What Kalen DeBoer Said About Alabama's 2025 Class on Early Signing Day

Live updates from Kalen DeBoer's Wednesday press conference after the Crimson Tide signed 20 players with a full transcript and press conference video to be posted after.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer encourages his team as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. Alabama Crimson Tide defeated Auburn Tigers 28-14. / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Kalen DeBoer has gotten off to a good start putting together his first full signing class as Alabama head coach. The 2025 signing class is a consensus top-five class across the three major recruiting sites after Wednesday's signing day with more work still to be done in the spring.

DeBoer is scheduled to speak to the media at 4 p.m. Follow along for live updates from his press conference with a full transcript and video to be posted after.

Full Transcript

Opening statement…

“Exciting day. Exciting day for our program. We've got 20 guys that we're announcing. A whole year goes into this day. It's an exciting time for us. It's an exciting time for them. This is that time where it became real. We tell them in the summer that it's going to go fast with the fall, and all of a sudden it's going to be signing day, and especially with it moved up a couple weeks. Here we are. 

“Excited about the group, just this being the chance to really have a first, full cycle of recruiting. Kind of be really our first class. Guys that we want to continue to bring in that embody what Alabama stands for, what we’re looking for. Maybe it’s specific needs, which I think we’ve addressed in different ways and at different positions. Just proud of the staff. Can’t say enough about the work they’ve put in. It’s on the field staff, of course. The coaches that will be coaching them and have a lot of interest in making sure their rooms are where they need to be to be at the level we wanna compete at. 

“And then there’s also all the off the field staff, recruiting staff. Courtney Morgan, as the general manager, just does such a good job. Bob Welton and he have really done an amazing job of meshing together and taking what we’ve had before and adding to what my vision is, and what our vision will continue to be. Building on it. And just that staff being on the same page and clicking, I think we wouldn’t have had this class without the cohesiveness that exists in all of those people that I’ve mentioned. 

“Again, it felt like we addressed a lot of needs. Guys that also, on top of just their positions, just really feel love football. These guys put the action, I think, really comes through in what their love for football is. High character. You’re obviously always going to look for the guys that have the best film, and we know here that we want guys that are going to be future NFL draft picks. And these guys are all that. But we also, as we really eliminate and narrow down to those that we’re presenting today, it’s character. It’s people that embody what we want to look like. 

“Again, super excited about the 20 guys that we’re announcing across the board. I know y’all have questions about maybe just the generalities of why this, or why that, so I’m here to help you. Any questions?”

Does this signing class help give a clear idea of what some of the needs are in the transfer portal?

“This group has been pretty rock solid from really this summer. And there’s always a guy here, guy there— you guys follow it close. And so I think we’ve been pretty rock solid on knowing what’s coming in, and there’s reasons for it. Whether it’s the numbers or what we’re looking for there. 

"I think there is an understanding that there’s position groups that might be a guy or two just short on the numbers that we really feel strong about. I know just looking at the first one: offensive line. We have four offensive linemen coming in. We were well below what we felt we really need on a team, on a roster of scholarship guys this year. Defensive back would’ve been another one. I’m confident… you’re confident to an extent in today’s day and age. I think there’s always surprises, but I think that there will be a level of retention that what we went through a year ago because of the transition and the craziness of the changes and all that that happened here. I think there will be retention. There’s going to be guys that do move on, and there’s obviously guys that are making decisions to go on to the NFL, too. I feel good that we’re in a good spot. We have an idea of maybe where we need to go in the weeks ahead in the portal and a guy here, guy there that can help fill our team to really be at the level we need to be at— whether it’s numbers or talent wise— to have the success we’re looking for.”

On the recruitment of EDGE Justin Hill and what he brings…

“This guy is special. I mean, I’m gonna say that about a lot of these guys, but Justin Hill is a special, special player, and this is a place that he and his family love first of all. So there was a little special connection that way. They loved Alabama football. Just from an athleticism, explosiveness, playmaking standpoint, you can see his film, and you can see what we see and how special he is. 

