Kalen DeBoer faces first massive recruiting challenge with local 5-star pass-rusher

Replacing Nick Saban set an impossible standard for Kalen DeBoer, but the new Alabama Crimson Tide head coach has said all of the right things since taking over the blue blood program. Now, it's time for DeBoer to ace a test that Saban rarely lost: landing a premier local recruit.

5-star pass-rusher Jared Smith from Alabaster, Alabama, is only an hour away from DeBoer in Tuscaloosa, so why isn't the Tide considered the favorite to land him?

Alabama Trailing in Chase for 2025 5-Star EDGE Jared Smith

A regime change means a breaking-in period for everyone in the Alabama program. Creating new relationships within SEC country for a coach who was on the West Coast for years is a tall task. But the time is ticking, and prioritizing the pipeline within the Southeast will define DeBoer's tenure at Alabama.

It's hard to blame DeBoer for losing out on Caleb Downs and Julian Sayin, amongst others who fled to other schools after Saban's retirement. But Smith offers DeBoer and his staff an opportunity to flex that Alabama will still keep elite recruiting classes coming. He's the No. 2-rated player in the state but the only remaining 5-star uncommitted.

Cornerback Naeem Offord is headed to Ohio State, while DT Malik Autry is going to Auburn. Alabama's highest-rated 2025 recruit is LB Darrell Johnson, who is 49th overall on 247Sports' board. Landing Smith, the No. 19-rated player at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, would redefine the class.

However, DeBoer and company have yet to make a big dent in the chase for the nation's No. 2 pass-rusher. He's predicted to go to South Carolina, with Georgia, Ole Miss, and USC trailing most heavily. In fact, the Hoover native is seemingly cool on Alabama.

The Tide is always stocked with defensive talent, but the churn never ends. Even with three 5-stars coming on board this year, it's an incredibly young unit entering 2025. Factor in busts and potential transfers, and Smith could make an early impact if he came on board.

Maybe it's unfair to say DeBoer could even make up the ground needed to keep him from going to an SEC competitor. He hasn't had the time to work with local coaching staffs, network with Smith, and earn the deep-pocketed support needed in a battle for top talent. But Smith should nonetheless be DeBoer's focus, if even just to see how much the program's weight still matters for locals.