You just can’t stop Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football right now. The Crimson Tide have been on an absolute tear in recruiting this month, already landing 5-star linebacker Xavier Griffin over the weekend. Now, they’ve added another big piece: wide receiver Owen Cabell.
Cabell, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound standout from Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville, decided to shut down his recruitment and commit to Alabama, picking the Tide over hometown Vanderbilt. Cabell isn’t the highest-rated prospect — he’s a 3-star receiver ranked No. 166 nationally at his position — but Alabama moved fast to lock him down.
DeBoer officially offered Cabell on June 2 and brought him in for an official visit on June 20. Just 10 days later, Cabell announced he was heading to Tuscaloosa. Considering Vanderbilt was one of his finalists, it’s a big recruiting win to pull a local star away from the Commodores’ backyard.
Cabell, who racked up 20 scholarship offers during his recruitment, also seriously considered Illinois before choosing Alabama. With him on board, the Crimson Tide now have 15 commitments in their 2026 class, which has skyrocketed from outside the top 40 in recruiting rankings to No. 8 nationally, according to 247Sports.
But DeBoer might not be done yet. Five-star receiver Cederian Morgan is set to announce his decision on Wednesday, July 2, in what’s shaping up to be an Alabama-Auburn battle. If Alabama lands Morgan too, it could push the Tide even higher in the rankings — but even if they don’t, fans should already be excited about what’s happening on the recruiting trail.
Alabama Strikes Again: Tide Snags WR Owen Cabell From Vanderbilt’s Backyard
