll, was a Penn State linebacker. And they are in the recruiting race too. Snagging this in-state legacy away from the Nittany Lions is like hitting a home run for Kalen DeBoer and offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic.

Nicknamed ‘Big Mike’, he comes from a family of athletes. His old man suited up for Penn State football, while his mom, Letitia Carroll, made her mark as a Hall of Fame basketball player for Michigan State. “He’s dedicated and hardworking, always pushing himself to be the best,” said Central Bucks East coach John Donnelly. The journey as a football player goes beyond the game. It’s about the relationships he’s built, the lessons he’s learned, and the impact he’s had on his community.