Alabama Loses Yet Another Elite Target on Recruiting Trail

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The University of Alabama falls behind on yet another top target.

Crimson Tide defensive back coach Mo Linguist had developed a strong relationship with Stepp, and for a while it seemed like Stepp was leaning towards Bama.

However, after visits to Cal and Oregon, that quickly changed.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning has done a marvelous job at developing a pipeline to Las Vegas high school (and where Stepp goes) Bishop Gorman. So much so that MaxPreps dubbed Bishop Gorman as “the Oregon of high school football.”

The Ducks have already recruited Jett Washington and Douglas Utu out of Bishop Gorman, but Alabama brought in wide receiver Derek Meadows.

We spoke with Stepp last month prior to his visit in Tuscaloosa and one aspect he was eager to learn about was the strength and conditioning department.

“I’m most excited to speak with the strength coaches because they play such an important role in helping athletes develop and succeed,” he told BamaRoundtable. “I’m looking forward to learning how they prepare players physically and how they can help me be ready to compete during my freshman season.”

Alabama seemed to be in the lead, leading up to his visit to Oregon, but once he left Eugene, Rivals’ VP of National Recruiting Steve Wiltfong made a prediction on Stepp to land with the Ducks.

It’s yet another gut punch to the Alabama staff who have consistently done a favorable job at building relationships with top recruits. But from the looks of it, they seem to fall out of the running at the finish line.

Stepp’s final official visit took place in Eugene, and the final visit typically holds a lot of value for a prospect.

Alabama’s 2027 class wasn’t expected to be loaded, as head coach Kalen DeBoer and General Manager Courtney Morgan have made a priority on retaining their players.

Luckily for the Tide, they received a commitment from cornerback Darrius White, who has a similar frame to Stepp.

Alabama had seemed to prioritize the offensive side of the ball for the 2027 class, bringing in quarterbacks Elijah Haven and Trent Seaborn, as well as four-star wide receiver Osani Gayles.

To the Tide though, Stepp would’ve been a huge win for the future of their program.

Now, it’s back to the drawing board.

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