Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is still settling into life in Tuscaloosa, and although his first year didn’t deliver a College Football Playoff berth, there’s no denying the recruiting machine is still rolling. But now, a key in-state target is threatening to slip through the Tide’s fingers — and fans are watching closely.
Jaquez Wilkes, a four-star edge rusher from Wadley, Alabama, has named his top five finalists, and Alabama is hanging on by a thread. According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Wilkes is down to Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Florida State, and Miami, with a Monday decision looming.
Here’s the twist: Auburn is the overwhelming favorite. The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Tigers a whopping 97.9% chance to land Wilkes, while Alabama and Texas A&M are barely on the radar — both sitting at under 1%.
For a prospect ranked as the No. 2 edge rusher in Alabama, No. 15 at his position nationally, and No. 96 overall in the 2026 class, Wilkes would be a major win — or loss — for any program. He’s already visited Tuscaloosa, taking an unofficial visit on April 12, but it seems Auburn has captured his heart.
If the Tide are to stay in the mix, a last-minute surge in communication and NIL influence may be their only shot.
Meanwhile, Alabama’s recruiting radar is stretching far into the future. One name already making noise is Brysen Wright, a phenom wide receiver in the 2028 class. Wright turned heads after pulling off an insane one-handed grab during the NFL Flag Championship, a highlight that exploded with over 600K views on X (formerly Twitter).
Though he’s still years away from college, Wright already boasts offers from Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, and more — a reminder that DeBoer and his staff are already planting seeds for the Tide’s future.
But while some fans look forward, others can’t let go of the past. A wave of social media speculation suggested that legendary head coach Nick Saban might return to the sidelines. However, his daughter, Kristen Saban, shut down the chatter in no uncertain terms via her Instagram story: “He’s not coming back.”
With Saban rumors now squashed and a massive recruiting decision coming on Monday, all eyes are on Jaquez Wilkes. If Alabama loses the local star to its bitter in-state rival, the heat will rise — not just in recruiting circles, but in Tuscaloosa itself.
