SEC Spotlight: Programs on a roll in recruiting
The calendar has turned to spring and there are several programs across the country that are riding a wave of momentum in recruiting. Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman looks at four such programs in the SEC.
THIS SERIES: Big Ten programs on a recruiting hot streak
MORE SEC: 2026 conference recruiting rankings
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
Alabama began stockpiling blue-chip pieces in its 2026 recruiting class on Christmas Eve – edging out Auburn and Tennessee for top-100 cornerback Zyan Gibson out of Gadsden (Ala.) High.
The Crimson Tide have been rolling ever since, adding verbals from four-star interior offensive lineman Chris Brooker and locking in four-star edge defender Jamarion Matthews, an in-state target who will play his senior season alongside another priority target Xavier Griffin at Gainesville (Ga.) High.
MORE: Alabama's 2026 commitment list
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Sam Pittman and the Hogs already hold a top-20 class in the 2026 Rivals Team Rankings and are continuing to pick up steam as the offseason progresses. Since the turn of the new year, the Razorbacks have locked in commitments from stout interior defensive lineman Ari Slocum and talented defensive back Jalon Copeland.
MORE: Arkansas' 2026 commitment list
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The Dawgs are just beginning to find their rhythm on the recruiting trail for the 2026 cycle. Kirby Smart has added two new four-star commitments since the start of the new year, including in-state four-star receiver Brady Marchese, who reached 22.3 MPH in GPS tracking last fall as a junior at Cartersville (Ga.) High.
Georgia also locked in Rivals250 safety Zech Fort and is sitting with the No. 13 class in the Rivals Team Rankings.
MORE: Georgia's 2026 commitment list
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Jeff Lebby hit the ground running to kick off this 2026 class and already has the engine humming in Starkville. Mississippi State has added a trio of verbal commitments since February, including four-star in-state offensive tackle Emanuel Tucker and four-star interior offensive lineman Jakobe Green out of the Florida Panhandle.
The Bulldogs hold a top-15 class in the 2026 Rivals Team Rankings midway through the spring.
MORE: Mississippi State's 2026 commitment list
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