Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide finished in the No. 1 spot in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings for 2023, the site announced on Wednesday. It is the tenth time Saban has earned the honor since 2011. Alabama Football also boasts the third-best class ever with a score of 327.68, just behind Texas A&M in 2022 and Alabama itself in 2021, per 247.
The group is headlined by a record nine five-star recruits: edge rusher Keon Keeley, safety Caleb Downs, offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, defensive lineman James Smith, edge rushers Qua Russaw and Yhonzae Pierre, running back Justice Haynes, wide receiver Jalen Hale and cornerback Desmond Ricks.
Seven of those nine are enrolled early and already undergoing spring workouts with the program.
“We’re obviously very pleased with the class we’re able to attract, got a good bunch of players, but I think what I liked about this group the most is it seems like they have really good character,” Nick Saban said about the Alabama Crimson Tide's new adds after the Early Signing Period.
“We still sort of try to get guys to buy into developing and creating value for their future based on getting an education, being a good person, being the best football player they can be. So I feel like the kind of guys that we were able to attract are the right kind of guys and we’re excited about the class.”
The Tide also added two top quarterbacks in Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan, who both enrolled early.
“Relationships are really important,” Nick Saban continued. “To have a lot of good people in the organization that are going to be in position to help guys sort of develop responsibility for their own self-determination by being accountable personally, academically and athletically and having the right kind of folks to do that, I think is something that really helps us in recruiting.”
The Alabama Football program won the Sugar Bowl in 2022, but will be looking to return to college football supremacy for the first time since 2020 with help from its loaded 2023 class.
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