Ad Disclosure
Alabama is working to beef up the 2026 recruiting class and keep things rolling with Kalen DeBoer at the helm. After an elite class in 2025, the Crimson Tide pulled in a major target out of the Southeast as a key piece for 2026.
On Friday, 4-star edge Jamarion Matthews out of Gainesville (Ga.) High School revealed his commitment to Alabama. His final decision came down to the Tide against a group that included LSU, FSU and Clemson, per Hayes Fawcett with On3 Sports.
Matthews is listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds and is rated as the No. 17 edge prospect in the entire country per the 247 Sports Composite. He also checks in just inside the top 200 players in the entire country and is the No. 26 recruit in Georgia for the cycle.
While Matthews is in Georgia for his final season, he spent the 2024 campaign at Harvest in Alabama. He delivered an impressive 29 TFL and 17 sacks in 10 games as a junior.
In 2025, DeBoer compiled the No. 3 recruiting class in the entire country, maintaining the elite recruiting trajectory fans were accustomed to under Nick Saban. Now, he’ll try to do it again in 2026 while improving on the 9-4 overall record he produced during his first season in Tuscaloosa.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
