Fact or Fiction: Kalen DeBoer has exceeded recruiting expectations
Rivals national recruiting analyst Marshall Levenson is joined by national recruiting director Adam Gorney, OUInsider.com‘s Parker Thune and Maize&BlueReview.com’s Josh Henschke to tackle three topics and determine whether they believe each statement is FACT or FICTION.
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1. Kalen DeBoer has exceeded recruiting expectations in his first offseason in Tuscaloosa.
Gorney: FACT. There was this ridiculous notion that Kalen DeBoer would be a disappointment as a recruiter once he got to Alabama but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only has DeBoer done an excellent job on the recruiting trail but he has a bunch of phenomenal assistants who do a ton of work on the road and general manager Courtney Morgan is as good at his job as anyone in the country.
DeBoer took his Washington team to the national championship last season and in 116 games coached he’s won 104. Now he’s at Alabama.
Was there really a question that the Crimson Tide would fall off much?
The real question is this: Alabama is known for No. 1 classes. The Crimson Tide are sitting at third with no five-star commitments right now. Will that be good enough to make the Bama faithful happy?
Levenson: FACT. The modern culture of sports has become extremely flawed with expecting success in immediate fashion. Whether it’s a new coach or new player, fans uprise when there are bumps in the road. In the case of DeBoer, whether it was Bama fans or those of other fanbases, it was clear from the jump he was expected to carry the torch and take on an impossible task of following Nick Saban.
However, he has absolutely showed he can and will keep the Tide right where they have been for nearly the last two decades, at least from a recruiting standpoint. The on-field success is to be determined. But sitting with the No. 3 class in the country and eight committed prospects in the top 100, DeBoer and his staff have found a groove.
There are only two remote knocks to his first eight months on the job. He is losing the in-state battle to Auburn, which holds eight of the 15 players in the state, while Bama only has three. And there are no five-stars in the class. Both of those are topics I believe are extremely temporary and will likely change in the very near future. All together, DeBoer has been elite in the beginning of his time in Tuscaloosa.
RELATED: Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class
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2. Michigan is the leader for both Jayden Sanders and Andrew Marsh.
Henshke: FACT. Heading into both announcements, Michigan feels pretty good about what it’s done with both Jayden Sanders and Andrew Marsh barring anything last minute. With both prospects visiting campus multiple times in recent weeks, it’s easy to see why the Wolverines are in such good contention. The staff and the program itself check a lot of boxes for both of them, which is why I believe both guys will end up at U-M.
Levenson: FACT. My thoughts line up with Henshke’s here. The Wolverines are in really good spots for both of the Texas skill players. Sanders has been said before it was between Oklahoma State and Michigan, and there has certainly been more buzz pointing to Michigan as he is set to commit tomorrow. The same goes for Marsh, who has a few more finalists involved, but none have received more talk than the Wolverines as he prepares for a Aug. 20 commitment. I expect Michigan to have a successful stretch in the Lone Star State this month.
RELATED: Michigan’s 2025 recruiting class
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3. Defensive back is the strongest group in Oklahoma’s 2025 class.
Thune: FICTION. Admittedly, there are some really dynamic pieces in Oklahoma’s 2025 secondary class. Omarion Robinson and Marcus Wimberly are two of the nation’s premier safeties, and Courtland Guillory and Maliek Hawkins are elite cover corners that I believe are underrated. But it’s hard to go with any other position group than wide receiver, where noted recruiting wizard Emmett Jones has assembled a class of five top-tier commits.
The headliner is Florida native Cortez Mills, the No. 69 overall player in the nation. But Elijah Thomas is a small-town gem that might be one of the most college-ready receivers in the nation, and I’m bullish on the potential that three-star DFW native Emmanuel Choice offers. Throw in the blue-chip law firm of Gracen Harris and Marcus Harris, and the strongest position group in Oklahoma’s 2025 class certainly belongs to Jones.
Levenson: FACT. Thune lays out a good argument for the wideouts committed to the Sooners, but I’m siding with those who will be covering them. The defensive back group has a chance to be one of, if not the, strongest groups in the country come signing day.
Robinson showed at the Rivals Five-Star he is undoubtedly one of the best safeties in this class. Wimberly has a legit claim at being one of the best pound-for-pound athletes in 2025 and he will be fitting in at safety as well. I certainly am a fan of both Guillory and Haynes, but what seals it for me is the recent performance I’ve seen out of Hawkins, who has really built his body and is very, very strong in his technique. He dominated the Oklahoma prospect camps and was locking down everyone.
You can’t go wrong picking either side of the argument here. The Sooners have a really solid class headed their way.
RELATED: Oklahoma’s 2025 recruiting class
