Nation's No. 1 Running Back Commits To SEC Powerhouse

Alabama is making a run for the top recruiting class in the country following a commitment from one of the best players in the 2025 class.

Five-star running back Akylin Dear committed to the Crimson Tide on Tuesday, bringing the commitment total to 20 in the Tide's 2025 class. Dear was previously committed to the Ole Miss Rebels from March to June of 2024 before backing off his pledge and re-opening his recruitment.

Alabama took the lead quickly and was expected to gain a commitment from Dear ahead of the official announcement.

Dear (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) is rated as the No. 1 RB, the No. 3 player in the state of Mississippi and the No. 45 overall recruit in his class, per 247Sports.

The Quitman High School product chose Kalen DeBoer and Alabama over Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Dear is as productive as he is highly-rated. As a junior at Quittman high, Dear racked up 2,016 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. Speed comes naturally for Dear, who clocked a personal best of 11.17 in the 100-meter yard dash as a freshman on the track team.

Alabama's class is pushing Ohio State for the No. 1 spot in the nation, per 247Sports. If the Tide can stay hot it seems like that mark may be reached sooner rather than later, as Alabama has fewer commitments (20) than the Buckeyes (24), yet is just seven points back.

The Tide's six five-star commitments are the most in any single class in the nation.

While DeBoer has yet to coach a single snap at the helm of his new team, it's clear that he has the chops to recruit at the level of the SEC's best.

The Crimson Tide will open the 2024 season at home against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN).

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