Kalen DeBoer secures the No. 1 recruiting class for Alabama

Kalen DeBoer is picking up right where Nick Saban left off.

The Alabama Crimson Tide landed yet another 5-star recruit over the weekend. Offensive tackle Ty Haywood out of Denton, Texas announced that he would be playing for the Crimson Tide. He made the announcement via X .

"They have a great, winning culture over the years," Haywood explained to On3 . "They are always winning and they are like a family. I saw the smile on my mom’s face when we were there. It was a clue that she was thinking, ‘This is where my son should be…’ I was praying for a long time for God to show me where I needed to be. When I got into the facilities, people were overwhelming with love and it was a family atmosphere."

Haywood's commitment officially gives Alabama the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for 2025, vaulting ahead of Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Kalen DeBoer and his staff has secured 23 commitments for the 2025 class, including four 5-star recruits.

Consensus recruiting boards have Haywood as one of the top players coming out of Texas, as well as a top-five offensive tackle in the country. At 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds with length, he has the potential to quickly develop into a starting-caliber offensive linemen.

"Simultaneously stout and long-armed, casting an imposing figure on the field while possessing more frame potential," Gabe Brooks with 247Sports wrote. "Projects as a future high-major multi-year starter with the potential to become a coveted NFL Draft candidate."

There were questions about what direction DeBoer would take the Alabama program once he arrived. While he has yet to produce any on-field results, his recruiting class is proving that he isn't planning on letting the Crimson Tide settle into lesser expectations in the post-Saban era.