Don’t mistake a slow start for a lack of intention; that’s the lesson that Alabama and Kalen DeBoer taught everyone a year ago.
When the 2026 cycle kicked off, Alabama sat outside the top 40 nationally. A few June weekends later, the Crimson Tide had flipped the script entirely, closing with a top-five class headlined by four composite five-stars: linebacker Xavier Griffin, cornerback Jorden Edmonds, safety Jireh Edwards and running back Ezavier Crowell. The official visit season was the turning point then, and it could be again now.
The 2027 class already has a foundation. Five-star quarterback Elijah Haven, the No. 1 signal-caller in the Rivals Industry Ranking, committed to the Tide in late April, giving DeBoer a program-defining anchor before June even arrived. Seven commitments in, the class mirrors almost exactly where Alabama stood at this point last cycle. We know how that story ended.
This weekend, June 5-7, five more prospects come through Tuscaloosa. According to Andrew Bone of BamaOnline, here’s who’s on campus and what’s at stake.
Alabama Football Official Visitors: June 5-7
QB Elijah Haven | Dunham School, Baton Rouge, La. | Alabama Commit
Haven isn’t here because he’s wavering; he’s here because this is his recruitment done right. The No. 1 quarterback in the 2027 class committed to Alabama in April and is taking his official visit to make it official in every sense. His presence on campus this weekend is also a recruiting tool: every uncommitted visitor will see the top quarterback in the country already locked in and loving it.
WR Majay Thompson | Crest High School, Shelby, N.C.
This is one of the more urgent visits of the weekend. Thompson, a 6-foot, 186-pound three-star with 4.4 speed and 53 catches for 865 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior, originally had Alabama scheduled for June 12 before pushing it up, right after an official visit to Georgia left him admitting he felt “pretty good” about the Bulldogs. WR coach Derrick Nix traveled to Crest to see him personally ahead of this trip, and Alabama has made clear he’s a priority. The next 72 hours could settle this one.
TE Michael Nnabuife | St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. | Syracuse Commit
Here’s the flip opportunity. Nnabuife, a 6-foot-5, 242-pound tight end, committed to Syracuse on May 20 and is still coming to Tuscaloosa anyway. “They’ve made it pretty apparent that they’re still actively trying to flip me,” he told Touchdown Alabama. The connection runs deep: Nnabuife is a former high school teammate of Crimson Tide freshman safety Jireh Edwards, who has been feeding him the inside scoop on life at Alabama. Don’t sleep on this one.
TE CJ Johnson | Upperman High School, Baxter, Tenn.
Johnson is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end whose offer list has exploded past 40 schools, including Tennessee, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Oregon, since Alabama offered in March. He’s a complete player: 37 catches for 615 yards as a tight end last season, plus 133 tackles and a Defensive MVP award as a linebacker. “I think Alabama is the most proven program in all of college football,” Johnson said. He arrives uncommitted and open-minded, exactly what DeBoer’s staff needs.
K Luke Cody | Lumberton High School, Lumberton, Texas
The freshest name on this list, Cody earned his Alabama offer just this Monday after a workout in Tuscaloosa, then immediately locked in the official visit for this weekend. Kohl’s Kicking ranks him the No. 9 kicker nationally in 2027, and his 54-yard field goal last season gives you a sense of the range. He’s currently the only kicker in the 2027 cycle with an Alabama offer. If the Tide can close this weekend, it’s a big win at a position of need.
The Big Picture
One year ago, Alabama used June to go from an afterthought to a top-five class. The ingredients are there to do it again. The 2027 cycle is still being written, but in Tuscaloosa, the page is turning fast.
Official visitor information per Andrew Bone of BamaOnline.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Kalen DeBoer’s 2027 Class Is Starting to Look Familiar. That’s a Good Thing. appeared first on HEAVY.