Alabama football is still putting the finishing touches on its 2025 recruiting class, but it’s never too early to start working several recruiting classes ahead.

Ba’Roc Willis, a 2027 linebacker, has committed to the Crimson Tide, he told On3 on Tuesday. Willis is Alabama’s first commit in the 2027 class.

Willis is from Moody and also has offers from Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, Missouri and more.

“Locked in,” Willis wrote on X. “Time to focus on the season now.”

On3 lists Willis as a 6-3, 220-pound linebacker. He doesn’t yet have star ratings from On3 or 247Sports.

Associated head coach/defensive line Freddie Roach is listed as Willis’ primary recruiter. Outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson is listed as the secondary recruiter.

New coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff have found quick success recruiting after taking over for Nick Saban this offseason. DeBoer discussed the reasons for that success in Dallas during SEC Media Days.

“I knew it was important for me to put the right people around me,” DeBoer said as part of his answer. “As much as I can preach relationships and getting to know guys and feel like there’s a way that I can get guys to feel that this is a program they want to be a part of, I understand that there’s got to be familiarity with a region.”

Roach and Robinson have that, and as a result, they helped land an in-state prospect in Willis for 2027.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.