Latest news with #EzavierCrowell
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
SEE IT: Steve Sarkisian and Co. roll out Lamborghinis in Austin amid recruiting camps
The Texas Longhorns are making headlines again, not just for their play on the field but for their high-octane recruiting tactics. Over the weekend, the university showcased a fleet of Lamborghinis outside its football facilities as it hosted some of the nation's top high school prospects for official visits. The luxury cars, parked in front of the Moncrief Athletics Center next to Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, were impossible to miss as blue-chip recruits arrived in Austin. The spectacle is part of an ongoing trend for Texas, which first rolled out the exotic cars during last year's recruiting cycle. This year's event featured around 14 to 15 top targets from the Class of 2026, including five-star running back Ezavier Crowell and Lamar Brown, as well as four-star edge rusher Jamarion Carlton, cornerback Davon Benjamin and four-star quarterback Kavian Bryant. Advertisement The display is more than just a photo opportunity. It's a visual reminder of the opportunities available to student-athletes in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era. Texas players have already inked promotional deals with Lamborghini Austin, with running back Bijan Robinson becoming the first to sign such a partnership in 2022. Since then, other Longhorns, including Jordan Whittington, Jake Majors, Michael Taaffe, and Isaiah Bond, have also driven Lamborghinis as part of NIL deals. While the Lamborghinis have become a social media sensation, the move has drawn mixed reactions from fans and commentators. Some see it as a bold and effective marketing strategy, while others criticize it as a flashy distraction from the fundamentals of college football. Either way, it sticks out to recruits, come to Texas and Texas One Fund connections could net you an NIL deal with Lamborghini of Austin. As Texas prepares for its second season in the SEC, head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff are making it clear that the Longhorns are willing to leverage every advantage to attract elite talent. Whether the Lamborghinis ultimately translate to wins on the field remains to be seen, but for now, Texas is sending a message to recruits and rivals alike: the Longhorns are back, and they're not afraid to make a statement. Advertisement This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Steve Sarkisian and Co. bring out Lambo's for recruiting visits
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alabama lands commitment from 2026 4-star tight end prospect
In what was only hours after the program secured a commitment from top 2026 running back Ezavier Crowell, the Alabama Crimson Tide also landed a tight end late Thursday night in Mark Sutter. Sutter's commitment to the Crimson Tide was announced via a post on social media. Advertisement At the moment, Sutter currently ranks as the nation's No. 80 overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as the No. 6 tight end this cycle. A four-star prospect, Sutter is also considered as the No. 1 overall prospect in the state of Illinois where he attends Dunlap High School. Following the commitment of Sutter to Alabama, the Crimson Tide's 2026 class is currently up to No. 11 nationally, according to the 247Sports Team Rankings with a total of 12 commitments. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: 2026 tight end Mack Sutter commits to Alabama football
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Alabama, Michigan surge in June: What I'm hearing on the recruiting trail
June official visits have come to a close, and recruiting departments can finally take a breather with the busiest month on the calendar finally over. So what's going on across the recruiting landscape as prospects continue to issue commitments? Here's what I'm following. Note: All rankings are from the 247Sports Composite. Advertisement 1. OK, Alabama. The Crimson Tide started June with five commitments. They are now up to 16 in a class that ranks No. 7 nationally with an average player rating of 92.01. The last week has been especially impressive, with commitments from five-star edge Xavier Griffin from Georgia, in-state top-50 running back Ezavier Crowell and top-100 tight end Mack Sutter from Illinois. Following a less-than-ideal first season on the field, coach Kalen DeBoer is proving that he can get things done on the recruiting trail. 'I feel good about the people we have committed and the people we've still got that are going to make their decision to come to Alabama,' said three-star linebacker Zay Hall, a Tuscaloosa, Ala., native who committed on June 27. 'I feel like this is a great class, great people and great athletes for sure. But we ain't done getting commits. I feel like it'll probably be one of the greatest classes (in the country). 'I feel like (DeBoer) is a great recruiter. He breaks down things about football, of course, but (also) things outside of football that made parents feel good about their child being around him. … For his first time recruiting down here, he's impressed a lot of people. He's shocked a lot of people. He's done an amazing job.' roll tide🐘 — Ezavier Crowell (@EzavierCrowell) June 27, 2025 2. Count Cody Flournoy, the coach at Jackson (Ala.) High, among those impressed with DeBoer's in-state recruiting efforts. Flournoy coaches Crowell, who is ranked No. 33 overall and the No. 2 running back in the class. Crowell chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia and Texas, with the Bulldogs and Longhorns emerging as big players in his recruitment. Flournoy is the first to admit that he has historically been an Auburn fan. But he sang DeBoer's praises for keeping Crowell home and how the Crimson Tide have continued to load up on top prospects in the post-Nick Saban era. Advertisement 'They're doing something right,' Flournoy said. 