Alabama steals legacy recruit Kenneth Simon II from Tennessee

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Alabama steals legacy recruit Kenneth Simon II from Tennessee

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated May 11, 2026 5:28 PM ET

Head coach Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide have to feel great about their latest commitment.

Not only did they land one of the top linebackers in the country on Monday, but they stole this commitment deep out of the heart of Tennessee Volunteers country.

Kenneth Simon II is a four-star linebacker from Brentwood, Tennessee.

His father, Kevin Simon, is a former NFL linebacker who played at Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. The older Simon was a two-time All-SEC player for the Vols during his time on Rocky Top.

Tennessee obviously had a lot to say in his son's recruitment. The Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels were also highly involved.

Ultimately, though, DeBoer and his staff played a huge role in securing the highly-regarded four-star's commitment to Alabama.

He committed on Monday.

BREAKING: Four-Star LB Kenneth Simon II has Committed to Alabama, he tells me for @Rivals⁰
The 6’2 210 LB from Brentwood, TN chose the Crimson Tide over Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee

“Roll Tide”⁰https://t.co/4NMUEyG6Jl pic.twitter.com/prKHNzZKBo
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 11, 2026

This is a huge recruiting win for 'Bama because Simon admitted that he grew up only thinking about playing for Tennessee.

He, of course, took his visits, and he mentioned that the feeling in Tuscaloosa just felt a bit different. That caught his attention.

Culture at Alabama leads to commitment from 4-star LB Kenneth Simon II

“The Alabama culture sealed it for me," Simon told Chad Simmons of Rivals. "The standard they hold you to is different. When you think of Alabama, you think of winning and working hard. I want to be held to that standard.”

The four-star also developed a strong relationship with linebackers coach Chuck Morrell and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. DeBoer made an impression as well.

“He’s a winner… and he hates losing," Simon said of his future coach. "When you’ve got coaches and players that hate losing, things are going to go right. I like what he is about and how much he cares for his players and the program. Coach DeBoer is going to win at Alabama.”

Ultimately, the numbers suggest this is a massive recruiting win for DeBoer and his staff.

According to 247Sports, Simon is the No. 7 linebacker recruit in the country. He's Alabama's sixth 2027 commitment.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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