Every Alabama fan will agree that Nick Saban is arguably one of the best coaches and recruiters of all time. However, the same can be said for the rest of the coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding, wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, and cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson have all been known for their recruiting prowess over the years.

This past season, the Crimson Tide managed to bring in a stellar recruiting class. There has been just one recruiting class that ranked outside the top ten since Saban’s first year in Tuscaloosa in 2007. That class finished ranked No. 12 according to 247Sports’ recruiting rankings.

Now, the coaching staff is looking to assemble another outstanding recruiting class. With a surplus of talent across the state of Alabama and innumerable talent in other parts of the country, we fully expect this class to be among the best.

Today, Roll Tide Wire will make some early predictions for the Crimson Tide’s 2023 recruiting class. Read along to learn more about the possible future of the Alabama football program.

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Eli Holstein – It didn’t take too long for Alabama fans to recognize why Holstein was “the guy.” In his junior season at Zachary High School, he led his team to an unblemished 15-0 record as well as a class 5A state championship. More recently, he was given an invite to the Elite 11 (premier quarterback event held for the best quarterbacks in the nation). The coaching staff became enamored with Holstein and have their guy at the quarterback position for the ’23 recruiting class.

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Richard Young – Over the years, Alabama has produced some of the best running backs in the country. That will hold true with five-star Richard Young coming to Alabama. He has been a priority for the coaching staff for quite some time now. The Florida native has been to Alabama four times over the past two years. Keep in mind, that he is a rising senior. Coach Saban and his staff have kept in close contact with Young for a while. Other schools like Notre Dame, Georgia, and Oregon are in the mix as well. However, I think he ultimately chooses Alabama.

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Malik Benson – Coach Saban usually doesn’t recruit junior college wide receivers, but that doesn’t hold true with Hutchinson Community College wideout Malik Benson. Benson has certainly showcased his playmaking abilities at the junior college level. This past season, Benson hauled in 43 receptions for 1,229 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. Ever since he received an offer from Alabama in March, the Tide have kept close contact. Other potential suitors are Tennessee and Georgia. However, I firmly believe he will end up in Tuscaloosa.

Cole Adams – Alabama fans received some good news on Wednesday as the Oklahoma native, Cole Adams, committed to the Tide. He is the first wide receiver to commit in the ’23 recruiting class and seems like he is locked in with the Tide. At his high school, he also competes in track. With his size and versatility, he will be a valuable piece to the class.

Demetrius Bell – This prediction can be seen as a surprise by some Alabama fans. However, I will stick with my gut on this one. The Tide recently extended an offer to Bell, the Michigan State commit, on June 25th. It certainly won’t be easy to get him to flip. If anyone can make it happen, it is Alabama. Over the years, the coaching staff has been able to flip wide receivers JoJo Earle and DeVonta Smith. Now, they will do the same for Bell. I think the goal is to sign three wide receivers in this class.

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Luke Hasz – This could also be a stretch, but I believe that Arkansas commit Luke Hasz will flip to Alabama. It won’t be easy considering he has been committed to the Razorbacks since January. The Tide haven’t really gone after any tight ends outside of Hasz. 2023 tight end Riley Williams is likely to commit to Miami. Another tight end the Tide have offered is Jelani Thurman, but the chances of him committing to Alabama are likely slim. I believe that the coaching staff is all in on trying to flip Hasz and I believe it will pay off.

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Samson Okunlola – After being offered in March, Okunlola took an official visit to Tuscaloosa in June. It seemed to have gone well for the Massachusetts native. The coaching staff is extremely high on him and I think the Tide are high on his list. The other schools that received official visits were Miami and Michigan State. In the end, Alabama does enough to earn his commitment.

Wilkin Formby – A Tuscaloosa native, Wilkin Formby is the talk of the town. The product of Northridge High School recently committed to the Tide. He became the first offensive lineman to commit in the ’23 class. He is locked in with the Tide and will likely be an early signee.

Olaus Alinen – The Finland native is a priority target for the coaching staff at Alabama. Since receiving an offer from the coaching staff in November of 2021, Alinen has been very high on the Tide. He has visited Alabama more than any other school as well. When his recruitment is all said and done, he will sign with the Tide.

Miles McVay – I’m not sure massive is even the word to describe Miles McVay. He stands at 6-foot-6 and 358 pounds. Not only is he massive in terms of physique, but he is also a massive target for the coaching staff. The Illinois native has been to Tuscaloosa several times since receiving his offer before his junior season. He is high on the Tide, and I firmly believe he ends up signing with Alabama.

