The third season of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa is almost underway and conversations about Alabama football remain as heated as ever.

After signing a pair of top-six recruiting classes in each of his first two cycles, DeBoer and his staff are far from the top of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings in the 2027 cycle. The Crimson Tide currently have the No. 33 class in the nation.

That’s not stopping Bama from keeping its foot on the gas, though. As it vies for momentum with the senior class, it has gotten quite the head start recruiting the 2028 cycle. Another junior commitment just went public.

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Middletown (Del.) four-star linebacker Tysir Young announced his pledge on Sunday, four months after initially landing his offer from the SEC program. He is the No. 109 overall prospect and No. 7 LB in the 2028 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

“When I walked in, it was so different than the other schools I’d been to,” Young told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “I had an idea Alabama could be my school this soon, but it was a great feeling, then the way they recruited me kept them high on my list.”

With Young now in the boat, Alabama already has seven commits in its 2028 class — the most of any program early on. Young is the fourth blue-chipper to make choose the Tide before the beginning of his junior season.

Elite QB headlines Alabama’s 2028 class

Young is the fourth 2028 commitment for Alabama this month. Its biggest junior pledge to date came less than three weeks ago when Alexander City (Ala.) Benjamin Russell four-star quarterback Kingston Preyear locked in with DeBoer and Co.

“It was my last visit when Alabama made the move for me,” Preyear told Simmons. “I was throwing really well, and Coach Ellis pulled me to the side and said, ‘You’re going to play at the University of Alabama. I don’t care where you’re going, you’re going to play here.’ I smiled, got in the car with my dad and my brothers, and we were super pumped. Then we prayed and prayed, and a couple weeks later we pulled the trigger.”

Preyear is the No. 57 prospect and No. 4 QB in the cycle. Bama also holds a commitment from Richmond (Va.) Huguenot three-star QB Charles Scott, the No. 36 prospect at the position. Scott pledged back in May.

Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic four-star cornerback Braylen Gibbs, Austintown (Ohio) Fitch four-star offensive tackle Anthony Blalock Jr. and now Young are the other blue-chip commits in the mix early on. Young also gives Bama three linebacker commits in the 2028 class, joining St. Frances Academy (Md.) three-star Dustin Henry and Auburn (Ala.) Loachapoka’s Ryquan Butler.