Alabama’s Champions Cookout is more than just hot diverse items on the grills! One highlight is the scavenger hunt passed down from Nick Saban’s era that touched the hearts and souls of the prospective recruits. This is one of the reasons how Kalen DeBoer was able to entice and win the interest of a highly-touted two-way prospect of the 2026 class for another future visit. 

4-star ATH prospect Brandon Arrington was present at Tuscaloosa for his first visit after receiving an offer from JaMarcus Shephard in February. And by the Mount Miguel HS star’s verdict on the visit, it looks like Kalen DeBoer won his heart. He said of his visit, “Meeting the other coaches, it made me feel like home. I met the head coach today for the first time. He made it feel like home.” So what trick is Alabama using to entice elite players? 

Jimmy Stein gave an update on what went down during Alabama football’s summer cookout on their new YouTube episode on Locked On Bama on July 29. While he called the event a “huge success” attributing the success to the wide variety of meat and items, it was the scavenger hunt, a brainchild of Nick Saban. Kalen DeBoer’s staff has embraced this tradition for their benefit. Stein said, “What they do is they put recruits on golf carts with a hostess… And they go to different locales on campus and what they’re doing is literally a scavenger hunt looking for items that are hidden around the campus.” 

Still, there is more to this game than just fun because as Stein explained, “It’s a competitive game. But what they’re really doing is showing them the campus in a fun way… the players seem to enjoy the heck out of it.” Alabama’s winning culture primarily stems from the bulk of top-ranked recruits joining the program. And engaging and informative activities like this right from their visit only give more promises to the potential recruits. It’s no wonder why Arrington “most definitely want to go back there for another visit.”

How likely is Brandon Arrington to sign with Alabama?

Very likely. Even before the visit, the 6’3, 180-pound speedster is in awe of Alabama’s success at developing players for the professional league. In his interview with On3 on July 6, he said, “Bama is the place to be if you want to go to the league.” Indeed, for years, Alabama has produced some of the top NFL players, including Bryce Young. But that was under Nick Saban. 

After his visit, Arrington is assured that he’ll not only be getting a productive haul from Alabama if he commits to DeBoer’s team but also a home. The 2026 athlete told Touchdown Alabama, “Everything about Alabama is good. I feel like everything fits me; the city, the area, and the coaching staff.” Well, what could be more perfect than that? This is Kalen DeBoer’s first year in Alabama. He’ll have this season and the upcoming years to prove his leadership abilities.