“But then you dive in deeper, and you find out that this guy is someone who’s just passionate about being a great teammate, a great leader. He cares about what it feels like. His season coming to an end, and I can remember it vividly, about that impact it had on him. He knew he was going to go on to play football, but there’s a lot of teammates that weren’t and how bad he felt. That just says a lot about the character. He’s an extremely hard worker. So we’re excited about what he’s going to bring from a dynamic standpoint to that Wolf position. And Christian Robinson did an amazing job along with the rest of our staff. But Christian Robinson really heading that up in his recruitment. The relationship is extremely tight, but I think it’s the vision of our defense combined with what he does that’s a great fit for us. Who he is as well.”

On what he saw in QB signee Keelon Russell...

"Keelon, it’s really cool when you think about the recruiting process with him because you continue to think of it as there’s eyes that we have and feelings that we have when you watch the film that are one thing and it jumps out at you, but I think there’s other details that we saw on the film that when we saw him in person were verified when the coaching staff went out in the spring to see him. And it’s like ‘Wow this guy is what we think’ and these little nuances that we think are special, definitely are. You can see that as the summer went along everyone else started to see that as well. Now you see the production this fall its on another level. Then there’s the leadership piece and the personality just there’s a swagger about him, a confidence about him. He’s helped become a major part of bringing and keeping this class together, which is what you want out of any leader especially these key guys, especially your quarterback. He’s just having a great championship run with his high school. So excited about what he brings. He’s got the arm talent, just accurate, can throw with different arm slots and all that kind of stuff and then also just the ability as an athlete to make plays with his feet, just an added dimension there.”

On Alabama's defensive back signees (Dijon Lee, Chuck McDonald and Ivan Taylor)...

"I love them. I know everyone does at this time, but I just really, you know you hone in on some guys and these are the guys. These are the guys that were priorities from the beginning. Had a relationship with Dijon Lee going back, probably at least two years, I can’t remember exactly when, but going back at least two years and just going through this journey with him and now a new journey beginning. Just length. He’s brought a physicality on another level, a confidence on another level. He’s got that ‘it’. Chuck [McDonald] coming from a great program. Chuck actually came here to a camp before we were here. So there’s some familiarity with him and Alabama. But also we were well aware of who he was and just guys who have an attack mindset there and then at safety with Ivan [Taylor], that was one where we just stayed the course with the relationship building, just really felt in our hearts that this was a great fit for him. Just trying to stay with him, continuing to grow and then him just really seeing to the meshing of what he wanted, what he was looking for and what we were, just a great fit. These are just extremely high character guys that just get after it. Excited about what they’re all going to do together to add to the group of guys that we have in our program. Again, it’s a position that was short in numbers this year. They held it together throughout the year in different ways. Proud of that group and these guys are going to really come in and add to it.”

How did in-state recruiting go in this cycle and for the future?

“Yeah, it’s no secret there’s some West Coast guys here that we’re already talking about. Those were, to me, relationships is where it starts and the relationships are with those players, the identification is, of course, a part of it, the IDing, the evaluation, but the relationship piece is important and these kids, their high school coaches know who I am, know who much of our staff were. That helped get the ball rolling with those guys. I think as we continue to emphasize and really focus on the relationships that we’re building in state and in the region as well, but in state was the question, which I’m just extremely excited about and know that every year we’ll just continue to just grow and build trust. I think the season that we went through will only continue to help these in-state high school coaches believe in us that the tradition will continue and I think that’s just part of it. I think that’s the whole Southeast region as a whole. You know, we were behind. When you look at coming in in January, Really, there was there was staff we were still hiring at the end of February. So the spring recruiting was really about just getting as many high school guys on campus as we could. We were pretty much bringing in anyone that wanted to come that was at a line or close to the line or above. Just wanting to just share the message, show the vision and get all that out there. There were some high school coaches that we got to really see maybe a few in January, the last week, myself and a couple of the coaches. It continued in the spring and now this next January that will continue on. There’s added elements of coaches clinics and opportunities to get out here and there. One change with not being able to be on the road in December at any level does hold you back from building those relationships. So we’ve got to be creative and we’ve got to be open to any opportunities to continue to build those relationships and the trust.”

