Alabama football recruiting: Kalen DeBoer lands commitment from 4-star RB Akylin Dear

By Viraj Mali

Modified Aug 21, 2024 00:19 GMT

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Akylin Dear, a four-star running back from Quitman, Mississippi, is one of the best high school prospects from the class of 2025. The 6-foot-0 running back was sitting on offers from some of the best programs in the country, including Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida, and Auburn.

However, the four-star running back announced his commitment to Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday. The Mississippi native made an official visit to Tuscaloosa in June of this year. He spoke about the Crimson Tide's "great and amazing job" following his June visit.

Dear had committed to Ole Miss but decided to decommit on June 28. He shed light on his decision to commit to the Crimson Tide.

"It is a business decision," the four-star running back told On3. "Alabama has a great history at running back, they know how to win, the staff shows constant love and it is the place for me."

247Sports has Dear as the top running back prospect in the class of 2025 and No. 45 overall. Meanwhile, Dear is ranked the no. 38 prospect in the country and is the second-best running back, as per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the third-best overall prospect from the state of Mississippi on both outlets.

Akylin Dear talked about the Alabama Crimson Tide's RB coach, Robert Gillespie

Akylin Dear said Crimson Tide running backs coach Robert Gillespie was a huge factor in landing his commitment. Dear spoke highly about his new RB coach in an interview with On3.

"Coach G was really the only coach that stayed with me when I was committed," Akylin Dear said, as per On3. "Some others would talk to me some and reach out a little, but Coach G stayed with me. He kept texting me and calling me. He never gave up. That showed me how much he wanted me."

He continued,

"Coach G is my dog. He is from Mississippi like me. He played at Hattiesburg. So why not be coached by my own kind? We are Mississippi boys who have a deep connection... Our relationship is stronger than anything and I can’t wait to play for him."

Alabama's class of 2025 is ranked no. 2 in the country, as per 247Sports. The Crimson Tide have landed 20 commitments so far and have extended 229 offers to some of the best high school prospects in the country.