Recruiting Rundown: Alabama Football Back on Top, Philon Chooses Auburn

The Crimson Tide is back atop the football recruiting world while the top basketball player in the state is headed to the Plains.

National Signing Day has come and gone — and the Alabama Crimson Tide is back on top of the college football recruiting world.

After Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M shocked the world and took home the title in 2022, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide assumed its position atop the rankings for the Class of 2023. Alabama brought in a total of 28 prospects — including nine five-stars and 18 four-stars to run away from second-place Georgia and third-place Texas.

Oklahoma, Ohio State, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Tennessee and Notre Dame rounded out the top-10.

The Crimson Tide brought in three of the nation's top-10 recruits — edge rusher Keon Keeley, safety Caleb Downs and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Alabama brought in Tuscaloosa native Sawyer Deerman on Wednesday to wrap up its 2023 class.

Even after bringing in one of the best classes of all time, Alabama is right back to work on the Class of 2024 and beyond. Here are the players that the Crimson Tide has offered in the past week.

Offers

(2024) Malik Blocton, DL, Pike Road, Ala.

(2024) Demarcus Riddick, ATH, Clanton, Ala.

(2025) KJ Lacey, QB, Saraland, Ala.

(2024) Cayden Jones, LB, Arden, N.C.

(2024) Marques Easley, OT, Kankakee, Ill.

(2025) Eli Owens, ATH, Alcoa, Tenn.

(2024) Air Noland, QB, Fairburn, Ga.

(2026) Jonah Winston, ATH, Hoover, Ala.

(2024) Bradley Shaw, LB, Hoover, Ala.

(2025) Jared Smith, EDGE, Birmingham, Ala.

(2024) Jordan Ross, EDGE, Birmingham, Ala.

(2024) Selman Bridges, CB, Temple, Texas

(2024) Weston Davis, OT, Beaumont, Texas

Basketball

The biggest news of the week for Nate Oats and the basketball program came out of Mobile on Friday morning. The top player in the state of Alabama in the Class of 2024, point guard Labaron Philon, committed to in-state rival Auburn and Bruce Pearl.

Labaron Philon, one of the top point guards in the 2024 class, tells me he’s committed to Auburn.

"I believe coach Bruce Pearl can get me to the next level with the greatness of coaching he has."

Story: https://t.co/xfSoxzwjrz pic.twitter.com/baQUJi2fov

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) February 3, 2023

The Crimson Tide was in Philon's final six that he announced on Wednesday. The Baker High School standout is the No. 5 PG in the next year's class.

In other 2024 news, power forward Donnie Freeman took his official visit to Tuscaloosa on Jan. 25.

Freeman is the No. 6 PF in the Class of 2024 — playing at St. John's High School in Washington D.C. He has also taken visits to Iowa and Texas.

See Also:

Alabama Hiring Tommy Rees as New Offensive Coordinator

Report: Todd Grantham Returning to the NFL

Nate Oats 'Not Going Anywhere'