'What a big get (landing Crowell). For an in-state school, it's one of those (situations where) if you let this guy get out of state, whether it's Auburn or Bama, that sends up a lot of red flags, so kudos to them for getting it done. … For DeBoer to lock it down, I think it just means a lot to get your in-state guys. 'That just makes statements.' This comes after DeBoer signed only two in-state products, including none ranked in the top 10, in the 2025 cycle. 3. It's not just in the Southeast where DeBoer has excelled. The Crimson Tide have picked up four commits from the Midwest, too, landing prospects from Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio and Illinois. Sutter, ranked No. 80 nationally, represents a big victory for DeBoer in Big Ten country, with Alabama beating out Ohio State, Illinois and Ole Miss for his pledge. 'I think it says a lot,' said Brett Cazalet, Sutter's coach at Dunlap (Ill.) High School. 'Obviously, Alabama did a great job recruiting, but I think it says a lot about Mack that there was a lot of pressure to kind of stay in the Big Ten (to go to a) Midwest school, and he knew what he was looking for. The school that provided him those opportunities was Alabama. 'I can't imagine stepping into (Saban's) shoes, but coach DeBoer, the one thing that's very impressive to everyone is that he's won at all levels. He's not a guy that just kind of started at the high Division I level and worked up that way. He's done it at all levels and I think with high school coaches, that's an impressive thing. That's very unique in that world today.' Cazalet said co-offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan made the trip to Illinois and offered Sutter on the spot after watching him work out last spring. Cazalet then drove Sutter to that epic Alabama-Georgia game in the fall, and Sutter visited the Crimson Tide again for the Iron Bowl. He took an official visit to Tuscaloosa last month, which provided even more clarity that Alabama was the right spot. Advertisement Cazalet credited Alabama tight ends coach Bryan Ellis for his approach to recruiting Sutter. 'Coach Ellis, I think as you see his personality, he's not an overly — he's not on top of you all the time,' Cazalet said. 'He's more to the point: 'We want you,' stay in contact, build the relationship but not bothering Mack all the time, and I think Mack really appreciated that.' 4. Switching gears to Alabama's rival, Auburn and Hugh Freeze got their quarterback last week when four-star Pennsylvania native Peyton Falzone flipped to the Tigers from Penn State. Falzone is ranked No. 246 overall and the No. 18 quarterback in the cycle, giving the Tigers a face to build the class around as Freeze looks to get moving with this group. Auburn has just six commits in the Class of 2026. Falzone said he first started thinking about making the switch when Auburn offered him about a month ago, after he originally committed to Penn State in April. The Tigers' offensive scheme — which suits his game well as a dual-threat quarterback — was a major selling point. As a junior, Falzone threw for 2,135 yards and 23 touchdowns with four picks while also rushing for 697 yards and eight scores. Breaking the news to Penn State coach James Franklin was tough, Falzone said, especially as an in-state prospect. But sharing his good news with Freeze and the staff has him fired up for what's to come. He has already started recruiting other top talent to join him. 'The past week was definitely a stressful one,' Falzone said, 'and I spent a lot of time sitting down with my family. Auburn just really outweighed the competition and how (Freeze) leads the team with the faith and family base is huge.' 5. Moving over to the Big Ten, how about the run Michigan is on? The Wolverines picked up 11 commits in June, none more impressive than four-star edge Carter Meadows out of Washington, D.C. Meadows is ranked No. 72 overall and the No. 9 edge and picked the Wolverines over South Carolina, Penn State and Ohio State. The Wolverines also added another four-star edge when Julian Walker, out of South Carolina, committed to the Wolverines on Tuesday over South Carolina and North Carolina. Walker's dad, Jamil, works on the strength and conditioning staff at South Carolina. Advertisement Michigan's class is ranked No. 9 nationally and includes 12 blue-chippers among the 19 commitments — the average player rating of 91.29 ranks ninth. 6. One of the most fascinating parts about Michigan's class is that it doesn't include any in-state prospects. That will surely change between now and December (and it needs to if Moore wants to maintain relationships with high school coaches), but it's clear Moore intends to lean into Michigan's brand and recruit nationally. The Wolverines currently have three commits from Texas, two from Washington, D.C., Illinois and Virginia and one from California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Ohio and South Carolina. Notre Dame has commits from three of the top 10 prospects in Michigan. The state's top player, four-star athlete CJ Sadler, who most recently visited Colorado and North Carolina, is set to issue a commitment Aug. 15. 7. USC still has the nation's top-ranked class. The Trojans have 30 commitments, including 20 blue-chippers and nine prospects in the top 100. Georgia comes in at No. 2 with 26 commits and 19 blue-chippers, including five top-75 prospects. The Bulldogs just made quite the splash in landing four-star defensive linemen James Johnson out of Miami and Pierre Dean out of North Carolina. LSU has the nation's highest average player rating with a 94.24 mark behind 11 commits. 