Alabama swipes versatile 2025 4-Star linebacker from Nebraska

Alabama swipes versatile 2025 4-Star linebacker from Nebraska

The Alabama Crimson Tide aren't slowing down on the recruiting trail, securing a commitment from 2025 linebacker Dawson Merritt.

Hayes Fawcett with On3 reported on Wednesday that Merritt had officially committed to Alabama.

According to Fawcett, Merritt had been considering the Nebraska Cornhuskers as well, but chose the Crimson Tide as they prepare for a new era under head coach Kalen DeBoer.

247Sports had Merritt as a 4-star recruit and the sixth-ranked linebacker in the class of 2025. He had made official visits with Alabama, Nebraska, and Oklahoma before making his final decision.

At 6'3" and 215 pounds, Merritt could develop into either an off-ball linebacker or pass-rushing EDGE. He's a versatile, lengthy, and athletic linebacker who could be asked to wear any number of hats on Alabama's defense.

The Crimson Tide haven't slowed down on the recruiting trail after Nick Saban's retirement. In fact, Alabama still currently has the second-best 2025 recruiting class in the country, behind only Ohio State. ESPN has Alabama with the third-best 2025 class.

Commitments like this bode well for DeBoer's tenure at Alabama. The Crimson Tide are a prestigious program, but there were concerns about what future recruiting classes would look like without Saban running the ship.

Despite all of the recruiting success, the Crimson Tide still have plenty of work to do. The team lost significant depth and talent to the transfer portal after Saban's retirement, including the likes of star wideout Isaiah Bond and versatile defender Caleb Downs. Former 5-star quarterback Julian Sayin also left, bolting for an opportunity with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The transfer portal has the Crimson Tide in a bind for 2024, but strong recruiting classes like the one they're building out for 2025 should help them get back on track in the coming years.