Kalen DeBoer's Alabama extends offer to 2026 class four-star prospect Tristen Keys

Four-star athlete Tristen Keys from Hattiesburg High School in Mississippi has long admired Alabama. He grew up watching the Crimson Tide produce NFL talent at his position, making the school his dream program.

This admiration reached a new height on Monday night when he received a scholarship offer from coach Kalen DeBoer's program, which was delivered personally by wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard.

The offer from Alabama holds huge significance for 6-foot-3, 170-pound Keys, who paid close attention to Shephard’s success in developing wide receivers at Washington last season. He expressed his excitement on social media, writing:

'#AGTG Extremely blessed to receive a offer from The University of Alabama #RollTideRoll ⚪️🐘🔴 @CoachShephard @tv2p @marquiswarford @Coach_CJBailey @coastlinestars @MeshAcademy @shayhodge3 @MacCorleone74 @MarshallRivals @BHoward_11 @samspiegs @ChadSimmons_ @Zach_Berry."

Keys' MaxPreps account lists him as a wide receiver or cornerback prospect. He hit the headlines as one of the most consistent performers at the receiver spot at the Under Armour Future 50.

Recruiting channels rank him as a wide receiver prospect. He is tabbed by On3 as the No. 90 overall prospect in the nation, the No. 11 wide receiver in the 2026 class and the No. 5 recruit in Mississippi. 247 Sports places him as the No. 90 overall prospect nationally, the No. 11 wide receiver in the class and the No. 5 recruit in the state.

Tristen Keys' recruitment update

Tristen Keys received more than one dozen offers from college programs, including Jackson State Arkansas, Ole Miss, Auburn, UNLV, Michigan, Florida State and Mississippi State.

Although no crystal ball projections have been made yet, Ole Miss appears to be the frontrunner in the race for Keys' commitment. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Rebels currently hold a 61.1% chance of landing him. The program will be eager to secure a commitment from him, as it has yet to receive any pledges for its 2026 class.

Another strong contender in Keys' recruitment is LSU, which extended an offer to Keys on July 14 and remains in the mix with a 19.0% chance of securing his commitment. The Tigers' 2026 recruiting class is already off to a strong start with four committed players, ranking No. 8 nationally and No. 4 in the Southeastern Conference.

Jackson State and Tulane are also in the running, though their chances appear slim. Jackson State has a 1.5% chance of securing Tristen Keys' commitment, while Tulane's chances stand at 1.2%.