Alabama has made recruiting the state’s top talent a major priority in the 2028 cycle, and one of the biggest names on that list continues to make it clear that the Crimson Tide are firmly in the mix.
Four-star Birmingham (Ala.) Parker defensive back CJ Craig-James, one of the nation’s premier defensive prospects in the 2028 recruiting class, recently shared another encouraging update on his recruitment with Bama247’s Brett Greenberg. From his growing relationships with Alabama’s coaching staff to his plans for multiple game-day visits this fall, the Crimson Tide appear to be in an excellent position early in one of the state’s most important recruitments.
Craig-James is currently rated as the No. 8 safety, the No. 83 overall player nationally, and the No. 4 prospect in Alabama in the 2028 class.
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Since receiving his Alabama offer in early March, Craig-James has become a frequent visitor to Tuscaloosa.
After attending multiple spring practices and returning with Parker High School for Alabama’s summer 7-on-7 tournament, the talented defensive back told Greenberg that the recruiting process has completely changed now that he’s become a priority target for Kalen DeBoer’s staff.
Growing up an Alabama fan, Craig-James already respected the program’s tradition. Now, however, he says the daily communication from assistant coaches Jason Jones and Maurice Linguist, along with general manager Courtney Morgan, has made a significant impression.
Perhaps most notable was Craig-James pushing back against the narrative that Alabama is no longer prioritizing in-state recruiting.
According to the elite defensive back, that hasn’t been his experience at all.
Instead, he said Alabama’s coaches stay in regular contact, consistently checking in and investing time into building genuine relationships rather than simply recruiting him as another prospect.
Those connections have helped Alabama remain one of the programs firmly at the top of his recruitment.
Fall Visits Could Be Critical in Alabama Recruitment
Craig-James also revealed an ambitious visit schedule for the upcoming season.
He plans to return to Bryant-Denny Stadium for Alabama’s season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5, the home matchup with Florida State on Sept. 19, and what could be one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the season when Georgia visits Tuscaloosa on Oct. 10.
Those visits will give Alabama another opportunity to strengthen its position before Craig-James makes a decision.
The talented safety also explained why Alabama’s defensive scheme appeals to him. At 6-foot-3, he believes his physical style and ability to tackle fit exactly what Alabama wants from its defensive backs, especially with the expectation of covering large portions of the field.
Another factor working in Alabama’s favor is its growing peer recruiting efforts.
Current 2028 quarterback commit Kingston Preyear has already begun recruiting fellow in-state standouts to join him in Tuscaloosa, and Craig-James admitted he shares that vision. He mentioned fellow Alabama prospects Tyler Boyd and Derrick Kimbrough as players he’d love to join alongside Preyear at Alabama.
Although Craig-James recently released a top 12 that included Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, Clemson, Florida, Oregon, Vanderbilt and California, he told Greenberg that Alabama, Miami and Notre Dame currently stand above the rest.
He also noted that Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Georgia Tech have recently increased their involvement.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Craig-James’ update is his recruiting timeline. Rather than dragging the process into his senior year, he indicated he’d like to announce his commitment sometime during his junior season or shortly afterward during the winter.
For Alabama, that means the next several months, and especially those three fall visits, could play a major role in determining whether one of the state’s elite defensive backs ultimately stays home to play for the Crimson Tide.
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