8. Another team on the rise: Tennessee. The Vols on Tuesday picked up commitments from three-star cornerback Jamyan Theodore from Chattanooga, Tenn., and a pair of four-star teammates out of Jackson (Miss.) Academy in linebacker TJ White and defensive lineman Dereon Albert. Albert chose the Vols over North Carolina, while White picked Josh Heupel and his staff over Auburn, Florida State and Mississippi State. Tennessee's class is ranked 12th and includes seven blue-chippers and four top-200 prospects among its 16 commits. The Vols have seemingly also done a nice job maintaining their relationship with five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, the nation's No. 6 prospect. 9. If you're looking for interesting prospects to follow, keep your eyes on Jaron and Kennan Pula, twin brothers who both play wide receiver at Lone Peak (Utah) High. The twins originally committed to UCLA in September, but both decommitted last week, fresh off a visit to Utah. Might the Utes be able to keep them home? Thank you @Utah_Football for an awesome weekend!! — (@jaron_pula) June 23, 2025 10. Four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth committed to South Carolina in August 2023 but backed off that pledge last summer. Now, a year later, Duckworth could rejoin the Gamecocks' class. Duckworth, the only uncommitted top-20 QB in the 2026 cycle, is down to two schools: Auburn (which already has a quarterback in its class) and South Carolina. Flournoy, his coach at Jackson (Ala.) High, believes the Gamecocks could be the frontrunners and that Duckworth's skill set would fit the offense nicely, considering his similarities to Heisman Trophy hopeful LaNorris Sellers. A dual-threat, Duckworth threw for 3,400-plus yards and rushed for nearly 650 as a high school junior a season ago. Advertisement 'One of the things that South Carolina loves about Landon is, 'Hey, he can make a play when plays break down' and if you watch college football, plays break down quite often,' Flournoy said. 'I think at South Carolina, they have a lot of success with LaNorris Sellers. … Landon fits that mold.' (Photo of Sherrone Moore: Junfu Han / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auburn Loses Race for Five-Star Prospect to Hated Rival
Auburn Loses Race for Five-Star Prospect to Hated Rival originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Auburn Tigers lost four-star linebacker Shadarius Toodle to the Georgia Bulldogs and were looking for a recruiting win. Advertisement Unfortunately, that did not happen on Thursday. On3's Hayes Fawcett reported that five-star running back Ezavier Crowell committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide over Auburn, Georgia and the Texas Longhorns. The Tigers had Crowell in town for an official visit on June 13, but it was not enough to lure him away from the Crimson Tide. The in-state product hails from Jackson, Alabama and attends Jackson High School. He is listed at 5-foot-11, 210 pounds. Auburn has also recently lost the commitment of receiver Devin Carter, who has flipped to the Florida State Seminoles. Jackson Aggies running back Ezavier Crowell (13).Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Crowell is the No. 2 running back and No. 31 national prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings for the 2026 class. Advertisement Much like in the case of Crowell's recruitment, Auburn has not won a lot recently against its in-state rival, Alabama. The Crimson Tide holds a five-game winning streak against the Tigers heading into 2025. Auburn's last win in the series was in 2019 under former head coach Gus Malzahn. The Tigers' 2026 class is led by four-star edge rusher Hezekiah Harris, four-star athlete Peyton Falzone and four-star receiver Denairius Gray. While it has been a rough week for Auburn's recruiting, the Tigers made history with a recent commitment from overseas. Auburn earned a commitment from offensive tackle Nikau Hepi from the NFL Academy Asia-Pacific campus in New Zealand. Advertisement Hepi became the first player from the academy to commit to a college in the United States. Hugh Freeze and Auburn start year three of his tenure on August 29, against the Baylor Bears. Related: Florida State Hands Auburn Second Recruiting Loss of the Day This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC Powerhouse Lands 6th Commitment of the Week
SEC Powerhouse Lands 6th Commitment of the Week originally appeared on Athlon Sports. If it wasn't official, it is now: the Alabama Crimson Tide are red hot on the recruiting trail. On Thursday, Alabama landed hard commitments from two elite prospects, four-star running back Ezavier Crowell and elite athlete Mack Sutter. Advertisement On Friday, Alabama secured another pledge from a superstar recruit. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, the Tide have landed a verbal commitment from linebacker Zay Hall. A four-star recruit, according to 247Sports, Hall did not take an official visit to Tuscaloosa, with his lone trip occurring to Virginia Tech in early June. Alongside Alabama and VT, he holds offers from the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Austin Peay Governors, Jacksonville State Gamecocks, James Madison Dukes, Memphis Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Maryland Terrapins, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer© Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Hall is a Tuscaloosa native, playing at Hill Crest High School. The Patriots posted a 6-4 record last season, with Hall leading the team with 39 total tackles. He also added a pair of tackles for loss per his MaxPreps page. Advertisement Hall becomes the first linebacker to pledge to the 2026 class for Kalen DeBoer. The 2026 group sits at ten commits, with superstar cornerback Jorden Edmonds headlining the pack of high schoolers. Next season, Alabama will try to build on its 9-4 season, its first under DeBoer. The Tide failed to win double-digit games for just the first time since 2007, while missing the College Football Playoff for consecutive times for the first time in program history. Related: NBA Champions Sign Former Alabama Star Guard This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
