Recruiting Rundown: Nick Saban Seeks to Make History On Friday

Ready to feel old? Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. is making his college commitment on Friday.

It's decision day for an Alabama legacy. Dre Kickpatrick Jr. out of Gadsden City high school will announce his college destination at 5 p.m. on Friday and has Alabama in his final four. 

Kirkpatrick Jr., the son of two-time national champion Dre Kirkpatrick, is choosing between Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas and Auburn. Most experts predict the 6-foot safety to choose between Alabama and Missouri.

Should Kirkpatrick Jr. commit to Alabama, he will be the first prospect whose father played for Saban at the same University. 

The safety is the first of several big decisions coming in the next few days as next week stands out for two different prospects.

5-star defensive lineman Eddrick Houston is set to make his commitment on Tuesday, Aug. 22. Houston, out of Buford High School has Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and USC in his final five, but many experts say it's a three team race between the Tide, Bulldogs and Buckeyes.

On Wednesday, Aug. 23 the Tide could add another prospect in 4-star running back Daniel Hill. The Mississippi product is considering South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi State. His father played for the Bulldogs, giving him family ties to Starkville, however it seems to be a two-school race between Alabama and South Carolina. Hill's commitment would be big as Alabama has yet to secure a running back in the 2024 class.

If Alabama adds all three prospects to its 2024 class it sets up a fun finish to the Tide's class. Nick Saban currently has 17 commitments and likely won't take more than 27 in this cycle, creating a sense of urgency for Alabama's remaining targets to get on board before being left out.

News and Notes

• The Carrollton Trojans open the 2023 season against the Langston Hughes Panthers on Friday night. Alabama fans can keep with 2024 commit Caleb Odom and 2026 commit Zykie Helton as well as 2026 target Julian Lewis by watching the Trojans play on TV. The Georgia powerhouse is expecting a strong year and will have its first game shown on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. CT.

• 4-star tackle Jordan Seaton has narrowed his list of schools to a top seven with Alabama and Florida appearing as the leader for the IMG product. Seaton will take an official visit to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 21 for the Tide's matchup against Tennessee

Tide-Bits

• Alabama baseball secured the commitment of two-way player Zack Johnson out of Bob Jones High School. Johnson is a class of 2025 prospect and plays catcher, third base and pitches at the high school level. The 6-foot, 180 pound athlete is considered a Top-50 prospect in his class.

• The Crimson Tide baseball program added a class of 2024 prospect with the commitment of Jack Ketchum. Ketchum is out of Heritage Academy in Mississippi and is a right-handed pitcher as well as a first baseman. Perfectgame.org grades the 6-2, 210 pounder as 9.5 out of 10 as a prospect. 

See Also: 

Recruiting Rundown: What's Next For The Tide After Two Flips This Week?

Alabama Head Soccer Coach Wes Hart on The Joe Gaither Show | Episode 62: Aug. 17, 2023

Alabama Soccer Victorious in Season-Opening Shutout of DePaul