Latest news with #AlexanderCity
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama football's ridiculous recruiting run continues with 5-star WR
The post Alabama football's ridiculous recruiting run continues with 5-star WR appeared first on ClutchPoints. There are a few programs that are hot on the recruiting trail right now, but no one is doing a better job than the Alabama football team. The Crimson Tide are scorching hot, and they added yet another five-star on Wednesday. Elite 2026 wide receiver Cederian Morgan just announced his decision, and he is going to play for head coach Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. Florida, Georgia and Colorado were other top options for Morgan, but the Crimson Tide got the job done. Advertisement 'BREAKING: Five-Star WR Cederian Morgan has Committed to Alabama, he tells me for @rivals,' Hayes Fawcett said in a post. 'The No. 2 WR in the '26 Class chose the Crimson Tide over Florida, Georgia, & Colorado.' The Alabama native is feeling good after his decision to play for the Crimson Tide: 'Bama made, Bama raised, Bama stayed!!!! RTR,' he said. Cederian Morgan is a five-star recruit, according to 247Sports. He is the #11 player in the 2026 recruiting class, the #2 WR and the #1 player in the state of Alabama. Morgan currently attends Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, AL. He is staying home. Advertisement 'Evaluation echoes that of a luxury sports car: big, smooth, and powerful,' Morgan's scouting report reads. 'Plays with obvious horsepower, accompanied by some encouraging physical refinement and nuance in regards to fluidity and locomotion. Dominant in contested scenarios as a consistent high pointer who exploits significant physical advantages vs. smaller defenders. Owns an enormous catch radius that gives a QB a large target throughout the route tree. Immensely productive with huge receiving numbers and even some limited defensive reps.' Alabama is getting a player that is good enough to quickly make a major impact on the program, and one with pro potential as well. 'Excellent multi-sport profile that includes averaging a double-double in hoops, an Alabama 6A high jump silver medal (6-8), and a 21.74 200-meter rep,' the scouting report adds. 'Size and track speed suggests that another top-end gear in pads exists, and therefore consistent downfield separation ability. Shows encouraging short-to-intermediate route snap and leveraging ability, especially considering size. Uniquely gifted pass-catching target with outstanding physical tools and athletic chops. Projects as a high-major impact player with traits that suggest long-term NFL Draft high-round potential.' The Alabama football team got off to a slow start recruiting the 2026 class, but the Crimson Tide now have one of the best classes in the country. Alabama has landed three five-stars recruits, eight four-stars and six three-stars. The class is currently ranked #6 in the country, according to 247Sports. When the 2026 cycle is all wrapped up, the Crimson Tide might finish with a top-five class. Related: Florida football secures 4-star defensive lineman over Texas, Florida State Related: Michigan football surprisingly loses out on 4-star to Texas Tech
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama Receives Clear Message From Nation's No. 2 WR After Official Visit
Alabama Receives Clear Message From Nation's No. 2 WR After Official Visit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer have found themselves in an intense recruiting battle for wide receiver Cederian Morgan out of Alexander City, Alabama. Advertisement On Friday, they had the pleasure of hosting him for an official visit, during which he even met the legendary Nick Saban, who served as the team's head coach from 2007 to 2023. The young wide receiver revealed his thoughts on the program after this visit and throughout the recruiting process. 'I've been up there. I've seen and know everything," Morgan said via On3's Andrew Bone. "What stands out to me about Alabama is just how are all about winning. It's a winning program. The whole coaching staff has had a lot of success everywhere they've been.' 2026 five-star wide receiver prospect Cederian Morgan© Ken Ruinard - staff / USA TODAY NETWORK There's certainly no denying that Alabama has been one of the most dominant programs of all time. Since 2007, it has compiled a 215-33 record with six national championships. Advertisement Even in their first season under DeBoer in 2024, there weren't too many major growing pains, as the Crimson Tide still went 9-4 and finished at No. 11 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Now, it remains to be seen if their strong reputation helps them land Morgan, who On3 Industry Rankings places as a five-star recruit, the No. 2 wide receiver and the No. 15 player in the nation. However, Alabama is contending with many other major programs for his talents, as he has also taken official visits with Colorado (May 9), Georgia (May 16), Florida (June 6) and Auburn (June 13). Things are certainly looking good, as in an article for On3, Steve Wiltfong reported that Morgan loves how things stand with Alabama and that the Crimson Tide "continues to set the pace." Related: Tennessee Receives Clear Message from Nation's No. 1 RB After Official Visit This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Meet the Alabama football commit leading Crimson Tide recruiting for Class of 2026
