Alabama’s pursuit of one of the top defensive line prospects in the 2027 class received a significant boost this week.
Mitchell Turner, the No. 3 defensive lineman in the country for the 2027 cycle, told Bama247’s Brett Greenberg that Alabama remains at the top of his recruitment following his official visit to Tuscaloosa over the May 29-31 weekend. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound prospect from Louisville, Mississippi, made clear that the Crimson Tide did everything right.
“Yes, sir,” Turner told Bama247 when asked if Alabama was still atop his board. “I would say so.”
Alabama ‘Checked the Boxes’ for Turner
Turner arrived in Tuscaloosa with questions. He left with answers.
“There were some (more) answers, for sure,” Turner told Bama247. “They had a lot of great answers for my questions. They talked about how they are going to develop me, how they see me fitting into my role in the defense, and seeing what I am going to do in the future with them if I were to go there.”
When asked if the Alabama staff’s responses hit the mark, Turner was direct.
“Yes, sir. They definitely checked the boxes for what I wanted to hear.”
The Louisville (MS) High School standout elaborated further on what made the trip so impactful, pointing to the culture and family atmosphere within the program.
“It was a great impression,” Turner said. “They went into more depth on many things that I had seen before. There were a lot of questions answered. The way they just treat you like family — everybody, whether it is the coach or the recruiting coordinator, it doesn’t matter. Whoever it is, you are just treated like family. That is what I love about it.”
The Freddie Roach Relationship Is Central
If there is one driving force behind Alabama’s standing in Turner’s recruitment, it is defensive line coach Freddie Roach.
Turner told Bama247 last month that he speaks with Roach “almost every single day,” describing the bond as going “beyond the player-coach relationship.” That connection deepened further during the official visit weekend, and Turner made it clear the relationship is about more than football.
“Coach (Freddie) Roach is great,” Turner said. “It’s more than just ball with him, I would say. He talks to me about regular life stuff. He is always just trying to help me.”
When asked what keeps Alabama at the top of his list, Turner pointed directly to that human element.
“Just the relationships I have with them,” he said. “Just the relationship with coach (Freddie) Roach and coach (Kane) Wommack, all of the staff. It’s just ‘Bama.”
What’s Next in Turner’s Recruitment
Turner is currently on an official visit to LSU (June 1-3), with stops at Ole Miss (June 5-7), Texas (June 12-14), and Mississippi State (June 19-21) also on the schedule. The plan is to complete all five official visits before making a decision — but Turner acknowledged that timeline is not set in stone.
“I wouldn’t say definitely,” he said. “That could change. As of right now, we are going to take all of my official visits to survey all of my options and make sure it is the right decision for my future.”
Bama247 submitted a Crystal Ball prediction in favor of Alabama on April 13, and nothing from Turner’s official visit weekend changed that projection.
Mitchell Turner Just Said Three Words About Alabama That Crimson Tide Fans Need to Hear