The Alabama football 2025 recruiting class has officially added one of its signature players in signee Michael Carroll.

Dear broke out as a sophomore in 2022, eventually committing to Ole Miss this past March.Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State had offers out to the blue-chip prospect, as did Southern Miss. There was some continuity for Dear on the Alabama staff despite the coaching change from former coach Nick Saban to DeBoer in mid-January.

With this early signing period approaching, here's what you need to know about where SEC programs stand in the college football recruiting rankings

Barring an upset in Saturday’s ACC championship game between Clemson and SMU, the three-loss Crimson Tide might be headed back to the CFP for the ninth time in the past 11 seasons. The Hurricanes

Waldrep is listed at 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, and is out of Central Phenix City High School in Phenix City, Ala. He is considered the No. 22 prospect in the state of Alabama and the No. 44 interior offensive lineman in the 2025 class. Rivals is the only recruiting service to list him as a four-star prospect.

Essentially the only path that guarantees a playoff berth for Alabama is an SMU win, as College Football Playoff selection committee chair Warde Manuel explained: “Those who are not playing [in conference championship games], we will not adjust those teams.” Manuel told ESPN.

Alabama football has officially secured an in-state offensive lineman from Phenix City. Mal Waldrep of Central High School has signed with the Crimson Tide on the first day of the early signing period.

Johnson is listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds and is considered the No. 12 linebacker, the No. 16 player in the state of Georgia and the No. 132 overall player in the class of 2025 by On3.