Recruiting insiders predict No. 1 CB of the 2026 class to commit to Kalen DeBoer's Alabama despite Georgia links

Recent predictions from recruiting insiders are placing Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Crimson Tide ahead of the Georgia Bulldogs in the race to sign Jorden Edmonds. Edmonds is a product of Sprayberry High School in Marietta, Georgia. Expectations have been that being a Georgia native, he would favor the Bulldogs in his recruitment.

However, according to the latest predictions by 247Sports’ Brett Greenberg and On3’s Steve Wiltfong, DeBoer’s team is now the favorite in the race. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder is the No. 1 cornerback nationally and the No. 2 prospect in the state of Georgia, per 247Sports. He is also the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2026 class.

DeBoer took charge of the Crimson Tide following Nick Saban’s retirement and led them to their worst finish since Saban’s first season in charge. With a 9-4 record, the team left much to be desired in their performance on the field.

However, DeBoer started strong on the recruiting front. The Tide finished the 2025 recruiting cycle at No. 3 as the former Washington coach got to work building his roster.

Getting players of Edmonds’ rating will no doubt put a wealth of talent at DeBoer’s disposal, making his job at Tuscaloosa easier. However, the race to sign the standout cornerback is by no means decided.

With three official visits upcoming, Edmonds will have a lot to consider as he nears his final decision. He is set to visit Georgia on May 30, with visits to Tennessee and Alabama scheduled for June 13 and 20, respectively.

Kirby Smart has a track record of getting top in-state talents on his roster. In the last recruiting cycle, the program signed the highest number of in-state talents so far under Smart, totaling 21. Going by these latest predictions, the Bulldogs seem set to miss out on one of Georgia’s top talents in the 2026 class.

Edmonds helped the Sprayberry Jackets to an 11-2 finish last season with 32 catches for 648 yards and four touchdowns. He also recorded 30 tackles.

The state of Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class

Alabama needs to seal the commitment of a top prospect like Edmonds after falling off the ladder with Jared Curtis. Despite DeBoer’s visit to the top quarterback prospect in January, he is set to announce his commitment to either Oregon or Georgia in May.

Only three prospects sit in Alabama’s 2026 recruiting class that is currently No. 15 nationally, according to On3. They are four-star cornerback Zyan Gibson, four-star EDGE Jammarion Matthews and four-star offensive lineman Chris Booker.