National Signing Day has come and gone, and now the 2023 recruiting cycle is basically over and the Alabama Crimson Tide found the most success throughout the cycle. Nick Saban's team has put together an insane recruiting class with nine five-stars and 19 four-stars. Needless to say, this class isn't just the best this year, but one of the best of all time.
Without further ado, here are the 28 members of Alabama's 2023 recruiting class.
Alabama football 2023 recruiting class
S Caleb Downs
Caleb Downs ranks as the best safety, the best player in Georgia, and the sixth-best player overall in the 2023 class. In just 51 games at Mill Creek High School, Downs had 43 passes defended and 19 interceptions. He is an amazing two-way player too, as he accounted for over 850 yards and 24 touchdowns on offense as a senior. Downs signed with Alabama over Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and many more.
OT Kayden Proctor
Alabama flipped Proctor away from Iowa during the early signing period, bolstering an already stellar class. The Des Moines, Iowa native is the best offensive tackle, best player in Iowa and ninth-best player overall.
RB Justice Haynes
Haynes ranks as the second-best running back, second-best player in Georgia,and 24th-best player in the class. As a senior at Buford High School, he ran 153 times for 1,695 yards and 23 touchdowns. He chose Alabama over Florida, Ohio State, and his father's alma mater Georgia.
CB Desmond Ricks
Ricks was once in the class of 2024, but decided to reclassify in October. He is a five-star cornerback from IMG Academy in Florida, which has a long history of producing elite recruits. Ricks is the second-best cornerback, sixth-best player in the state, and 25th-best overall recruit in the class.
DL James Smith
A Montgomery, Alabama native, Smith is the best player in the state, the second-best defensive lineman in the country and the 26th-best player in the country. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, so he has the size to defend the run and pass well. He chose to play for the Tide over Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
EDGE Qua Russaw
Russaw is another Montgomery product and Smith's teammate at Carver High School. He is the fifth-best edge rusher and fourth-best player from Alabama in the 2023 class. Like Smith, he also chose Alabama over Auburn, Georgia and Florida.
WR Jalen Hale
A three-sport athlete from Longview, Texas, Hale ranks as the sixth-best wide receiver and seventh-best player from Texas. Gabe Brooks of 247 praises his athleticism, and says he plays bigger than his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame would suggest. Hale chose Alabama over Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.
CB Jahlil Hurley
Let this sink in, Hurley is the first four-star player on this list and everyone above him is a five-star. That's not a knock on him at all, as he is the fifth-best corner and eighth-best player in Alabama in this class. He is also a promising return man on special teams.
EDGE Jordan Renaud
Renaud ranks 10th in the rankings for both edge rushers and players in the state of Texas. As a junior in 2021, he racked up 66 tackles, eight TFL and two sacks. He chose to play for Alabama over Oklahoma and others.
QB Eli Holstein
Holstein ranks as the eighth-best quarterback and fifth-best player in Louisiana in the 2023 class. As a junior at Zachary High School in 2021, he led his team to a 15-0 record and the Louisiana 5A title. He originally committed to Texas A&M before de-committing and flipping to Alabama in the spring.
OT Wilkin Formby
Formby ranks as the eighth-best offensive tackle and 11th-best player from Alabama. He stands at 6-foot-7 and 295 pounds, already a good size while still having room to grow. He chose his home-state school over Oklahoma, Ole Miss and more.
S Tony Mitchell
Mitchell ranks as the ninth-best safety and the 12th-best player from Alabama in this class. He helped Thompson High School achieve a 39-2 record and win three consecutive 7A state titles between 2019 and 2021. Mitchell committed to Alabama over SEC rivals Auburn and Tennessee.
QB Dylan Lonergan
Lonergan ranks 13th among both quarterbacks and Georgia players in the 2023 class. Andrew Ivins of 247 describes him as “A big-armed passer that isn’t afraid to stand his ground in the pocket and take a hit.” The Snellville, Georgia product chose Alabama over both South Carolina and Stanford.
OT Olaus Alinen
Alinen ranks as the 14th-best offensive tackle in the class, but also the best player from Connecticut. He already has the right build for an offensive lineman at 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds. He committed to Alabama over Georgia, Ohio State, Miami and Oregon.
WR Malik Benson
Benson is a four-star wideout from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. In his previous two seasons, Benson racked up 2,206 yards and 21 touchdowns on 102 receptions. He chose Alabama over Georgia, LSU, Oregon and Tennessee.
DL Hunter Osborne
Osborne ranks 20th among defensive linemen and 15th among players from Alabama in the 2023 class. In 2022, he finished his senior season with 53 tackles, seven TFL and 2.5 sacks. Osborne chose the Tide over Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee and Texas.
DL Edric Hill
Hill ranks 22nd among defensive linemen and sixth among Missouri players in this class. Allen Trieu of 247 compared his game to that of Philadelphia Eagles standout Javon Hargrave. The Kansas City native chose Alabama over both LSU and USC.
OT Miles McVay
McVay comes in at 16th in the offensive tackle rankings and third among players from Illinois. Trieu has likened his ability to that of Chiefs lineman Orlando Brown. He chose Alabama over Oregon, Florida and more.
WR Jaren Hamilton
Hamilton is a four-star wideout from Gainesville, Florida who, according to Brooks, is “capable of winning contested balls vs. smaller defenders with good catch radius and impressive mid-air body control.” As a junior, he caught 30 passes for 671 yards and 10 touchdowns, and played on defense too.
TE Ty Lockwood
Lockwood is a four-star TE from Tennessee who possesses great size at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. In his last three seasons, he caught 92 passes for 1156 yards and five touchdowns. He was committed to Ohio State before flipping to Alabama.
LB Justin Jefferson
No relation to the Vikings receiver, Jefferson is a four-star recruit from Pearl River Community College in Memphis. In his two seasons in JUCO, he accounted for 139 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. He chose Alabama over both Florida and Texas A&M.
WR Cole Adams
Adams is the fifth-best player from the state of Oklahoma and also ran track in high school. As a senior, he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out most of the year. He committed to Alabama over Arkansas and Oklahoma.
ATH Brayson Hubbard
A four-star athlete from Mississippi, Hubbard is one of the premier dual-threat quarterbacks in the class. As a senior, he threw for 2,197 yards and 21 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,760 yards and 20 touchdowns.
OL RyQueze McElderry
McElderry is a four-star interior offensive lineman from Anniston, Alabama. The Tide flipped him from Georgia back in July, but he also made official visits to Auburn and Tennessee.
EDGE Keon Keely
Keely ranks as the best edge-rusher, the best player from Florida, and the second-best player overall in this class. He signed his National Letter of Intent during the early signing period but has not enrolled yet. Ivins has compared him to current Washington Commanders standout Chase Young.
EDGE Yhonzae Pierre
Another star edge rusher who hasn't enrolled yet, Pierre ranks as the second-best player in Alabama and fourth-best at his position. As a senior at Eufaula High School, he racked up 23 TFL and 8.5 sacks.
RB Richard Young
Young is the fourth-best running back in the 2023 class, according to 247's composite rankings. As a junior in 2021, he ran for 1,755 yards while averaging nine yards per carry. The Florida native chose Alabama over Georgia, Oregon, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.
K Conor Talty
Talty ranks as the third-best kicker in this class. In 2022, he made 17 of 19 field goal attempts, including a long of 51, and made all 36 of his extra points.
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