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Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Receive Big News Saturday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 1:17 PM ET

The Alabama Crimson Tide are entering a pivotal 2025 season under head coach Kalen DeBoer, who is entering his second year with the program.

After missing out on the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff last season, the pressure is on DeBoer to return the Crimson Tide to national championship contention, reminiscent of the Nick Saban era.

Sustaining that level of success requires strong recruiting year after year. While the 2025 roster is already loaded with talent, DeBoer received major news on Saturday regarding a future five-star recruit in the Class of 2026.

Alabama safety commit Jireh Edwards, who had previously kept his recruitment open, has officially shut it down. He will no longer take visits or calls from other schools, confirming his full commitment to Alabama. Edwards is currently the No. 2 ranked safety in the Class of 2026 and initially committed back in July.

“No such thing as an open recruitment when you're HOME!” Edwards wrote.

BREAKING: Five-Star Alabama Safety commit Jireh Edwards has Shut Down his Recruitment, he tells me for @rivals

The No. 2 Safety in the ‘26 Class committed to the Crimson Tide in July

“No such thing as an open Recruitment when you’re HOME!”https://t.co/wFO09PrX1k pic.twitter.com/2QGv2EwpdM
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 16, 2025

Jireh Edwards had several other high-profile offers from powerhouse programs, but he ultimately chose to stick with the Crimson Tide—a massive addition to Kalen DeBoer’s future plans.

Other notable offers came from Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon, and Auburn. Edwards attended St. Frances Academy in Marlboro, Maryland, and in addition to being the No. 2 ranked safety in the Class of 2026, he is also ranked No. 16 nationally by On3.

He now joins a growing group of five-star recruits for Alabama in 2026, including linebacker Xavier Griffin, wide receiver Cederian Morgan, and cornerback Jordan Edmonds. The Crimson Tide also have a strong contingent of four-star recruits already committed to next season’s roster.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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