“Stay with bama”: Alabama fans react to 5-star commit Ty Haywood’s high school football farewell post

By Aman Sharma

Modified Dec 21, 2024 18:04 GMT

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Ty Haywood, a 6-foot-5, 285-pound standout, is widely regarded as one of the premier offensive line prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Ranked No. 11 overall and the second-best offensive tackle in the nation by composite rankings, Haywood’s talent has earned him significant attention.

In May, the Mississippi native, who transitioned from defense to offense after relocating to Denton, Texas, committed to Alabama over powerhouse programs like Georgia, Oklahoma and Florida State. Despite his commitment, Haywood’s future draws intrigue as Michigan continues a heavy push to flip the five-star recruit.

Haywood recently shared an emotional farewell post on Instagram to his Ryan High School teammates. Alabama fans flooded the comments, urging him to remain loyal to his commitment.

“Stay with Bama, it’s the best path,” one fan wrote.

“Ty, go do great things! And never forget—once a Raider, ALWAYS a Raider! We can’t wait to see what your future holds,” another wrote.

Image via Ig@tyhaywood_

"You know the right way to go," a fan wrote.

"Bama is home," another wrote.

Image via Ig@tyhaywood_

"That’s a Michigan man," a fan wrote.

Image via Ig@tyhaywood_

Reflecting on his journey, Haywood told 247Sports:

"When I moved here, I was playing defensive end and defensive tackle. Then the coaches wanted to see me at left tackle and basically one day they were like 'Hey, bring him over here'. And man, it sucked. Pass-pro sucked, everything sucked. We had a lot of talks about it, but over time, everything got better. So, now, look at me. I would say physicality is there. I have some speed, the athletic ability is there too."

Michigan making late push to flip Alabama commit Ty Haywood

Ty Haywood, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman, is ranked as the No. 20 overall player and No. 4 offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting class. Committed to Alabama since mid-July, the Mississippi native appeared firmly aligned with the Crimson Tide.

However, Michigan has intensified its pursuit of Haywood with a late push centered on its revamped NIL approach. Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore and offensive line coach Grant Newsome made early contact with Haywood during a winter visit to Texas, extending him an offer. While Haywood initially expressed interest, he never visited Ann Arbor and pledged to Alabama over the summer.

EJ Holland of On3 provided insight into the Wolverines’ late efforts.

“Haywood seemed pretty solid to Alabama,” Holland told On3. “He grew up in Mississippi and was an Alabama fan. His mother is an Alabama fan as well. However, Michigan is making a late run here.

The Wolverines put together a major deal for Bryce Underwood and are looking to do the same with Haywood. With Michigan’s new approach to NIL, I do think there is some optimism that the Wolverines can flip Haywood from Alabama.”

Michigan’s 2025 class already features five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, offensive tackle Andrew Babalola and 21 other commits. Ranked No. 9 nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten, the Wolverines trail only Ohio State and Oregon.