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Peter Woods – The Alabama coaching staff as well as the Alabama fans have their eyes on Peter Woods’ commitment coming up on July 8th. The product of Thompson High School is seemingly down to two schools — Clemson and Alabama. Many experts believe that he is extremely high on Clemson after recent visits. However, I don’t think that he will pass up on an opportunity to team up with Thompson teammate Tony Mitchell at the college level. Also, he will be close to home. Alabama lands Woods.

Kelby Collins – There is another defensive lineman from the state of Alabama that will also head to Tuscaloosa. That is Kelby Collins — the product of Gardendale High School. He has taken two unofficial visits to the Capstone and seems to be high on the Tide. His recruitment has been somewhat silent in recent months, but it doesn’t change the fact that the coaching staff is in pursuit to land Collins. He ends up signing with Alabama.

Jordan Renaud – Alabama has seen abundant success over the years in the state of Texas. This recruiting class will be no different as the Tide will land Renaud. The native of Tyler, Texas has taken one official visit so far — Alabama. It could be soon that he makes his decision, but I believe that he signs with Alabama.

Edric Hill – The Missouri native recently took an official visit to Alabama this past weekend. He fits the profile of a prototypical Alabama defensive lineman at 6-foot-3, 290 pounds. The coaching staff is in hot pursuit. It is also worth mentioning that he hasn’t visited any of the schools in Texas. For that reason as well as his interest in the program, Hill signs with Alabama.

Elijah Davis – Davis is yet another junior college prospect that the Alabama coaching staff is high on. He has made one trip to Tuscaloosa so far, and he will likely return for another visit in the fall. The South Carolina native is entering his sophomore season at East Mississippi Community College.

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Bai Jobe – The Senegal native has only played organized football for two years. That doesn’t change the fact that he has become a household name in the recruiting world. Jobe has been highly recruited by the Alabama coaching staff since receiving an offer in February. Since then, he has made two visits to Tuscaloosa. It won’t be easy beating out the hometown team — Oklahoma. However, Alabama will come through and land Jobe in the end. His commitment is also expected to come in the near future.

Yhonzae Pierre – Pierre was the third commitment of the 2023 recruiting class. The native of Eufaula, Alabama shined last season for his high school as he recorded 55 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. Pierre has made it clear that he plans on signing with the Tide.

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Justin Jefferson – Yes, you read that right. Justin Jefferson is his name. It isn’t the current Vikings wide receiver. This Justin Jefferson plays linebacker for Pearl River Community College. It is also key to mention that he recently committed to Alabama several days ago. The Tennessee native has run a 4.3 forty-yard dash according to reports. Alabama fans should be really excited to see Jefferson in an Alabama uniform.

Malik Bryant – Everyone knows that Nick Saban will not go a year without landing a recruit from IMG Academy. This time he will haul in the highly-coveted linebacker Malik Bryant. He has Alabama in his final four and is set to commit on July 23rd. Keep an eye on Bryant’s commitment.

Raul Aguirre – The Alabama coaching staff couldn’t wait to get Aguirre on campus for a visit. The Georgia native took his official visit to Tuscaloosa on June 10th. He has taken other visits as well to schools like Texas, Ohio State, and Florida. He will announce his commitment on July 16th, and I would be shocked if he didn’t choose Alabama.

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Makari Vickers – This won’t be the first time that Nick Saban has landed a promising recruit from Tallahassee, Florida. In the past, he landed two safeties in Ronnie Harrison and Terrion Arnold. He will continue his success in Florida State’s backyard by landing Vickers.

Tony Mitchell – Alabama fans were stoked to hear that Mitchell had committed to the Tide. The coaching staff has recruited him since his freshman season of high school. He has great upside at 6-foot-2 and can play safety or cornerback at the next level.

Jahlil Hurley – Hurley was the second commitment in the 2023 recruiting class. Although there were rumors of him de-committing, he seems to be locked in with the Tide. If all goes as planned in this cycle, he could be a part of one of the best secondaries that Nick Saban has ever recruited.

Brayson Hubbard – Hubbard is an interesting recruit, to say the least. The Mississippi native plays both quarterback and safety for Ocean Springs High School in Pascagoula, Mississippi. However, the coaching staff sees him as more of a defensive player. He recently committed and appears to be locked in with Alabama.

Elliot Washington – To be quite honest, I contemplated putting Washington on this list. The main reason is that he has taken two official visits in the past month to Michigan State. Not to mention, he also took an official visit to Penn State. Now that doesn’t mean that I’m saying he will de-commit. It is something to keep an eye on. However, he hasn’t wavered yet after he announced his commitment to Alabama in January. His father, Elliot Washington Sr., also played basketball at Alabama in the early 1990s. Ultimately, I think he will stick with the Tide.

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