On Alabama OL signee Jackson Lloyd and his multi-sport ability...

“I remember seeing Jackson for the first time at a camp a few years back. Just to be really blunt, I mean, you see his size. So you’re taking now. And you flip on the film, that’s one thing, you see his athleticism. But you look at basketball, baseball, football, the guys is an athlete. And so you got this big body. Then you got this athlete and you’ve got a mindset. I don’t know if there’s ever been a time where I haven’t talked to him — and I know there is — but where I haven’t either called him or he’s texted me and I texted back ‘What are you doing?’ And it involves a workout that he just finished or that you’re heading to. And so, you just love that about him that he just loves the grind. He love just sport in general and all the things that he’s done, being a part of different athletic teams, the different sports. Just really — and that coordination is there and the footwork’s there — and now that he really just focuses on football you can probably imagine what that’s gonna be when you get a year-round program here just focusing on that alone.”

On DE signee Kevonte Henry...

“Kevonte was a guy that, again, knew him out of high school and so knew what he was all about. Just went to a junior college that we were very well aware of. And, again, all these guys you’re looking at the background, talking with people and understanding the character and really who these guys are. And, again, having a starting point with Kevonte and knowing what his frame looked like and then following through and seeing the film that he’s put out and just the explosiveness he can bring with the big body out on the edge. His get-off and he just does so many things well. Great person, great kid — not a kid, great young man — and so just really excited about what he will do and add to that room. He’s got some experience with football beyond high school years as well.”

On the WR room and Lotzeir Brooks...

“I think it's a room that is in a good spot and we just need to keep growing it. And Lotzier comes in, is a very dynamic player. Got good size as far as a frame and everything and can jump through the roof. Just super explosive and great ball skills. He’s an athlete, a very good athlete, but he’s also a wide receiver. He has those instinctual things, that spatial awareness, can make guys miss when he gets the ball in his hands but he gets the ball in his hands. He’s quarterback-friendly. He’s been the go-to guy — over 4,000 yards receiving in his high school career. That production right there and doing it almost at an 1,000-yard pace almost every year in high school. To me, those guys that have been doing it that much and have that type of production — I don’t care where you’re at, that’s impressive because the pressure’s been on him to make that next play, to covert that third down or whatever it be to score the touchdown. And so I’m excited about the instincts on top of the athleticism and explosiveness that he brings.”

Live Updates

(latest updates at the top)

• DeBoer on the wide receiver room: "It's a room in a good spot. We just need to keep growing it."
• DeBoer knew JUCO transfer Kavonte Henry coming out of high school, so he already had a starting point with him.
• DeBoer says he hopes that what Alabama went through this season will help with his relationship with in-state high school coaches.
• DeBoer said he's had a relationship with 5-star DB Dijon Lee going back two years.
• DeBoer describes the recruiting process as "really cool" with quarterback signee Keelon Russell. He says Russell was a major part of bringing and keeping this recruiting class together for Alabama.
• "Justin Hill is a special, special player."- DeBoer says about the 4-star EDGE out of Ohio.
• DeBoer says there will be a "level of retention that's different" in regards to the transfer portal compared to last season.
• He says Alabama really had fewer offensive lineman and defensive backs on the roster this season than they would've liked.
• DeBoer says they've been pretty "rock solid" on knowing what guys are coming in and out, and what needs they may have to address in the portal.
• DeBoer says Alabama was able to meet a lot of needs with this signing class.
• DeBoer gives a lot of credit to GM Courtney Morgan and director of player personnel Bob Welton.
• "Proud of the staff. Can't say enough about the work they've put in."
• He calls this an exciting day for the program with the 20 signees. "A whole year goes into this day."
• DeBoer arrives at the podium right at 4:00.