“Not Going to Recruit Like Nick Saban”: Kalen Deboer’s Recruitment Under Harsh Scrutiny as Alabama Fans’ Fantasy Bubble Gets Burst

Are Kalen DeBoer and staff ace recruiters? It may be too early to answer this question — after all, it was just this regular season DeBoer had to assemble less than half of the Crimson Tide’s 2025 signing class. Not to forget, he is following in the footsteps of the greatest of CFB coaches, Nick Saban, whose recruitment strategies at Alabama became a stuff of legend. But how are DeBoer and his staff doing? Well, analyst Brian Smith shared his take on Alabama’s recruiting process ahead of the regular season.

DeBoer, as well as the Crimson Tide fans, might take some time to grasp how rival teams make changes to their rosters. Saban had a golden touch when it came to getting the top recruits from across the country. That is something that would be hard to replicate straightaway for DeBoer, as Saban built the program’s successful recruitment process over 17 years.

During an appearance on The Next Round Live, college football analyst Brian Smith got brutally honest Alabama’s recruitment process.“I’ve heard good and bad, depending on where it was. Some specific players, some recruitments were great, some others not as great. But they are having some success all across the state of Georgia and Alabama,” he said. However, he also cautioned the fans about what to expect from the recruitment ahead of this season and for expectations to be realistic.

“They’re fine, I mean no Alabama fans have tunnel vision. They’re not going to recruit like [Nick] Saban…. So expecting top 3 classes every single year, I don’t think is realistic.” Smith added.

Thus, the Crimson Tide is unlikely to lock down the best recruits in the nation, as Saban used to do. Well, it’s 17 seasons of head coaching and 6 National Championships we are comparing to; it definitely won’t come easy to Kalen DeBoer and Co.

With Saban at the helm, the Alabama program was used to getting the top recruits nearly every season. During his tenure, the Crimson Tide signed 73 five-star recruits and 262 four-star recruits in 16 full cycles. Only last year, he signed two five star prospects, Quarterback Julian Sayin and cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe to the program.

Over the years, recruits such as Julio Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Allen, Minkah Fitzpatrick and many others chose to sign with Alabama, with Saban playing a key role. Many of his recruits when to play in the NFL as well.

Saban’s recruitment strategies ranged from preparing a detailed dossier on the player to inviting them for a visit to his home office. Saban’s office was decorated with photos of his National Championship winning teams and his National Championship rings. All of this served as a way to show potential players that they can win with Alabama and create a legacy.

When he arrived at Alabama, Saban gathered everyone from janitors to secretaries and anyone who worked in any capacity with the program and told them, “Everything we do, is about recruiting. Everything we do.” This has been the blueprint which has seen Alabama land the top recruits across the nation all these years. But the scenario has changed now after with Saban’s retirement.

However, there may be a way to ensure that recruiting works fine for DeBoer. As Smith puts it, “It’s Alabama. They’re still going to be one of the biggest juggernauts in recruiting.” Given the foundations laid for nearly two decades, the program will still be able to attract top prospects.

DeBoer has emphasized recruiting the transfer portal as well as the high school circuit. There is plenty of talent in the 2025 recruiting class, and the Crimson Tide is pursuing many top-ranked recruits.

The recruits under Kalen DeBoer

Despite the pressure of replacing Nick Saban, DeBoer has performed well in recruiting. Five-star prospect Kadyn Proctor, who transferred to Iowa after Nick Saban retired, has now returned to Alabama.

Along with him, key players like Michigan State three-star prospect Geno VanDeMark, Penn State four-star prospect King Mack, Washington four-star prospect Austin Mack, and Michigan safety Keon Sabb have also committed to the Crismon Tide.

Furthermore, the Crimson Tide received uplifting news on Tuesday evening regarding recruiting efforts. Mal Waldrep, the three-star interior offensive lineman, has announced his commitment to Alabama for 2025. He is the second offensive lineman to commit to the Crimson Tide in as many days, with the other being four-star interior OL Michael Carroll for 2025.

Alabama is likely to lose both of its guards, Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts, to the 2025 NFL draft. With this in mind, Waldrep will compete for early playing time. His commitment helps strengthen Alabama’s offensive line for the 2025 recruiting class.

With a lineup like this, Kalen DeBoer and Co. might as well stand true to the expectations set for the regular season. Nick Saban made it to the Rose Bowl in the 2023 season. The least the fans would expect would be DeBoer making it until the playoffs this season.