Alabama football commit Luke Metz's recruitment was fast and furious.
In February, Metz, a four-star 2025 linebacker out of Hoschton, Georgia, had a top six of Duke, Ole Miss , LSU , Missouri , Tennessee and Oklahoma . But he turned an Alabama March 4 offer into a commitment three weeks later, one Metz said, he's locked into.
"They didn't really have to sell too much," Metz said. "Because once you are in that type of position, and you're a winning coach and you have access to all the resources that Alabama has, it's going to be special."
In recent months, Metz has turned from the sold into the seller for Alabama's 2025 class . It's the role he plans to play when he returns to Bryant-Denny Stadium for the Crimson Tide 's final regular-season home meetings with Mercer and Auburn .
Metz said he isn't pushy. He simply wants to build relationships and show top targets what the culture is like at Alabama.
While Metz said the current Crimson Tide is giving a good pitch, the pitch around the Alabama football facility to recruits is being first, of setting the tone in DeBoer's first recruiting class.
"Really just creating our own legacy," Metz said. "We're going to be the makeup of the team next year, and finding our identity since (Nick) Saban's gone."
As Early Signing Day nears Dec. 4, it's a pitch that has worked so far.
Alabama has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, one that includes five five-star commits in quarterback Keelon Russell , offensive tackle Ty Haywood , cornerback Dijon Lee and offensive guard Michael Carroll .
Metz said Alabama's 2025 class is not only talented, but tight, one that understands its goal and its mission.
"That all keeps us all kind of locked in," Metz said.
Metz feels he fits the mold of what Kane Wommack is trying to build defensively at Alabama.
Metz is a "really athletic linebacker" for a defense that prides itself on athleticism. He's fast. He's physical. He plays sideline to sideline with a chip on his shoulder. He's big and tall, but still quick.
Metz views himself as the prototypical Will linebacker for Wommack's system, one like Deontae Lawson .
"Really that's why I love Alabama because they're not going to try to make me just do a certain thing," Metz said. "I feel like they're going to let me be versatile because that's one of my biggest strengths."
Metz is one of a handful of linebackers in Alabama's 2025 class along with four-star Justin Hill and four-star Dawson Merritt, who both project as future Wolf linebackers, four-star Abduall Sanders and four-star Darrell "Duke" Johnson , who Metz described as a "freak athlete" that will play more of the boundary.
Metz's time is coming. He will move in in December for bowl practices before officially enrolling in January, a transition he's ready for.
"Really just starting on the bottom of the ladder again," Metz said. "Like going back to the grind and really just getting back to being the underdog again. Right now, as an Alabama commit, and like kind of the top dog, I'm excited to be the little guy again and learn new things and kind of work my way up again."
( This story was updated to add new information.)
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.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: 2025 Alabama football commit ready to help cement Kalen DeBoer legacy
