The Alabama Crimson Tide achieved an early victory in recruiting with the addition of four-star cornerback Braylen Gibbs, who officially flipped his commitment from Vanderbilt to Alabama for the 2028 recruiting cycle.
The standout from Knoxville Catholic had been committed to the Commodores since late 2025, but multiple recruitment visits to Tuscaloosa, including the recent A-Day spring event, ultimately persuaded the highly sought-after defensive back to change his allegiance to Kalen DeBoer’s program.
However, the competitive in-state recruiting rivalry brought a significant setback for the Crimson Tide in another area. As reported by Hayes Fawcett on X for Rivals, Alabama officially lost out on Class of 2027 wide receiver Cedrick Simmons, who decided to commit to the Auburn Tigers. Standing at 5’10” and weighing 195 pounds, the explosive playmaker chose the Tigers over strong interest from both Alabama and Purdue.
BREAKING: Class of 2027 WR Cedrick Simmons has Committed to Auburn, he tells me for @Rivals
The 5’10 195 WR chose the Tigers over Alabama and Purdue
“Let's Work!!!! War Eagle
”https://t.co/oguNaknYws pic.twitter.com/GAOcQYcU4C
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 23, 2026
Upon announcing his commitment to the program on the Plains, Simmons expressed his enthusiasm for the future by saying, “Let’s Work!!!! War Eagle.” Losing out on Simmons is a notable blow for Alabama’s recruiting efforts, forcing the Crimson Tide to continue their search for a premier wide receiver in the 2027 cycle while their chief in-state rival gains momentum.
Despite the missed opportunity at wide receiver, Alabama managed to strengthen their secondary recruiting efforts by securing talented 2027 cornerback Darrius White. The 6’3”, 185-pound defensive back announced his commitment via Rivals, exclaiming, “#IMHOME All Glory to God.”
This significant addition to the secondary provides a crucial boost as the Crimson Tide prepares for the upcoming 2026 college football season, aiming to recover from a disappointing Rose Bowl blowout loss to the Indiana Hoosiers that prematurely ended their previous championship campaign.
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