Story by
The Tuscaloosa News
Why Alabama football is making 2026 Georgia cornerback a 'top priority'
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Why Alabama football is making 2026 Georgia cornerback a 'top priority'
February 2024 was when Marietta, Georgia cornerback Jorden Edmonds first remembers Alabama football co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist reaching out.
Linguist "popped up out of nowhere," Edmonds said, holding an already extensive offer list that included programs like USC, South Carolina , Oklahoma , Texas A&M and Ole Miss .
Advertisement
But from Linguist's first interaction with Edmonds, the 2026 four-star cornerback said the Crimson Tide has remained constant.
"(Linguist) has just been around since," Edmonds told the Tuscaloosa News.
Nearly one year after catching Alabama 's attention, Edmonds is nearly ready to make his commitment decision, including the Crimson Tide in a top-five that also includes Georgia, Tennessee , Oklahoma and Florida and setting a commitment date for Feb. 19.
Playing major college football is something Edmonds always wanted to do. And over the past year, he has cemented his opportunity to be a "lock-down corner" for whichever program he chooses.
Advertisement
Alabama already has one cornerback in the 2026 class in 6-foot-1, 175-pound Gadsden four-star Zyan Gibson . But Edmonds and Gibson are not the same cornerback.
Edmonds, standing at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, is long. He's long-bodied and can move. He's physical, putting his hands on short, twitchy receivers at the line of scrimmage to keep them off balance.
It's the kind of cornerback Linguist and Alabama likes, Edmonds said, one who has length and an ability to attack the ball in coverage, one who is flexible despite his size. It's the kind of corner the Crimson Tide secured in the 2025 class in California five-star Dijon Lee .
It's the kind of cornerback Edmonds saw when he grew up watching Alabama, a program he always admired.
Advertisement
"I always wanted the offer," Edmonds said. "It's a great opportunity to even be able to play there."
It's an opportunity the Crimson Tide would love to make a reality. Edmonds said he's built relationships with Linguist, head coach Kalen DeBoer , Alabama general manager Courtney Morgan and Crimson Tide director of recruiting strategy Jatavis Sanders. Each person, Edmonds said, has created a "home feel" at Alabama.
Alabama sees Edmonds as the cornerback he always wanted to be. And the Crimson Tide is doing everything it can to be the school Edmonds picks Feb. 19.
"I'm a top priority," Edmonds said. "Every time I come up there, every time they even come up here, they just stress (that) I'm a top priority for them and they want me to come up there."
Advertisement
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: Alabama football is making 2026 Georgia CB Jorden Edmonds a 'top priority'
