Alabama caps off A-Day weekend with an underrated commitment that proves the Crimson Tide still dominates in-state recruiting

Alabama received an underrated commitment during A-Day, and it proves that the in-state recruiting base is still strong for the capstone.

Rob Gregson NFL News Writer
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Mar 6, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack gives directions during practice of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team Wednesday.
Mar 6, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack gives directions during practice of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team Wednesday. © Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Alabama Crimson Tide made waves across college football this past weekend, as in its first appearance of the 2026 season, new faces like quarterback Keelon Russell and wide receiver Cederian Morgan went to work during A-Day.

But one of the more underrated aspects of spring games is what the event does and what the weekend means for recruiting. Well, Alabama knows that very well, and they capitalized with an underrated in-state addition.

Class of 2027 DL AJ Pauley Commits to Alabama

The 6-5, 255-pound three-star from McGill-Toolen Catholic in Mobile, Alabama, announced his intention to commit to the capstone shortly after the scrimmage wrapped up on Saturday evening.

While the commitment from Pauley may not come with the luster of someone like Ryan Williams from Saraland or Cedrian Morgan from Benjamin Russell, it shows that the University still has a stronghold on the state.

How Alabama’s 2027 class is stacking up

It’s obviously still very early, but Alabama now has four three-star or greater commits in the 2027 class, and the team ranks 23rd overall in the country. December is a long way away, and the summer will be huge for Alabama, as it always is, but DeBoer and his staff hope that a strong fall will lead to even stronger December.