Early signing day is here. While transfer portal chaos has littered college football recruiting, attention will turn to the next generation of high schoolers expected to take their next steps on Wednesday. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama football finds itself in a familiar position.

The Crimson Tide is posited for another top-ranked recruiting class, likely falling within the top three according to most national evaluators. The signing period runs from Dec. 20 through Friday, Dec. 22. Most players are expected to formally sign their national letter of intent (LOI) in the coming days as opposed to the February window.

Entering Wednesday, Alabama has 22 verbal pledges, three of which are consensus five-stars. The bedrock of the class has been in place since 2022 with prospects nationally and in some cases, globally. The positions of focus were linebacker, defensive back and wide reciever, reflecting some prior signing day misses and expected roster turnover.

Current Alabama players are currently getting ready for the Rose Bowl against Michigan, but coaches have been hard at work securing the future. In the days leading up to the signing period, Alabama has kept pushing for blue-chip prospects. A group of mid-year enrollees has already started taking part in playoff practices, including five-star quarterback Julian Sayin, though they will not be eligible to play in the game.

At 4 p.m., Saban will meet with the media to discuss the class. AL.com will provide live updates on each prospect who makes it official along with a highlight video and analysis on what they’ll bring to Alabama.