Alabama football scored a recruiting win on Tuesday, when 2025 running back Akylin “AK” Dear announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide. Dear announced the news on social media in conjunction with Hayes Fawcett of On3.

Dear had previously been committed to Ole Miss. He decommitted from Lane Kiffin’s Rebels in late June.

The Mississippi native is listed as a five-star prospect on the 247Sports composite.

“Dear possesses the ability to play in both a zone or power scheme at the next level,” 247Sports national recruiting analyst Carter Petagna wrote of Dear in his scouting report. “The Quitman High School standout displays good patience and vision at the line of scrimmage while demonstrating the short area burst and explosiveness to change gears from the first to second level to create separation between the tackles. An efficient mover that can make defenders miss with his one cut elusiveness or contact balance, Dear excels finding hidden yardage and accounting for yards after contact utilizing his powerful lower half.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Dear is listed as the No. 2 running back in the 2025 class according to the 247 composite. The service ranks him as the No. 31 overall player in the class.

Dear chose the Crimson Tide over a top three that also included both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. He finished his junior season at Quitman with 2,016 rushing yards, along with 27 touchdowns.

He became Alabama’s 20th commitment in the class of 2025. The Crimson Tide’s class is ranked No. 2 nationally, behind just Ohio State.

Dear is the sixth 247 composite five-star to join the class. He joined Mongomery Carver’s Anthony Rogers, a four-star prospect, as the second running back in Alabama’s group.