Is high school recruiting still the lifeblood of college football… or is it getting replaced by the transfer portal + NIL marketplace? In today’s episode we dig into Alabama recruiting — why the Tide sit around #8 in the class rankings, what that actually means in 2026, and whether stacking elite high school talent matters as much when it feels like half the class can disappear before it ever becomes “depth.” But first… we kick it off with a very Alabama start to the show 😅 🦌 Jake Coker’s monster buck story (and how hunting has changed) Former Alabama QB Jake Coker joins and breaks down the monster buck he just dropped — the one he’s been tracking for two years with multiple cameras. He describes the rack, guesses it’d score high 140s to 150s, and explains why the camera era has completely changed hunting compared to the old days. He even ranks it top 3–4 among his all-time bucks… then heads to the taxidermist — and still makes it back in time to watch Bama hoops. 🏀 Quick hoops flex: Alabama wins on the Plains Yes, we talk about Alabama basketball’s huge win at Neville Arena on Saturday — because winning on the Plains hits different, and this team has everyone fired up (with Ole Miss coming next). ✈️ Coker in Vegas + the A-10 sendoff Coker also shares a trip to Vegas to watch his brother’s final flight in the A-10 before transitioning planes (possibly to the F-15). He talks about how insane the A-10 is — especially what it can do flying low — and how a bunch of Air Force Academy guys are already heading to airlines like Delta and United. 🧨 Alabama recruiting: who we’re excited about Then we get to the main event: Alabama’s recruiting strategy in the portal era. Ezavier Crowell (RB, Jackson): We talk about why this is the kind of high school recruit Alabama has to hit on — talented, but also mature enough to understand he may sit a year before becoming “that guy.” With Crowell, it’s all about focus and maturity off the field. Cederian Morgan: A potential future replacement type who’s already coming in with a college-ready frame — reportedly around 6'4", 228–238 — and why that matters when you’re talking about beating press coverage and getting off the ball with SEC physicality. 🔄 So… is high school recruiting still important? We debate the uncomfortable truth: Alabama is losing a ton of “depth players,” and it feels like 50% of recruits might be gone — half by choice, half getting picked off. That leads to the big point: local Alabama ties matter more than ever. Guys with a real connection to the program are less likely to bolt for a relatively small NIL offer — and we bring up a Clay Travis point about why leaving for something like $100,000 can be short-sighted compared to the long-term value of relationships, development, and opportunities built by staying. 💰 Would you transfer for $6.5 million? We also play out a hypothetical: if Jake Coker had one more year of eligibility in today’s market — and could either go to the NFL or transfer for $6.5M — what’s the move? You might be surprised where the conversation lands. 🏀 Bediako eligibility debate We even touch on the Charles Bediako return conversation — and why the “he’s taking a high school kid’s spot” argument doesn’t really hold up when the NCAA already allows pros from overseas to come over and play. If you care about where college football is headed — and what Alabama has to do to stay on top — this one’s for you. 👇 Comment your take: Is high school recruiting still king, or is the portal/NIL era making it overrated? And what number would it take for you to transfer? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices