National Signing Day has come and gone, and now the 2023 recruiting cycle is basically over, and the Alabama Crimson Tide has been the most successful of the entire cycle. Nick Saban’s team has put together an insane recruit class with nine five stars and 19 four stars. Of course, this class is not only the best this year, but one of the best ever.
Without further ado, here are the 28 members of the 2023 recruiting class in Alabama.
Alabama Football 2023 Recruitment Class
S Caleb Downs
Caleb Downs is the top safety, the top Georgia player, and the sixth-best overall player in the class of 2023. In just 51 games at Mill Creek High School, Downs had 43 passes defended and 19 interceptions. He’s also an amazing two-way player, having accounted for over 850 yards and 24 touchdowns on offense as a senior. Downs signed with Alabama through Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and more.
OT Kayden Proctor
Alabama dumped Proctor during Iowa’s early signing phase, bolstering an already stellar class. The Des Moines, Iowa native is the top offensive tackle, the top player in Iowa and the ninth best overall player.
RB Judge Haynes
Haynes is the second-best running back, the second-best player in Georgia, and the 24th-best player in the class. As a senior at Buford High School, he ran 153 times for 1,695 yards and 23 touchdowns. He chose Alabama over Florida, Ohio State, and his father’s alma mater, Georgia.
CB Desmond Ricks
Ricks was once in the Class of 2024 but decided to reclassify in October. He is a five-star cornerback from Florida’s IMG Academy, which has a long history of producing elite recruits. Ricks is the second-best cornerback, the sixth-best player in the state, and the 25th-best overall recruit in the class.
DL James Smith
A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Smith is the state’s top player, the nation’s second-best defenseman, and the nation’s 26th-best player. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, so he’s the size to defend the run and fit well. He chose to play for the tide over Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
EDGE Qua Russaw
Russaw is another product of Montgomery and Smith’s teammate at Carver High School. He is the 5th best edge rusher and the 4th best Alabama player in the class of 2023. Like Smith, he chose Alabama over Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
WR Jalen Hale
Hale, a three-sport athlete from Longview, Texas, is the sixth-best wide receiver and seventh-best player from Texas. 247’s Gabe Brooks praises his athleticism and says he plays taller than his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame suggests. Hale chose Alabama over Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.
CB Jahlil Hurley
Let that sink in, Hurley is the first four star player on this list and everyone above him is a five star player. That’s not a blow for him at all, as he’s the fifth-best cornerer in that class and the eighth-best player in Alabama. He is also a promising returnee in special teams.
EDGE Jordan Renaud
Renaud ranks 10th in the rankings for both Edge Rusher and Texas State players. As a junior in 2021, he accumulated 66 tackles, eight TFL and two sacks. He chose to play for Alabama over Oklahoma and others.
QB Eli Holstein
Holstein is the eighth-best quarterback and fifth-best player in Louisiana in the 2023 class. As a junior at Zachary High School in 2021, he led his team to a 15-0 record and the Louisiana 5A title. He originally signed with Texas A&M before stepping down and moving to Alabama in the spring.
OT Wilkin Formby
Formby is the 8th best offensive tackle and 11th best player from Alabama. He stands at 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, already a good height while still having room to grow. He chose his home state school over Oklahoma, Ole Miss and more.
S Tony Mitchell
Mitchell is the ninth-best safety and 12th-best Alabama player in that class. He helped Thompson High School achieve a 39-2 record and win three consecutive 7A state titles between 2019 and 2021. Mitchell signed for Alabama through SEC rivals Auburn and Tennessee.
QB Dylan Lonergan
Lonergan ranks 13th among both quarterbacks and Georgia players in the 2023 class. Andrew Ivins of 247 describes him as “a big-armed passer who isn’t afraid to stand in the pocket and take a hit.” The Snellville, Georgia product chose Alabama over South Carolina and Stanford.
OT Olaus Alien
Alinen is the 14th best offensive tackle in the class, but also the best Connecticut player. At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, he already has the right build for an offensive lineman. He committed to Alabama through Georgia, Ohio State, Miami and Oregon.
WR Malik Benson
Benson is a four-star wideout from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. In his previous two seasons, Benson rushed for 2,206 yards and 21 touchdowns on 102 receptions. He picked Alabama over Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.
DL Hunter Osborne
Osborne ranks 20th among defenders and 15th among Alabama players in the 2023 class. In 2022, he finished his senior season with 53 tackles, seven TFL and 2.5 sacks. Osborne chose the tide opposite Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee and Texas.
DL Edric Hill
Hill ranks 22nd among defenders and sixth among Missouri players in this class. Allen Trieu of 247 compared his game to the Philadelphia Eagles’ standout Javon Hargrave. The Kansas City native chose Alabama over LSU and USC.
OT Miles McVay
McVay ranks 16th in the offensive tackle rankings and third among Illinois players. Trieu has compared his ability to Chiefs lineman Orlando Brown. He chose Alabama over Oregon, Florida and more.
WR Jaren Hamilton
Hamilton is a four-star wideout from Gainesville, Fla., who Brooks says is “capable of winning contested balls against smaller defenders with a good catch radius and impressive mid-air control.” As a junior, he caught 30 passes for 671 yards and 10 touchdowns and also played on defense.
TE Ty Lockwood
Lockwood is a four-star TE from Tennessee who is a great height at 6ft 5 and 225 pounds. In his last three seasons, he caught 92 passes for 1,156 yards and five touchdowns. He was signed in Ohio State before moving to Alabama.
LB Justin Jefferson
Jefferson is unrelated to the Vikings receiver and is a four-star recruit from Pearl River Community College in Memphis. In his two seasons at JUCO, he had 139 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. He chose Alabama over Florida and Texas A&M.
WR Cole Adams
Adams is the fifth best player from the state of Oklahoma and also ran track and field in high school. As a senior, he suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him for most of the year. He committed to Alabama through Arkansas and Oklahoma.
ATH Brayson Hubbard
Hubbard, a four-star athlete from Mississippi, is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in his class. As a senior, he threw for 2,197 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 1,760 yards and 20 touchdowns.
OL RyQueze McElderry
McElderry is a four-star inside offensive lineman from Anniston, Alabama. The Tide kicked him out of Georgia in July, but he’s also made official visits to Auburn and Tennessee.
EDGE Keon Keely
Keely is the best edge rusher, the best Florida player, and the second best overall player in this class. He signed his National Letter of Intent during the early signing phase but has not yet enrolled. Ivins compared him to Chase Young, the Washington Commanders’ standout player.
RAND Yhonzae Pierre
Pierre, another Star Edge rusher who has not yet signed up, is the second-best player in Alabama and fourth-best at his position. As a senior at Eufaula High School, he accumulated 23 TFL and 8.5 sacks.
RB Richard Young
According to the composite ranking of 247, Young is the fourth-best running back in the 2023 class. As a junior in 2021, he ran for 1,755 yards while averaging nine yards per carry. The Florida native chose Alabama over Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
K Conor Talty
Talty is the third best kicker in this class. In 2022, he made 17 of 19 field goal attempts, including a long of 51, and made all 36 of his extra points.