Ranking Alabama football's 2025 recruiting class: Who will have an instant impact?

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The Tuscaloosa News

Story by

The Tuscaloosa News
Ranking Alabama football's 2025 recruiting class: Who will have an instant impact?

Colin Gay, Tuscaloosa News · The Tuscaloosa News

Wed, Dec 4, 2024 ·

4 min read

Ranking Alabama football best signing day recruits

Here are the top five 2025 recruits who could make an instant impact for Alabama football.

QB Keelon Russell:Alabama has not had a quarterback recruit ranked as high as Keelon Russell since Bryce Young in 2020. And almost immediately, Young was Mac Jones ' main backup, before taking over for a 2021 Heisman Trophy campaign. While Russell may not start, the combination of his experience of high-level high school football and production could vault him into that No. 2 spot immediately upon arrival, setting him up for that starting quarterback battle sooner rather than later.

CB Dijon Lee:Alabama is not afraid to play freshmen in the defensive backfield. Zabien Brown and Jaylen Mbakwe are the prime examples. It will be hard to keep Dijon Lee off the field when he gets to Tuscaloosa with his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame that pretty much eliminated whatever wide receiver he was assigned to at the high school level.

OL Michael Carroll:Alabama may have a hole to fill at left guard with many NFL mock drafts listing Tyler Booker as a first-round pick. Michael Carroll may not be the next-man-up. But based on size alone, standing at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, and the competition he's faced at IMG Academy, Carroll should make the two-deep almost immediately with the size to play both tackle and guard.

LB Darrell Johnson:Alabama has an all-purpose defensive weapon on its hands in Darrell Johnson, who says he's arriving as a Mike linebacker, but can play anywhere from the nickel to defensive end along with all three linebacker spots. Johnson may be one of the first defensive players in the 2025 class that makes the field with his versatility and his track record for making plays in special teams.

SAF Ivan Taylor:Ivan Taylor may crack the two-deep based on need alone. While Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb are projected as the Crimson Tide's safety starters in 2025, Alabama really does not have many proven options behind them. Taylor, the No. 7 safety in the class, could compete for playing time with the second team immediately.

Alabama football signing day steals

Here are four Alabama football recruits that could be viewed as a steal after signing with the Crimson Tide.

OT Jackson Lloyd:While Jackson Lloyd may not be the highest-ranked offensive lineman in Alabama's 2025 class, he certainly looks the part of a future Crimson Tide left tackle. The 6-foot-7, 290-pound tackle has a 80-plus-inch wingspan per 247Sports and dominated as a high school basketball center. He's lean and athletic enough without much time dedicated solely to football training as a three-sport athlete. Alabama may have a gem on its hands in Lloyd.

LB Luke Metz:Luke Metz fits the mold of a traditional new-era Alabama linebacker, one who is athletic, fast and physical. He's expected to slide into the Will linebacker depth chart, one that is wide open if Deontae Lawson makes the jump to the NFL. Metz could have a chance to see the field early on defense or on special teams.

WR Lotzeir Brooks:All Lotzeir Brooks knows how to do is produce. He was a record-breaking wide receiver at Millville High School in New Jersey with 4,615 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns across four seasons. And while built as a slot receiver at 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, expect Brooks to be a weapon in the run game as well. Millville coach Humberto Ayala called Brooks his " Deebo Samuel ." Brooks could add another element to the Crimson Tide offense.

DL London Simmons:Alabama has a veteran-heavy defensive line class with two junior college tansfers in Steve Mboumoua and Kevonte Henry. But the gem of the class may be in three-star London Simmons. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound interior lineman had 67 tackles for loss and 34 sacks in three seasons at Hartfield Academy in Flowood, Mississippi. Simmons will likely not be a starter straight away. But he could develop into something special for the Crimson Tide.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.