Longtime Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s retirement sent a shock wave around college football as the sport lost not only a legend but one of the greatest coaches of all time. A key part of game planning, program strategy, and recruitment, Saban touched all elements of arguably the top program of modern college football.
With his exit, many top high school football recruits who chose Alabama are now reconsidering their decision. Five-star prospects including Ryan Williams, Jaime Ffrench and Zion Grady are among those who have announced intentions to re-evaluate the college football market and have conversations with other teams they previously passed on in favor of Alabama and Saban.
Take a look at the list of former Alabama commits back on the market. All rankings are according to the 247Sports Composite:
Wide receiver Ryan Williams
Saraland High School (Ala.)
Wide Receiver
6-foot-0.5, 165 pounds
It took less than a day for top-10 prospect Ryan Williams to decommit from Alabama after Saban announced his retirement. On Jan. 10, Williams heard the news of the retirement, called staffers to confirm, and about an hour later decided to decommit on the heels of not only Saban but wide receiver coach Holmon Wiggins’ departure, according to ESPN.
Williams is ranked No. 9 overall and the third-best receiver in the class of 2024. He has 26 offers, according to 247Sports. Among the teams to offer is Texas A&M, which is the new employer of Wiggins, and Auburn, which he visited in December with other top Auburn receiver commits.
Related: Ryan Willliams reclassifies to 2024
Wide receiver Jaime Ffrench
Mandarin High School (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Wide Receiver
6-foot-1, 185 pounds
On Jan. 14, Jaime Ffrench announced that he had decommitted from Alabama. Since, his profile on social media platform X has been flooded with offers and visits.
He posted that Colorado had re-offered him the same day. On Jan. 17, he posted a picture with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and later that day posted that USC issued an offer. The next day he tweeted a photo holding up the U with Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, and on Jan. 19 announced that Oklahoma had offered him and he posted a photo with Florida head coach Billy Napier. On Saturday, he visited Florida State.
WR @jaimeffrenchjr will be at FSU into Saturday: https://t.co/BRHoPg4O30 pic.twitter.com/yaKjR3mdEm
— Noles247.com (@Noles247) January 19, 2024
The No. 12 player and No. 3 receiver in the class of 2025 is showing just how much and how many programs want him. According to 247Sports, he has 33 offers.
Offensive lineman Mason Short
Evans High School (Ga.)
Offensive lineman
6-foot-5.5, 305 pounds
On Jan. 16, four-star offensive lineman Mason Short announced he has decommitted from Alabama. With his activity on X since, it appears Georgia is a heavy front-runner for his services.
His trip to Georgia had already been planned prior to Saban’s exit, and the weekend came immediately before his decommitment. Since, he has posted a handful of photos and videos to his social media profile about Georgia, including one captioned “Go Dawgs” with emojis and another captioned “Momma looks pretty happy.”
Momma looks pretty happy @RustyMansell_ @JedMay_ pic.twitter.com/FmrSERJ9t8
— Mason Short ✞ (@MasonShort_) January 16, 2024
Short is ranked the No. 160 player and No. 8 IOL in the class of 2025.
Offensive lineman Dontrell Glover
Langston Hughes High School (Fairburn, Ga.)
Offensive lineman
6-foot-3, 290 pounds
Dontrell Glover also announced his decommitment on Jan. 16. This too came after a visit to another program, as he toured Auburn the weekend prior. Glover told On3 that he is not yet sold on his next program, but is chatting with several different schools, primarily Auburn, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida and Texas.
“I am sticking with the schools that have been sticking with me. Those schools kept recruiting me even after I committed to Alabama, so I will keep talking with them and take visits,” he said to the recruiting outlet.
Glover is ranked No. 170 in the class of 2025 and the No. 10 IOL.
EDGE Javion Hilson
Cocoa High School (Fla.)
EDGE
6-foot-3.5, 225 pounds
Javion Hilson flipped from Alabama to Florida State on Jan. 16, announcing his decision over X by saying “COMMITTED!! IM HOME!!” with a graphic. He had previously committed to Alabama on Dec. 9, after helping Cocoa win the state title.
Hilson is ranked as the No. 7 edge rusher and No. 47 overall commit in the class of 2025. He was excellent for the 14-1 Tigers this season, recording 94 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 14 sacks, according to MaxPreps.
COMMITTED!! IM HOME!!🍢@Coach_Norvell @CoachAdamFuller @FSUCoachJP @Hayesfawcett3 @Cocoa_Schneider @mdiesel321 @J55FoFo @OfficialAthlete pic.twitter.com/70r8Qx8R8E
— Javion Hilson (@javion_hilson) January 16, 2024
EDGE Zion Grady
Enterprise High School (Ala.)
EDGE
6-foot-4, 220 pounds
Zion Grady, a four-to-five-star defensive lineman, announced he his decommittment from the Crimson Tide on Jan. 17. The 247Sports Composite has him listed as a five-star player and No. 23 overall in the class — and the No. 1 EDGE — while the graphic Grady posted alongside On3’s Hayes Fawcett states he’s a four-star player.
BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Zion Grady tells me he has Decommitted from Alabama
The 6’4 230 EDGE from Troy, AL had been Committed to the Crimson Tide since November
Is ranked as a Top 40 Recruit in the ‘25 Classhttps://t.co/cdrwgoJLpF pic.twitter.com/hMl64EaCWY
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 17, 2024
Regardless of star difference, recruiting experts agree he’s an elite prospect, and it’s a yet another blow for Alabama in the midst of a very tough week. Grady, who transferred from Charles Henderson High School (Troy, Ala.) to Enterprise this month after recording 87 tackles, 24 TFLs, 11 sacks, 22 quarterback hurries and a pick-six, according to the Troy Messenger, is one of the best defensive players in the country.
Julian Sayin
Carlsbad High School (Calif.)
Quarterback
6-foot-1, 195 pounds
Perhaps the biggest loss in the post-Saban fallout is quarterback Julian Sayin, ranked on the 247Sports Composite as the top quarterback in the class of 2024 and No. 5 overall player. Sayin has already enrolled at Alabama, so he must enter the transfer portal.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the news, saying the quarterback chose the Crimson Tide specifically to play for Saban. As a senior, Sayin passed for 2,369 yards, 24 touchdowns and just one interception. He is now one of more than a half-dozen Alabama players to enter the transfer portal, including wide receiver Isaiah Bond, freshman All-America safety Caleb Downs.
Thamel reported that Sayin is expected to choose a new school and re-enroll in the coming weeks.