GADSDEN, Ala. − Zyan Gibson knows exactly who he wants Alabama football's next Class of 2026 commitment to be. Right now, the Gadsden cornerback's sights are set firmly on Alexander City five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan, who has his commitment date set for July 2. His six scheduled official visits include the Crimson Tide, which gets the last swing June 19-22. Advertisement Gibson, the No. 50 player nationally and No. 4 player in Alabama in the 247 Sports Composite who committed to Alabama in December, said he's getting closer and closer with Morgan, a receiver who could fit right into the Crimson Tide offense. But the pitch itself isn't elaborate. 'I just really sweettalk him,' Gibson told The Tuscaloosa News. 'Like, 'Come on. What (are you) waiting on?'' Talking has never been Gibson's style. At Gadsden City High School, Gibson is the 'silent leader,' football coach Ali Smith said, the one who jumps to the front of the warm-up line, who is where he's supposed to be, who does what everyone else is supposed to do. Advertisement 'I think that he is working to be one of the best players in the state, if not in the country,' Smith said. That is not Gibson's only job. It's also to help the Crimson Tide secure other 2026 players aiming to be 'one of the best players in the state, if not the country.' It's a role Gibson didn't expect, but one he takes incredibly seriously. 'I want to build a culture at Bama,' Gibson said. 'I'm just going for the best guys.' At the beginning of May, Gibson is one of five Class of 2026 commits, joined by Muscle Shoals four-star edge Kamhariyan Johnson and three recruits from Georgia: five-star cornerback Jorden Edmonds, four-star edge Jamarion Matthews and four-star offensive lineman Chris Booker. Advertisement Gibson was not the first member of the class, one that had four separate commitments and de-commitments before the Gadsden cornerback picked Alabama on Dec. 24. Gibson was, however, the only member for 59 days, a stretch that felt like an eternity and ended with Booker's commitment Feb. 20. But it also was a stretch when the Crimson Tide continued to push a message that sold Zyan and the Gibson family. To Michael Gibson, Zyan's father and a former Ole Miss defensive lineman, Alabama's recruiting approach isn't a pitch but a genuine approach to the program at large, one built around 'old school' relationships in a world of Name, Image and Likeness and money, one that is 'family oriented," from the top of head coach Kalen DeBoer and general manager Courtney Morgan, to associate director of recruiting operations Ashleigh Kimble, who Michael calls the 'team mom.' 'It's just one big happy family down there. … I think everybody is bought in with coach DeBoer and the plan,' Michael Gibson said. 'That's why you didn't see nobody hit the portal. And that's really big. Really big on family, man. There's nothing but love in the building when you go in there.' Advertisement Gibson, his father said, has 'a good instinct' on how to pitch the Crimson Tide after countless visits and hours building relationships with defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist and the rest of the staff that 'treats us like family.' Michael Gibson never expected Zyan to be the face of this class of recruits, though. His son is 'very laid-back, low-key (and) does not do a lot of talking at all.' But in a different way, it all makes sense. 'When he's amongst his peers, he kind of opens up more,' Michael Gibson said. Zyan Gibson is recruiting to find teammates he can be comfortable with, who he can build a relationship with, who he will try and win with in Tuscaloosa. Advertisement It's who Gibson was, and who Smith expects Gibson will be in his final season at Gadsden City, a 'humble kid who works his tail off.' 'He is so in tune to who he is with these guys and wanting to be the best here, that he is just one of the guys,' Smith said. 'But he works hard. And I think his dedication to his training and hard work, that separates him. You could say, 'Oh I can see why he's one of those guys.'' This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football 2026 recruiting strategy's surprise leader: Zyan Gibson
