Whatâs next for Alabama football recruiting at linebacker for 2024?

Alabama football lost to Auburn in the battle to flip former Georgia commit linebacker Demarcus Riddick. With the five-star prospect heading to the east side of the state, Nick Saban and company will no doubt be back on the recruiting trail to find the next great Crimson Tide linebacker.

The 2024 class already includes two commitments at the position. Here’s a look at who’s already in the class, and where Alabama might look if it wants to add another linebacker to the group.

Who’s already committed at linebacker for Alabama football’s 2024 class?

Cayden Jones

Jones is a four-star prospect from Christ School in North Carolina. He stands 6-4 and weighs in at 210 pounds.

He committed to the Crimson Tide in April. Jones ranks as the No. 17 linebacker and No. 165 player in his class according to 247Sports’ composite ratings.

Justin Okoronkwo

A three-star prospect, Okoronkwo committed to Alabama from an unconventional locale. According to the 247 composite, he ranks as the No. 1 player in his country, Germany.

At SEC Media Days earlier in July, Saban discussed recruiting internationally.

“We have had the opportunity to get to know these young men that we recruited from Europe, really, because they came and spent a significant amount of time with us,” Saban said. “Whether it was in camp or visiting or whatever, so that we could determine, do they have the right stuff to be able to compete at this level. It was pretty easy to see they had the talent to do it. But could they understand that this is a little more competitive, the quality of ball was going to be a little bit different, and how are you going to respond to that?”

Okoronko is 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds. 247′s composite ranks him as the No. 33 linebacker in the class.

Sterling Dixon

Much more of a pure edge rusher than the other two, Dixon committed to Alabama in December. He will switch schools this season after playing his prior high school football at Mobile Christian.

He had 172 tackles and 18 sacks as a junior last year according to Maxpreps. The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Dixon is a four-star prospect on the 247 composite, which ranks him as the 15th best edge nationally.

Who else are the Crimson Tide targeting?

Bradley Shaw

After losing an in-state prospect in Riddick, Alabama could get another one in Shaw, who plays at Hoover. The 6-foot-1, 216-pound four-star prospect is rated as the No. 14 linebacker nationally by the 247Sports composite.

Shaw also has offers from, among others, Notre Dame, Arkansas and Auburn.

Chris Cole

Looking out of state, Cole, who plays at Salem High School in Virginia, has the Crimson Tide in his top eight. Cole is a four-star prospect and is rated as the No. 6 linebacker in the 2024 class by the 247 composite.

247′s Steve Wiltfong put in a prediction that Cole will commit to Georgia. However, the Tide remain a contender for the 6-foot-3, 210-pound prospect.

Cole’s top eight included the Crimson Tide, Georgia, Southern California, Tennessee, Miami, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.

Devin Smith

The three-star prospect from Brunswick, Ga. visited Alabama during junior weekend in March. He reported an offer from the Crimson Tide in January.

He has also visited Kentucky, LSU and Auburn among others. On July 3, he narrowed his top five schools to Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina and LSU.

The 247 composite ranks the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Smith as the No. 57 linebacker and No. 559 player in the class.