Alabama flips 4-star class of 2026 recruit from Big Ten program in surprise move
The Alabama Crimson Tide picked up a nice flip in recruiting Monday morning.
Four-star class of 2026 running back Javari Barnett flipped his commitment from the Illinois Fighting Illini and coach Bret Bielema to Alabama, he told On3. A 6-foot, 215-pound tailback from Tampa, Barnett had previously committed to the Illini back in April.
Barnett is ranked the No. 30 running back in 247Sports' Composite Rankings, and the 478th player overall. Auburn, Florida and Tennessee are among the SEC teams that visited Barnett before he committed to Illinois.
Alabama's 2026 class now consists of nine hard commitments. Barnett is the third player in the past week to announce a commitment to the Crimson Tide and coach Kalen DeBoer. He joins 3-star Indianapolis defensive lineman JJ Finch, who committed on Sunday, and four-star quarterback Jett Thomalla, the No. 15 overall QB in the 2026 class who flipped from Iowa State.
Alabama's 2026 class is ranked No. 11 by On3's Team Industry rankings.
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