Kalen DeBoer is on the verge of losing his distinction as the recruitment mastermind. All thanks to the Alabama Crimson Tide as they witness talent drain to the rivals, Auburn Tigers. This came as a shock for the head coach. So much so that DeBoer has now decided to throw his promise out of the window.

He has already devised a plan for his 5-star recruit, Ryan Williams. However, the Alabama HC still has a long way to go before he is satisfied. So, he is now in pursuit of landing another 5-star glory for his tribe, the one and only Kaliq Lockett from Texas.

DeBoer’s commitment to quality over quantity may not hold for Lockett

The On3 Recruits podcast on August 2 featured a conversation with Bama Online insider Tim Watts. The Texas wide receiver demands all the attention since he is on the verge of finalizing his commitment. The host confirmed, “Kaliq Lockett, the five-star wide receiver out of Sachse, Texas, is set to make his decision on August 7 next Wednesday, so we’re just a few days away.”

And what makes the WR the talk of the town? A year ago, as a junior at Sachse, Lockett set a record for catching 59 passes for 1,299 yards. He also amassed 13 touchdowns while posting 22 yards per reception. Isn’t this alluring enough? Of course, it is. Hence, DeBoer is whipping up a plan to land Lockett. However, the Alabama HC will have to break his promise.   

As Watts pointed out, “We know some of the numbers Alabama wanted. A small group at wide receiver. The number was two that was the number that we were told early on that Alabama wanted two quality wide receivers, not quantity.” But what made DeBoer change his plan? 

Recruiting shakeup in the Crimson Tide tribe

Even though the exact reason is yet to be known, it is probably because of two back-to-back losses to Auburn that have given rise to a revenge-seeking interest in the Crimson Tide HC. He does not want to rush as far as Williams is concerned. As for his blueprint, DeBoer said,  “I don’t mean from Day 1. I mean, you want every play to be amazing, explosive, but you just want him lining up right, doing the fundamental things, making the easy plays, and then because of his ability, the big ones will come.” While DeBoer is so confident about Williams, he recently had two costly losses.

On July 29, the in-state prospect, Derick Smith, decided to flip his commitment from Crimson Tide to Auburn Tigers. Smith happened to be one of the first 2025 commitments and DeBoer’s squad was pinning high hopes around the player since his visit in February. 

This was a big loss for the program, and even before Smith lost, another notable player who would have helped Williams unleash his true potential was the four-star defensive lineman Antonio Coleman, who trusted Auburn over DeBoer’s army. It’s now to be seen if Lockett commits himself to Crimson Tide and fills in the gaps.